For the next few days, I’m at the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation Annual Conference. This is my first time attending this event and I’m blessed to be a part of this community.
Some 15 years ago, the farm community was under attack by well-funded disinformation campaigns. As I look around the room and I still see long time allies around supporting agriculture. We are still here and still working on producing food, flowers, and other commodities. We aren’t protecting or working on shutting down family businesses but collaborating on a shared vision for Hawaii.
We are all asking the same questions about how we will preserve and sustain our farms. Where are we going to get workers? How do we deal with ag crimes? How do we advocate to the legislature on ways to sustain us? Who will support our endeavors? How will we feed our people?
There are so many tough questions and issues upon us. The beauty is that we have a core group of supporters to help build the vision for the future. They are aging and a younger generation has to start stepping up to the plate soon.
We not only need to grow farmers but also leaders to fulfill the vision of those trying to build up agriculture again. We have to all get in that canoe and steer it in the right direction.
Community=commonunity
I started to advocate for agriculture for nearly 2 decades now because it is part of who I am, and like so many others here across our state. We came together these past few days and remain committed to preserving our agricultural legacy.
For the last few days, I’ve been in St. Louis at the Washington University Medical School campus to receive the School of OT Alumna award. It was at this school where my life was changed forever.
I flew into St. Louis a few days before school started and caught a taxi to the dorms. I asked the security guard Milton where the market was and naively decided to walk a few blocks there with no idea of the kind of neighborhood it was. I knew it wasn’t good when an armed guard stood at the front door.
Being a kid from the rural area of Oahu and going to a big city was a huge change but I wanted to study OT and build my toolbox to help people. I was truly inspired when I saw my quadriplegic professor, Dr. David Gray, exiting his accessible van that he had driven to school. I was in awe because I had never seen this in Hawaii.
I also learned that despite a disability, technology was advancing to accommodate that difference. The OT school had an accessible kitchen with many modifications where a wheelchair user could get into a cabinet or open drawer easily.
I learned a lot about our living and doing things aka “occupations” were key to bringing meaning to one’s life and how we thrive when there is flow. An occupational therapist is skilled at creating that flow when life gets interrupted through disability.
A big lesson I learned from school was one issue that did not take place in a class. As a local, there were few local food places here which meant I had to cook it myself. I found the kitchen in the penthouse of Olin dorm to prepare meals. It was hardly ever used so I would go there to cook.
The penthouse was also where many of the housekeepers took their breaks. It was there that I learned that racism was very much alive in 1997. I made friends with many of them over lunch and sharing of spam musubis. The two housekeepers I spoke to often was Stan and Sarah, both of whom were African American.
Stan would tell me how to be careful of certain areas of town where they faced harassment. Sarah would tell me how certain students in the dorm would make messes in the shower rooms or water fountains for them to clean up. I was shocked.
Wash U also has a program where you’re sent to a community-based organization to volunteer to gain experience. I was assigned to an orphanage called Our Little Haven. It was started to address the special needs of babies exposed to drugs, kids who were abused or had special needs. That experience of seeing these innocent lives already starting off disadvantaged was tough.
As I look back at those lessons, I realize now how they shaped my thinking about what I knew of the world. I was ignorant to the realities of so many issues that growing up in Hawaii sheltered me from. Racism and segregation had so many detrimental effects across the board and over so many generations. The same discrimination was happening towards those who were gay also, with Matthew Shepard’s murder. How can anyone live a full life in that kind of environment?
There comes a point where we have to acknowledge the truth of what happened in history. I was very pleased to see that there is a wall in the hospital complex dedicated to recognizing the wrongs of the past to help build a better future.
As I browsed the wall, this quote by Dr. Ross spoke to me. The important act of speaking out helps humanity. This is why we needed to have those conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion. It’s not about being “woke” but being aware of our systematic history of discrimination and to not repeat it.
As I went around town tonight and caught a Lyft back to my hotel, my driver was sharing a story about how he left Maritius through a lottery system. He obtained a degree in geology and with education, they can have the opportunity to come to the US on a green card. He took that as a way to get work experience.
