Musings: On This and That

A celestial stack up in a starry black sky had me mesmerized and looking up this morning, at the shimmery constellation of Pleiades (Makalii), and beneath it, Triangle pointing south, its “greater than” side touching Venus, and below her, Jupiter, enveloped in a tiny cloud that created the appearance of a halo.

Then all that turned into this:

I've been thinking lately of how the state turns a blind eye to some stuff, while cracking down hard on something else.

Take, for instance, DLNR's vow to strictly enforce the rules at Polihale: no dogs, camping or fires on the beach. And no fun, either. Yet the Navy is allowed to steal five miles of that public beach to do whatevahs, and all around Hawaii, coastal landowners merrily plant their vegetation on the sand, which not only blocks access, but contributes to erosion.

Then there is the persecution of Ikaika Pratt, with the Hawaii Supreme Court ruling that the state’s interest in managing parkland overrode his right to practice his traditional religion. So DOCARE officers actually helicoptered his butt out of the Valley and he spent 26 days in jail awaiting a hearing.

Yet a friend who recently returned from Kalalau informed me there are about 15 permanent residents in the Valley, another 10 or so who live there intermittently and a dozen who regularly rotate through for extended periods, some from other islands. They've cultivated extensive gardens, and even set up a bee hive. Plus, daily boat trips shuttle folks to and from Hanalei and Kalalau Beach, which I thought was illegal. So if the DOCARE can bust Ikaika, how come all the others get a free pass?

Is it any wonder that folks think DLNR is a fricking politicized joke?

And I wonder, is the joke on Mike Sheehan, whose long-standing claim about the legality of his unpermitted boat yard has finally been usurped by the county's condemnation of his property? Or is it on us, for paying nearly $6 million for 2.29 acres of land that is frequently flooded so we can accommodate ever more tourists from Princeville's endless expansion?

Or maybe it's just Sheehan who is the joke, making comments like “we don't want it to turn it into a zoo,” after he's done precisely that, “I’m trying to lead by example here,” which is a wildly scary thought, and my favorite, “It’s not about money.” Well, then, Mike, why don't you dedicate the land, or at least cut us a deal?

As for cutting deals, how many times must we watch developers try to wriggle out of their commitments? Most recently, it's HSC Holdings, LLC, which wants to build only 42 employee housing units, as opposed to the 100 that were required under approvals granted 20 years ago to expand Princeville Shopping Center. Certainly now, even more than two decades ago, such housing is desperately needed on the North Shore.

And how is it that permits can remain good for 20 years? Isn't there a use it or lose it clause? 


Speaking of which, I hear another sucker — a Japanese company, this time — has purchased the dilapidated Coco Palms, which is about to celebrate the 20^th anniversary of its destruction. Can't the county order that eyesore leveled? Aren't such derelict buildings considered a public nuisance?

Finally, if you're interested in sovereignty issues, check out my article in Honolulu Weekly on the launch of the Native Hawaiian Roll. While the Roll registry is open only to Hawaiians, the campaign includes a petition that anyone can sign if they support the inherent sovereignty of Native Hawaiians. That may ultimately prove more interesting than the enrollment process, which is clearly Abercrombie's baby. As I report:

Though some Hawaiian nationals have dismissed the roll process as a tool of the state, [Commissioner Na`alehu] Anthony is encouraging them to participate. “It’s not our job to make a government,” he says, noting that the Commission will dissolve once the roll is published. “Independence, federal recognition, state recognition–all of these things are up for discussion. But we’ve got to know who is in the pool [in order] to have a discussion.” However, the press release distributed by Abercrombie’s office says the process “will eventually lead to federal recognition of Native Hawaiians.” OHA officials on hand for the launch also seemed to think that federal recognition was the goal, and that it was attainable.

Shoots, the guv could've at least let the kanaka maoli do their own launch, without him being the big cheese at the party.