Thursday, February 17, 2011

Musings: Hard to Swallow

The moon, full tonight, was playing peek-a-boo behind layers of white lace when Koko and I went out in the darkness and looked up, through gently waving tree branches, at its waxing yellow splendor. Later, while I was lying in bed, it looked down at me, shining through the skylight and lighting up the room. And then a cloud swooped in and swallowed it up.

If you swallowed County Prosecutor Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho’s hyperbolic hysteria about the marijuana bills moving through the Lege — “If passed, these measures will result in increased violent crime, economic crisis, and a rise in marijuana usage among our children” — you’ll turn out for this afternoon’s fear-fest in front of the Historic County Building.

There you’ll hear misinformed law enforcement officers repeat the standard party line, which blames the plant for what are actually the deleterious effects of prohibition. Now that Paul Curtis is gone, The Garden Island actually ran a fair article about marijuana that included comments from the alleged perpetrator discounting the cops’ pot-motive version of a recent stabbing and a rebuttal from James Anthony, former community prosecutor for the city of Oakland, and a member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition.

I just hope we’re not paying anybody overtime — or any time — to participate in this afternoon’s ignorance-fueled power play. Because it’s kind of hard to swallow the line that the cops are understaffed and the PA’s office is overwhelmed when they can find time to organize, publicize and participate in a Chicken Little rally.

It’s also hard to swallow the complaint that naturists — those who like to swim and sunbathe nude — are somehow being persecuted because Waioli Corp. won’t give them the easiest possible access to Lepeuli (Larsen’s) Beach, as a letter to the editor from John Tyler Cragg asserts, or that their interest in obtaining that access doesn’t have everything to do with getting the easiest possible route to the beach. Tyler writes, in part:

If you make access hard enough, you will discourage use and they will go elsewhere.

I have no problem with people getting naked, but if they’re too damn lazy to walk on the sand to get to the place where they want to bare their buns, then that’s their problem. There is a legal access, and despite all the erroneous claims to the contrary, it is not especially difficult.

I wish the people fighting so hard for an easier access to Lepeuli would direct some of that energy to the coastlines of Haena, Wainiha, Anini and Aliomanu, where vegetation has been planted that is actually preventing people from using legal beach accesses as well as traversing the beach itself. But since they don’t want to get naked on those beaches, they apparently don’t give a shit.

I’m not a friend or fan of Bruce Laymon, who supposedly has the naturists quivering from fear and righteous indignation, but neither am a fan of those who have tried to turn a private property issue into a morality play. What they don’t seem to realize is, right or wrong, the naturist defense is the one that is least likely to gain them either sympathy or that access. They’d be better off throwing some money and support to the Sproats in their effort to establish the ala loa, but then, I’m not certain the Sproats want them on their side, either.

And while I don’t think anyone should be harassed at the beach, to the naked men complaining about being hassled by Bruce and his workers, let me say, hey, now you know what it’s like to be a woman. As a female who likes to go to remote beaches because they tend to have more wildlife, I’ve had to deal with men who hovered around me, followed me, repeatedly came on to me, exposed themselves to me and jacked off in front of me.

I even had a wealthy male coastal landowner grab me by the neck and throw me to the ground when I complained about his muddy runoff onto the beach, and the cops did nothing because when they finally responded, an hour after I called, he’d managed to line up a witness who claimed the guy never touched me.

So yes, I know what assholes men can be at the beach, and I’ve learned to be wary and watchful and move when I feel uneasy and sometimes leave before I’m ready.

But none of that has stopped me from going, because I have a right to be there, I want to be there and I’m not going to let fear or the bad behavior of a few men stop me.

I’m sure the naked boyz can similarly learn to handle as we work to perfect this not-so-perfect male-dominated world.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

So now that I'm a kupuna and walk with a cane I should never be allowed to fish at Lepeuli like hanabata days. Thanks Joan

Anonymous said...

Like a kupuna really wrote that. Bogus

Anonymous said...