My driver was telling me how he moved from Indianapolis to St. Louis and learned really quick about where not to drive. He said he had forgotten to avoid certain areas and made a mistake by heading in the north neighborhood where he saw guys walking around with guns and knew it was not safe. It made me realize that the effects of discrimination and segregation still exists to this day. Education and opportunity remain as a path to change this.
With the unfortunate election, that is quite unlikely as politics is squandering those conversations to help people reach their highest potential. Job cuts to research, education, and the disadvantaged will re-route us to repeat history yet again.
Humanity needs some major uplifting right now with reason and logic.
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 investgator, HPD, HFD, the public defemder, the prosecutor’s office, Queem’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.
We are living in the age of pseudoscience right now. The least qualified individuals have been confirmed in positions that they are wholly unqualified to serve in and our “leaders” have decided that they are to lead us.
The problem with this is that there will be big mistakes made when you have someone incompetent in charge to run such agencies. While Trump touts he has picked the best, he is clearly not. Just look at the evidence of classified information being sent on Signal to a journalist. Add to that the recent outbreak of measles spreading across the US.
While many still are idolizing Trump, two children have lost their lives from measles. Their parents have chosen to use unfounded claims to allow their child to be infected with a disease that we had hope to eradicate but no, it’s surging back. In this age of science and medical advances, we have people still dying from things that they should have been protected from.
We have advanced so far with technology but society’s ability to discern fact from fiction has lagged contributing to anti-vaccination and anti-GMO attitudes. The lack of their understanding of history has also led to us repeating it.
Close to a decade ago, starvation was a common event. Millions have died as a result of poor policy choices and uncontrolled events. The current generations have not experienced that kind of suffering.
This suffering led to people who wanted to alleviate it. People like Nicolai Vavilov and Norman Borlaug were determined to improve lives through innovation and a process called science. Very few know of the contribution of these scientists and their impact on the world but should.
Humanity had to experience mass starvation, disease, war, and suffering to realize that things have to change to advance society.
However, with the current administration, we have put in people who have rejected the very innovations that improved our lives. People like RFK Jr., Elon Musk, and Dr. Oz have long rejected science in favor of pseudoscience and that does not bode well for us.
There are huge cuts happening with science and research also where entire departments are being eliminated. The assumption is that this is waste and fraud. There is no careful analysis of the work they do before cuts are made.
It has only been 4 months with this new administration and 2 children have died from measles. In this day and age, no child should be maimed by a preventable disease but here we are.
We have advanced so far with technology but have a society with a poor understanding of science and the advancements that voted for Trump. He in turn have put our health and wellness in the hands of a lawyer with zero science or medical training. We cannot be shocked that he has contributed to vitamin A toxicity and over 600 measles cases nationwide.
History is too easily forgotten and it appears that we have to hit rock bottom again to appreciate the advances we have made. It’s a terribly sad situation to be in. Things need to change now.
I’m just getting over a bout of influenza A right now and it has been a miserable ride to say the least. I did get the vaccination last year and I’m hoping it gave me some protection in that it could have been a lot worse.
I did need to see the doctor for managing to symptoms and needed a whole of supportive meds like a nasal decongestant, tamiflu, cough medication, fever reducer, antiemetic meds, and finally an antibiotic. I tried the non-medical interventions and nothing alleviated the suffering I was going through. No amount of hot tea, liquids, or hot showers cleared out the congestion and sequela that came with enduring the flu.
All I can say, that feeling miserable is just not a walk in the park. Without your health, you really can’t do anything. The ability to do things in life is what keeps us going and fulfills us. When that ability is taken away, there’s not much left.
Just prior to getting the flu, I had a wonderful opportunity to take a Comprehensive Automotive Mobility Solutions class where I got to see how there are so many options for mobility with disabilities. It was amazing to see the new technology out there that kept people with disabilities moving and independent. Despite changes in their function, they still go out and drive and be engaged in life. That is what leads to health and wellness.
The flu started off pretty mild so I was just laying around keeping up with news and what’s happening with the whole measles outbreak. Things are not looking good whether it be the economy or health in our nation. We have a crackpot of a man for DHS who has been actively spreading disinformation. Our own Hawaii legislature just failed to advance the removal of religious exemption for vaccinations also. I’m mad as hell.
