Kākou: We’re in this Together

by Joni Kamiya, Hawaii Farmer’s Daughter, April 20, 2025

Last night I had the honor of being a panelist on the PBS Hawaii Town Hall Kākou regarding the illegal fireworks issue plaguing our islands after the NYE tragedy. That event affected me so much that I wrote a post about how culture and tradition were being misused by politicians and the public. Let me just say I learned a lot from the fireworks investigator, HPD, HFD, the public defender, the prosecutor’s office, Queen’s Hospital ER, fireworks task force, and the EMS services.

The problem is way worse that I could’ve ever imagined given what was reported. Like any problem, there are no simple answers either to address this. Much of the focus was on the laws and how we can enforce them and add penalties but we have a lack of manpower to undertake such an issue.

As I listened to the scope of what’s being done, I can see a bigger issue that is not being talked about much which is the loss of community. Those who blow these fireworks at all times of day and night in residential areas have no consideration for their neighbors. It’s all about them and their highs and fun. That is the problem for the greater community.

I was telling the story of how I decided to speak out to my parents’ neighbors and the random kids who chose to blow aerials over their property. We could’ve called the police but knowing how busy they are, it was unlikely the response would be effective.

The other option was to sit these for several hours and take it. Why should I just let that behavior that is infringing on our property so they can have fun? What if a bomb damages our property because we didn’t do anything? Note that my dad had told them before to stop blowing aerials over their home last year already. They clearly did not listen to the request.

Something inside me said that I had to say something. What did we have to lose by speaking the truth? Nothing.

We walked over to the offenders and called them over to talk and asked them to stop shooting their aerials over our home and shed. Thankfully, they obliged.

I mentioned that on the panel and people said how brave we were to take such action. I really never felt brave but instead felt compelled to protect my folks, my kids, and their pets from harm. If I allowed that behavior to continue, it passive allows it to happen. If there was a house fire and someone was harmed, I would forever regret not taking a stand. I could not live with that. My conscience would bother me so much.

I may be under 5 feet tall but that does not mean I do not have the power to shape the world around me. We as citizens can have that same collective power if we speak together against the wrongs of the world.

There was a time when a sense of community was important. Neighbors knew each other and everyone knew their kids. Kids were told to make the family proud and no shame the family. That had all changed where few have any consideration for others. Everything is about them and no one else. The mind and heart have become so small and callous.

Many people don’t understand why I volunteer to organize our Kaneohe Elementary Fun Fair or lead the OT Association or man a school crosswalk. I see it as a way to build community to bring like minds together to somehow make a positive change for the sake of my children.

We can talk about changing laws and enforcement but if we don’t work on building community, we will not have the safe communities that every person deserves. It’s not any easy fix but part of the solution that we all need to participate it.

I have to chuckle a bit that some pro-illegal fireworks supporters were upset that they were not invited to the panel. If you can’t follow the law, you don’t deserve a “voice” or air time because you’re a hazard to lives and property. Actually maybe there should be a pro-fireworks group features. Let them out themselves and help police crack down on these people. That would make investigations much less lengthy.