"They’d be better off throwing some money and support to the Sproats in their effort to establish the ala loa, but then, I’m not certain the Sproats want them on their side, either."

To anon 10:57 AM
Wouldn't "establishing the ala loa" give kupuna and all others the access needed?

I think Joan was saying this angle (establishing ala loa as opposed to the naturists protest of easy access)was the better served "path" to take in the controversy.

Anonymous said...

The prosecutor says the marijuana law will lead to "violent crime and economic crisis" and blamed a recent "robbery" on marijuana.

The supposed criminal said the the dispute had "nothing to do with marijuana, despite police statements."

From the comments on TGI, it looks like people trust the statements of a random criminal defendant more than they trust the statements of our prosecutor. Hope Kauai JURIES remember this when the prosicuter says "trust me"

Anonymous said...

trust a drunk? with a failed track record, no thanks.

Anonymous said...

I have difficult time with the misinformation distributed by our 'elected' officials. I hope they remember we know how to vote.

Anonymous said...

put up the fence, get over it, there is public access, Joan is correct, wish the naturalists would focus their misguided efforts to a location that needs access, not one that is existing.

Oh and stop camping on private property.

Carly Foxtrot said...

Joan "the naked men complaining about being hassled by Bruce and his workers, let me say, hey, now you know what it’s like to be a woman."

LOL - Yes true enough girl, Perhaps that ex-cop, anti-pot, well-respected pro-feminist Rel Rapozo will protect you from crass male behaviour. But simple nudity a crime? Wonder who those law men were protecting when they nailed Jesus to the cross?

Carly Foxtrot said...

Joan - "If you swallowed County Prosecutor Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho’s hyperbolic hysteria"

lol - I don't swallow, and like Shaylene am not a doctor, but I feel Shaylenes "just severe pain" may be relieved by a radical hyperbolectmy!

Anonymous said...

"crass male behaviour"

For some of our gender hope springs internal!

Anonymous said...

ACLU threatens County over prosecutors; rally... All prosecutors MUST attend the rally? At taxpayer expense? The Prosecutor, the Police Chief and Debra Morel all standing together on this, most stupid cause. How could it be wrong?

... Rally cancelled due to weather (where is the storm?) or being illegal (oh there it is). What?

How many Kauai employee (taxpayer funded) hours went into opposing this MJ reform law? That would be criminal - does anyone care?

Something is very wrong. Government officials whipping up the clergy to oppose marijuana reform - wonder if he reached out to any rastafarian churches? Prosecutors wanting to be able to jail maybe 30 percent of the population who smoke pot ....
.
Were crossing outside of normal democracy at this point ... into something rather sinister

Anonymous said...

How much in taxpayer dollars spend on protecting the what maybe 50 protesters/promoters? 30?

Anonymous said...

And were those anti medical marijuana signs made during business hours in, say, the office of the prosecuting attorney?

Didnt KPD officers get in big trouble for having employees do politics on company (taxpayer-funded) time?

Heads should roll on this one!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Joan,

Are you going to hold Mel responsible for this travesty or give him a free ride because he agreed with your position on TVR's?

Anonymous said...

Why is Mel responsible?

Anonymous said...

whose equipment did he use? how many county employees did he use - including police officers? How is he NOT responsible for taxpayer money? As an elected official, he is and should be held responsible.

Anonymous said...

Mis-use of public funds? If the Feds are paying attention then these kinds of shenanigans would likely cease.

I don't see it happening - they've gotten away with it for so long, what makes anyone think someone cares now?

Anonymous said...

February 17, 2011 10:57 AM

you still have your PASH rights, call the landlord, they'll let you in the gate.

watchdog said...

Joan, I'm sorry to point out that your biases are showing badly in this post. You rail againt mj interdiction, and then turn around and essentially throw people with different "alternate lifestyles" under the bus.

I mostly agree with both viewpoints, but you could've been more understanding, tactful, and helpful toward the nudists.