I mean, who thought
it would help the movement to have a guy who landed here six months
ago — “God asked me to come to Kauai to do my greatest good and
greatest service to others” — admonish the Council to “represent
us the way we want to be represented or we will be sitting in your
chairs”?
Because Hawaii already did the
missionary thing, and it didn't go over well. Nor did the remark,
which pissed off Councilman Ross Kagawa, who accurately characterized
it as “like a threat” (albeit an empty one). Ross then advised
the speakers that the “content of the testimony needs to show a
little more class” as the aforementioned JOJ called out, “I love
you” from the audience.
Which later clapped and used
noisemakers to show support for a speaker as drums beat outside. None
of which ever plays well in the Council chambers, especially when
things are tense. And tense they most certainly were, with County
Attorney Al Castillo twice raising the specter of possible Sunshine
Law violations since GMOs/pesticides weren't on the agenda, and
Councilmen Gary Hooser and Tim Bynum expending valuable, and limited,
political capital to persuade their colleagues to let the group
speak, and Councilwoman JoAnn Yukimura frowning because the process was sketchy, and Chairman Jay Furfaro's blood pressure rising as he struggled to manage the reins.
Of course, you don't have to go along with the
Council's protocol — unless you want to be taken
seriously and have your proposed ordinance considered. Which brings
us to the Kauai Food Bill of Rights, a fairy tale about a "new island order." Though couched in appealing, familiar terms — "we the people, GMO-free, self-governance, sustainability" — it's a hodge-podge of
philosophy and circular thinking that is not grounded in legal or
political reality.
To whit: within five days of passage it would ban use of every
synthetic pesticide, prohibit all farms that aren't 75% family owned,
require stores and restaurants to buy 25% of their food from
sustainable sources and allow citizens to bring claims against any perceived violators. The Council would be given the power to consider
separating from the State of Hawaii or United State of America if
those entities tried to block implementation of the bill.
Or at least, that's according to the draft I obtained. Kauai Rising, the bill's promoter, hasn't been making it publicly available, which is fine, especially if it's undergoing revisions. But in that case, they really shouldn't be circulating a generic, feel-good petition that they tried to present to the Council as 1770 signatures in favor of a measure that it did not even link to. Which apparently was the whole purpose of Wednesday morning's drama.
It's all quite funny, actually, a true political
farce. Unless it tragically discredits the broader
anti-GMO/pesticide movement, or distracts people from the real work
of getting a serious pesticide bill through the Council this year....
Posts
22 comments:
You can find a similar bill, it was copied word for word from other municipalities across the country, it never passed, anywhere...just type in food bill of rights...
Haha, copy and paste at it's finest!
That was confusing. Is the Council passing a no GMO bill?
The County of Kauai council is working hand in hand to help poison the citizens of Kauai.
If Kauai can get 1000 FDA complaints and Hawaii the University of Hawaii and other non biased Orgs to do soil sample, water, and air testing,
I believe we as citizens will have the right to SUR every GMo and Council member for their Atrocities against Humans, Lands, Ocean, and The Air.
I got news. That kook guy perfectly represents the intelligence and sense of anti GMO ers
The council is working to poison the people?
I think you are on to something Joan, could a group really be so dumb unless they are part of the method to discredit the real need ?
What were the people who signed signing if the Bill of Rights wasn't available with it ?
Seems to me that these were just good people buying into a dream. Good and naive people with bad leadership. Their leader has got his head in the clouds (pun intended)and cannot decide which is the bigger threat, gmo's, chemtrails, smart-meters, or the government conspiracy. But the majority just want to live their lives without being poisoned and have bought into his pie in the sky pitch of somehow requiring everyone on Kauai to live by his rules. Go figure.
> I got news. That kook guy perfectly represents the intelligence and sense of anti GMO ers <
You wish. In fact, that kook guy only represents those who, like him, opportunistically attach themselves to every group that battles the incest of industry and government. They're as much about their own aggrandizement as the corporate creeps they claim to be against.
