Your Views for June 26

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Beware of aliens

Beware of aliens

I have not heard of the legend that the first Hawaiians actually came from the Pleiades and not Tahiti or Samoa, and even if that were true, I’m not convinced it’s prudent to build an E.T. landing pad in Kalapana. Is there even a building permit for that?

Guess I’m just the kind who likes to get to know people a little better before I invite them to a party at my house. It didn’t work out so well for Native Hawaiians last time they showed aloha to alien influence from the U.S. and Europe.

Historically, it did not go well at all for most native cultures on planet Earth whenever a technologically superior people came to visit. Usually the aliens quickly imposed their own values and belief systems while plundering treasure and natural resources. Didn’t Montezuma hope that the Conquistadors had come as friends?

More than one native king learned the hard way that alien invaders do not care about local sustainability concerns or cultural practices. Have we forgotten that better technology does not make for better people?

The aliens who land in Kalapana could be like the ones in the movie “Independence Day” – where friendly folks standing around with the welcome mat out got blown up plenty.

“Mo’ bettah” let the aliens land in Canada, where the U.S. military can guard the mainland borders from an invasion, if necessary. I can’t help wonder how many of the same people in favor of having a Star Visitor Sanctuary in Kalapana object to the military presence at Pohakuloa because it “paints a target on Hawaii Island.”

I for one am glad the Army’s presence and its heavy ordnance is here, just in case we need them to defend the Big Island against aliens who might view the Punatic’s “open minded” invitation as a target.

Sylvia Dahlby

Hilo

Heed the ban

I’m writing to you today to talk about the smoking ban in public beaches.

A couple of months ago, the law was passed that it is prohibited to smoke in all public beaches. I don’t think that law is catching the people that smoke though. I still continue to see cigarette butts in the sand. This is very dangerous to the little kids that play in the sand. The chemicals in the cigarettes can be very harmful for the little kids. All I’m saying is that people either aren’t seeing the signs that are put up, or they just don’t care.

Nathan Preston

Honolulu