As I read some of the comments online on the Hawaii Department of Health accounts as well as what is being spread by some of our own Hawaii Republican legislators like Diamond Garcia, I got even more angry at how a local person could be repeating the same mainland rhetoric that killed millions of Americans during COVID.
His schtick towards the masses of followers was he stood on the platform of medical freedom for people to choose. They had a right to decide what shots they wanted their kids to have and it was not up to the government to decide. This is all happening while West Texas is having the worst outbreak in 2 decades with a death of a 6 year old.
Why is this happening? It’s because those pockets of people have been given unscientific information and made bad choices that are leading to a tremendous amount of suffering that is spreading across the US.
Just looking at the comments on the DOH site where the scientifically illiterate just spread even disinformation that getting measles is not that bad because most survive and vaccinated people spread it, and so on. Like others have said, we have an infodemic going on from the the top down.
Medical freedom is not about being vaccinated. It goes beyond that. Let’s consider this:
This year is the worst for flu. Why? Low vaccination uptake likely contributed.
Measles cases are continuing to grow nationwide because of low vaccine rates.
Those refusing vaccinations claim medical freedom from injecting toxins and other claims of vaccine injury. Politicians like Marjorie Taylor Green are encouraging measles parties too which is absurd and dangerous.
Are these actions really “medical freedoms” when you look at other issues and see how it is being denied?
The babies who are just under the age of one deserve medical freedom from preventable disease and that will only happen when more in the community are vaccinated to protect them.
Women should have full medical freedom to decide on what their needs are for health including access to abortion care not decided by those who sit in a legislature, courtroom, or congregation. They deserve to have the ability to decided what they want to do with their body with their choice.
Those with immune issues deserve medical freedom from illness when responsible citizens do their duty to keep up their own vaccinations for those who cannot take it.
Transgender people should have medical freedom to access care to allow them to have “my body my choice” to live to be the person that they want to be.
Researchers and scientists should have medical freedom to continue their studies of the many issues that are affecting our lives regardless of the wording they choose to use in their funding.
Those in public health should have medical freedom to publish the pertinent health information that is necessary for us in the public to know to continually grow our body and knowledge.
So where do we go from here?
Many times, you have to suffer to realize how good you have it. That hit me like a brick this week with the flu and seeing everything going on in the national scene. I am still the science advocate that I was when I started this blog and am still the same but with many different views as life changes.
The catchy slogans like “Make America Great Again” or “Make America Healthy Again” is all talk when you look at the actions of those pulling the strings.
Making us great again means remembering our history as a nation and returning to our roots of what built it. Our nation was built upon the sacrifices of so many, whether it be veterans, slaves, women, men, children and immigrants. We learned tolerance for those of other religions and ethnicities when they came upon the shores looking for better opportunities. Every single person, worked in their communities and supported each other and many stood up against injustices that would impact so many other lives that led to quality of life for all. Just look at our communities and the diversity within them.
Making us healthy again is not just throwing out all prior vaccination data because it doesn’t fit your narrative or even just deciding that beef tallow is “healthy.” Nor is health going to come from the removal of food dyes to suddenly give us health. No solution is ever easy because it takes a lot of data collection to figure out what is going on. Putting the wrong person in the place of power worsens the likelihood of a real issue being addressed because he has no experience or background to have the adequate logic and critical thinking to move in the right direction.
Reducing the debt isn’t going to be helped either when you have someone who doesn’t even run the government put in charge of it. He’s doing everything he can chainsaw-style with too much power in his head to even think clearly on the impact he will have on others.
America has its own version of the flu right now. The entire nation is sick and there appears to be no end in sight against the set of viruses leading charge. From the Democrats to the Republicans to the president, everyone is infected with something and that disease is spreading fast and bad, worse than COVID did. We need to all sit down and hash things out while Chaos Captain is at the helm and plan for a mutiny with a better armed immune system, our communities, to get rid of flu once and for all with a good vaccination for good science literacy and evidence based information.
This whole infodemic was started using a base of people who didn’t thoroughly vet what was being said, Russian propaganda, combined with multiple attacks with low level cabinet viruses who came from the woodworks, a poor diet of Republicans that were spineless, Democrats who ignored the signs of issues of debt that was being screamed, people with terrible behaviors with no regard for the law, and oligarchs running the media outlets, and here we are now.