Oh my, the "God sent me a message and led me here; you'd best listen to my divine message or else..."
Can tell this guy is new to Kauai, and just doesn't get it. Someone explain to this guy, and quick. I hope God will give him a nudge.
Leads to story from TGI, about Hilario Denied Retrial:
"Intimidating a witness is to threaten or influence the testimony of a person, or induce them to absent themselves from testifying. The felony charge carries a possible five-year prison term, and Mendes said the charge was a back up in the event the jury did not convict Hilario of murder."
Forget about back up--stack these charges as due. It's over.
What did Hilario text his victim, "I can't wait to get you?"
Hilario has earned Life in Prison Without Parole; it's where Hilario belongs.
I don't want to pay onr more tax dime toward one more court appointed, private attorney for this killer.
Too much taxpayers' hard earned money has been wasted on Hilario. The end. Throw away the key.
Hey 7:18 pm, so what's your point? Apples or oranges? I don't get how a Hilario's Retrial Denied fits into the discussion. Seems distorted, almost delusional.
Is the council passing a no GMO bill or is it poisoning the people? They should make up their minds.
Those aren't the only choices 10:46. simplistic either-or thinking won't solve the problems this island taces.
I have a scientific background. I work in the food industry and I oppose GMOs foods. I even have a bumper sticker saying as much.
That being said the proposed food bill of rights is a joke. Joan, you got it right on this one. Some people (Kauai Rising) are definitely out of touch with current reality and I don't support the quasi fascist reality (the rights of nature) they are trying to create.
Thank you Joan this needed to be said. Thoy are blowing it for the rest of us.
Until these groups popped up no one knew they as well as our aina were being poisoned. If you who are posting are so smart and have such great backgrounds why is Monsato taking over our land and poisoning it? What are you going to do to stop it? Maybe the message wasnt delivered nicely but I'm sure the council got the message! Thank you to all who showed up. Its not our job to right bills its are job to let the ones who are know what we want them to write. Evict Land and people poisoners
Good luck to you.
been away from computer, just caught up on my reading and want to say , truly a great piece from Tues. 4-30. Really great writing. The pot is also really heating up in the TVR debacle. Fantastic work Joan !!
"The Council would be given the power to consider separating from the State of Hawaii or United State of America if those entities tried to block implementation of the bill."
The all powerful Council, ready to take on the USA!
To Anon who said
Until these groups popped up no one knew they as well as our aina were being poisoned
Are you so naiive you think the people of the westside needed these guys to tell them they are being poisoned? You are silly, people are quite aware, they just have the good sense to not act like idiots.
maybe you did not know, but most of the rest of us sure did. Kauai Rising are late , they are followers,and showed themselves to definately not be leaders with any credibility.
However successful or unsuccessful, many have worked on this issue for years.
Demanding the council follow kauai rising is laughable. Busting in the council meeting shows no class, and it's not like the message was so well delivered you all jus had to say it that minute.You guys alienated rather than educated councilmembers and the people who watch.
So yeah, Joan is pretty akamai in asking if that was the intention.
Im not familiar w/Kauai Rising and I'm sure the council does not need education on the poisoning,they just need to know that there are more people who are aware and upset about what they are doing w/these companies therefore they should be siding with the health of the people and the land, not the corporations, the more people who speak up, the merrier, however they do it...
It's really sad that, while there is considerable legit scientific evidence to support the anti-GMO position, so few of the people on that front have the inclination...or perhaps the ability...to actually read it, understand it, and then use it constructively to do reasonable battle with the chem companies, those who take their money, and those skeptics who see anyone who opposes any given technology (no matter how invalid or harmful) as "kooks." The noisemakers and drumming made them all look like idiots, I'm afraid. They're not...but they're also not doing much to alleviate that impression.
keep banging drums till those who have the power to do something about it, do it! We are pass the debate, it is now time for action. Write those bills, pass those laws, evict the land and people poisoners....
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