To list Nikhilananda as “Activist of the Year” is one of the more absurd things I have seen in this newspaper [Best of Maui, July 13, 2006]. You have a great newspaper, but this is ridiculous. On substantive issues—affordable housing, Superferry, cruise ships, invasive species, stopping airport expansion, lawsuits against out-of-control development, growth boundaries… where has he been?
If I were to name the top 20 environmentalists, Nick would not be on the list: Ed Lindsay, Rene Sylva, Robin Newbold, Hannah Bernard, Lucienne de Naie, Richard and Judith Michaels, Kapua Sproat, Ron Sturtz, Maile Luuwai, Art Medeiros, Scott Crawford, John & Tweety Lind.
Nick’s a good guy. Get to know the real heroes of the island, please.
-Mark Sheehan, Haiku
ANOTHER DOWLING FAN
According to a recent Maui Planning Commission vote, uber-developer Everett Dowling is getting his super-rich gated development approved in Makena area of South Maui, sacred places notwithstanding [The Maui 10, July 6, 2006]. Surprise, surprise!
This is the same Dowling who was named “Maui’s Influence Peddler of the Year” in 2005 along with his Building Imbalance Gang—aka, Dowling B.I.G. For those tracking inequity and corruption, the latest gated Makena deal is just another piece of their cake.
Ever since local voices started to be heard in Maui on live TV, Dowling’s gang has been trying to tear down Akaku: Maui Community TV. Dowling B.I.G. wants to build a fence around local voices and ensure only gated communications are heard.
There is profit to be made building imbalance. That’s why the same special interests are attacking Akaku, paying mercenaries to hijack the free speech of Maui’s local people. Shame on Dowling B.I.G. and the corrupt State officials who do their bidding.
Now that Makena is being gated, it’s time to audit Time Warner, shine some light on the State’s cable TV regulator, and clean up the mess they’ve made of Maui’s gem, Akaku!
Free speech should be free—not gated by private interests nor state controlled.
-Sean McLaughlin, former Akaku president and CEO, Honolulu
CASE AGAINST CASE
A friend pointed me to your item about Mazie Hirono [Coconut Wireless, June 22, 2006]. Then I proceeded to scan your other articles. The one about your Congressman Ed Case voting yes on House Resolution 861 caught my eye. In short, he voted to “Stay the Course.” In joining the bandwagon cheering on the administration, Case sent a loud message that he does not believe in a full and open debate on Iraq on the House Floor, operating on Open Rules where all alternatives to the failed ”stay the course” policy can be offered and debated. HR 543, a Discharge Petition filed by Congressman Abercrombie calls for exactly that.
By this yes vote on 861, he demonstrated where his real allegiance is—and it’s NOT with the troops, their suffering families, the dead, the wounded and their families and it’s definitely not with looking for real solutions in bringing peace in Iraq and change at home. Peace.
-JBK, via email
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