The most horrible thing about this is that we will have to land up in our lowest point before we realize that we have to change.
The quality or state of being great (as in size, skill, achievement, or power)
As one can see, there is an emphasis on size, skill, achievement, or power. It could be all factors combined to reflect on the definition of this word.
As we all know, there is a great divide in our communities and has been for some time. Politics are dividing us and much of it comes from slogans and an effort to push it even further. This gives me great concern for the kind of future my children will have to face.
How do we are regular citizens bridge this divide when out current leaders don’t even embody greatness to begin with?
Being divided is nothing new and we must look back on history to learn how to move forward from there. Leaders who stood for change with a vision to impact greater society taught us what was needed to move forward to become a tolerant nation. Those leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King paved the way for greatness for all people and it would be wise for us to have that share a cohesive dream.
I started this blog to speak out for the divide that I saw happening here in Hawaii with agriculture. The invasive mainland activists decided to use my home state to stir the anti-GMO pot and wreck our communities and they sure did.
Thanks to invasive, well-funded mainland groups like the Center for Food Safety and now Beyond Pesticides, they spread fear and disinformation across the state about GMO technology. When their narrative was partially crumbled that small farmers did use this technology, they switched to the pesticide issue. Their fear and repeated claims convinced out legislators to punitive regulations against farms despite any actual evidence for such rules. The legislators were soaking in all the claims of illness without any question, including the claims of activist Dustin Barca, who ran into me in clouds of cigarette smoke just before the hearing.
Thanks to the likes of Tulsi Gabbard and their ties to the organic industry and Russian disinformation bots, Hawaii lost its focus on the real problems we faced like little fire ants, coconut rhinoceros beetles, rapid ohia diseases, coffee berry borer, dengue fever, and now bird flu. The activists are nicely paid from outside entities to lobby at the capitol on the organic industry and not on the behalf of the local people. We have significant issues to deal with yet a small group of legislators with no substantiated evidence want to slam our shrinking farm community even further. WHO wants to farm when no one is listening to your side? It is disgusting to see them walk around Ag day smiling claiming to support farms and eating our products then legislating in the opposite direction from the vision.
Greatness of a community cannot happen when our leaders do not exemplify it themselves. Launching attacks in the name of ideology is the basis of suffering that too many of those who feed us have faced, whether it be farmers or fishermen. Our communities can become great when our leaders actual work to support us and not attack us with disinformation.
Disinformation against farmers caused my dad to be harassed and brother to be threatened with a knife. It led to a restraining order against this person.
Following the horrific New Year’s fireworks accident, I noticed that the leadership in Hawaii has been misusing the very terms that are being used to defend illegal aerials Those guilty of using them are justifying their actions under the guise of “culture” and “traditions.” Trying to claim that is far, far from the truth.
As one who is of Okinawan, Chinese, and Japanese descent, we had an array of traditions followed each year. My grandparents taught us the importance of these practices that they adopted from their parents.
It was customary that we’d go to Cultural Plaza each year with my grandfather. We’d park in the stinky lot and have our usual Chinese meal at Empress Restaurant then go down by the courtyard to watch the dragon and lion dances. The noise of the drums would terrify me as a kid.
Following the lion dances, we would have the red firecrackers burned to help ward off the evil spirits. This would start off with a line of popping followed by a big mass burnout at the end. Anytime this started, we were cleared away from the area before it was started. No one except for the fuse lighter was allowed to be close and he’d run right after setting it off.
Another Hawaii tradition of NY was mochi pounding where we’d take out a very old utsu, aka mochi pounding stone, to make a tradition dish eaten every new year. It took the entire family to prepare for this event where we’d prep the stone, rice, and kin (mochi pounding mallets). There was a coordinated effort to safely pound the rice grains to stick together followed by the pulling of it apart into individual pieces. At the end, everyone took part in the tradition and had a plate of mochi to enjoy after.
When I look at our cultural practices and traditions, I see a theme of community involvement where people can come together to safely celebrate another year. These efforts took a lot of care and consideration to put on so many can participate in to carry on to future generations. We were conscientious about our fellow neighbors when these events took place.
Fast forward to the present day where we have people trying to culturally appropriate customs to justify their inconsiderate and dangerous behaviors with leaders having to be “sensitive” when discussing it on the media is absolutely absurd to me.
Let’s call a spade a spade here. Make no mistake that my ancestors would have never seen the actions of illegal aerials as a “tradition” or “cultural practices.” The fact that there are thousands of people feeling justified in hijacking the cultural practice with illegal aerials is utter disrespect for what it meant to my ancestors.
No one in their right mind would set off a firework that can reach 2000 degrees and potentially kill or maim a life in a dense neighborhood where kids and kupuna reside. Nor would a decent citizen even think about blowing their fireworks at all times of night and day either to wake up neighbors or scare animals who are getting lost and hit by cars.
We all have a duty to each other and let’s take it to heart in action and in word in 2025.
Every year there are hundreds of illegal aerials and bombs set off around the holidays. These are no consumer grade fireworks but commercial grade types. Despite it being banned, thousands of folks across the state have these in their possession.
While some blow their stash off on New Years, quite a few blow them off at random times, shaking neighborhoods and scaring pets and people. It’s annoying as hell to hear these loud booms go off unexpectedly.
Politicians have “tried” to regulate this but have pretty much failed, desire the many injuries, deaths, and property damage. I get mad thinking about this because these same politicians were so quick to legislate on GMOs then pesticides based on sketchy evidence and fear campaigns over a decade ago. Farmers were seen as the danger on the community and it was plastered all over the social media of the need for such legislation. The truth eventually has come out and the anti-GMO activists have all but dug out of Hawaii with their shallow roots here. Damage was done to our agricultural community by transplanted weeds who had no genuine attachment to our culture.
Last night on NYE, I decided to make a good dinner for my folks and headed out to their place. While enjoying our feast, their neighbor started shooting off aerials and some random kids parked across their home doing the same.
As we watched these blow off, we noticed stuff flying right over my folks’ house. My son went outside to do his little party poppers and came inside with a handful of aerial debris found on our cars and driveway. My dad was livid since he landed up cleaning the debris last year.
We decided to take this evidence to the neighbors and those kids to tell them to move away or stop. The neighbor saw us coming and realized that we were not happy and my dad gave it to them. Then we walked over to the kids and told them to quit shooting stuff over our property. Thankfully they all obliged.
Fireworks were everywhere last night and and a huge tragedy occurred on the densely populated neighborhood of Salt Lake. It appears that an explosion was set off in a home killing and injuring people in the area. Such tragic way to start the new year.
While legislators were quick to jump on to the alleged dangers of farms, they are completely helpless and useless in protecting the greater community from a proven danger. There’s no sense of priority to address this issues despite the growing amount of actual harm caused by the illegal use of fireworks. They were quick to legislate buffer zones with very poor evidence based on the alleged dangers of pesticides, but won’t protect people from an illegal bomb that has killed.
While fireworks kill and maim, our farm like others, continues to grow safe and nutritious food for the community every week year after year following regulations, but a general homeowner can possess hundreds of dangerous aerials in their home and no one bats an eye. Something is afoul here.
So many of us long for the “good old days” that we thought was a much simpler life. However, once you actually learn the truth, life was much harder than it seemed. It was actually tough back then to make a living to support a growing family. It took a tremendous amount of sacrifice to make it, but there was a key difference.
When my grandfather decided to pursue farming, he needed resources and that came from the Okinawan community. They all descended from villages in their home country and maintained their connections to each other. They all helped each others’ families in some fashion to put food on the table, have shelter, and get their children educated. The community worked together to support one another.
Fast forward to the present and that sense of community has appeared to have disappeared. I had a vision and hope to build the Kaneohe community again through running our Kaneohe Elementary School Fun Fair earlier this year. We had not had a fair for the PTO for some 5 years and a group of us fearless parents and dedicated staff decided to hold it.
I was lucky to kind of have a guide from previous fairs but in a span of 5 years, many things completely change and we had to make revisions. Some of those changes including having food trucks instead of parents cooking the food and adding on crafters too. We also had to dig up old games for kids to play and create new ones.
When we started the planning, it was clear we needed manpower and focused on using the captive audience of the May Day program to announce the plans. In my mind I thought that parents would be excited to volunteer and help but was wrong. We had several tell myself and the PTO president that they were busy that day, despite not even having a day finalized. Ok, so be it.
The actual planning really started in June for an even in September with a core group of about 10 of us. I had taken on an OT student for 12 weeks and somehow managed to plan this fair. Every night I was up to at least midnight figuring out the details to make this happen.
Time flies and the fair day arrived and I was there at 6 am prepping everything. I worked the set up crew, bouncy houses, got craft and food vendors arranged, ran games, relieved the DJ, brought food for our guests, and even cleaned up. That day added some 12 miles worth of steps. It was completely exhausting but good to see kids making great memories while raising much needed funds for the classrooms.
I had planned to have thank you posters made that day but found it had been vandalized which really got me mad. So many had donated time, money, and items for the event and we could not even write a note of thanks. That blew my mind on top of seeing the very parents who told me they were busy that day walk up to the bouncy house.
In the old days, people stepped up to help each other. They’d see a problem and lend a hand. Everybody knew whose kids were whose. Kaneohe was really a small town back in the day. People shared of their time to help one another. That is something that we need to bring back into our community again.
When I looked back at why I was running around so much, I saw the problem. I had asked for 180+ volunteers for 1.75 hour shifts and we had 142 signed up. The actual count that signed in was 124 making us short close to 60 people. My 12 miles of walking proved the lack of volunteers.
In my determination to see things right, I got permission from the principal to speak to the kids to make those thank you cards right. It took time but the ones redone were beautiful to help showcase the gratitude of the kids who really had a good time.
Sometimes getting mad can really lead to clarity, which is what happened. On top of helping for the elementary school, I attended my high schooler’s parent group and learned of their plight to earn funds for their graduations. That got my mind thinking how we can help them too while putting on the fair.
We’ve come off of a very divisive year of events and we have to rebuild our human connections. That is why I’m willing to give of my time and sweat equity so that my kids can grow up in a better world.
The good old days of helping out, volunteering, and giving back are valued that are so needed now.
Back in 2013, the very first coconut rhinoceros beetle was detected here in Hawaii. That was 11 years ago and our Hawaii Department of Agriculture was aware of this biosecurity issue. However, the leadership of our state and counties were focused on something else:
GMOs then pesticides.
Our own politicians were hell-bent of putting in some kind of regulation about this so-called danger despite all the evidence to the contrary. Even out governor-to-be former Senator Josh Green was rubbing elbows with this entire campaign. They were afraid of the anti-GMO activists and were swayed by emotional cries and afraid of losing their seats. Meanwhile, the organic industry funded activists like Ashley Lukens were going to Neighborhood Board meeting and spreading her disinformation across the state to fuel anger towards the agriculture community.
So began this blog in attempt to bring a voice for the many farmers and others rolled up into the swell. I was deemed as the evil enemy and faced so much hate for trying to give a voice to ag but deep in my heart, I knew that if nothing was said, we stood to lose everything given the emotional swell happening in our state. I chose to take the wrath and hate to speak for truth.
It is now over a decade since I began this journey and the entire state is seeing and feeling the unintended consequences of listening to the squeaky wheels who have now fled our communities. The money pit has dried up and these activists have no incentive to continue their tirade but the effects of their misdirection is all too clear.
Where are the folks that claimed to love our islands now that entire communities are being ravaged by the coconut rhinoceros beetle? We need their passion and voice as well as their labor to take care of our environment! They are all gone.
My blood boils when I see politicians trying point fingers at the Department of Agriculture for this problem. How dare some of these anti-GMO panderers accuse them of this problem when they steered policy in the wrong direction to begin with? They are fully culpable in all of this and to only now claim that biosecurity is a priority is too late.
What good did those increased pesticide registries do now? What good did those buffer zone rules do? What did GMO labeling do for the local folks? What did the hundreds of thousands of dollars on pesticide testing do for our communities? What good did the March Against Monsanto do to protect our islands? What did we accomplish with this whole anti-GMO protests?
Nothing.
Hindsight is 20/20 that invasive species should have been the focus all along and funding of the research to go with it was a necessity. All of agriculture and our efforts towards food security may go out the door at the rate these beetles are fast multiplying. It may take a disaster to make people realize why we need to have evidence-based policy making and that disaster is here.
HawaiiFarmersDaughter 