‘God bless’
My name is Paul Hodges, and I live in the city 0f Maryville in Tennessee. In the states, we have been getting a lot of coverage, via the NBC national news, and I wanted to convey my concern for the people affected by the volcanic activity.
In 1968, as a young soldier in the U.S. Army, I was on a flight to Vietnam. As it happens, that flight landed in Hilo for fuel, I suppose, but I don’t really remember. What I do remember is that we were allowed to leave the plane, and the local folks had prepared a great feast for us. There were trestle tables of local foods and fruits for us to eat. We did so with great vigor!
And now, all these years later, when you are having a bad patch, I wanted folks to know that someone remembers and appreciated what they had done for a planeload of soldiers on the way to conflict.
I wish there was some way to repay the favor. This, and prayer, is about the best I can do.
Best wishes, and God bless.
Paul Hodges
Model of aloha
Buddha taught, 2,600 hundred years ago, and modern science has confirmed, that all beings are interconnected. Blow on a diamond, and all reality is affected.
The tragedy in Puna affects everyone on our island home. Not only have so many lost their homes and livelihoods in the moment, but the disruption of our island economy will have far-rippling effects into the future.
Tourism is the heart of our economy. We should welcome our tourists with “E komo mai” and treat them as our special guests.
All of us working-class folks, which are most of us, are directly affected by the dollars they spend — those of us who have little shops or work in them; the cashiers at the supermarket; the restaurant and cafe owners; the waiters and janitors; the small farmers; the coffee pickers; and, yes, the many who have brought in the tourists by offering them guest accommodations and who do live on the island.
Of course, there are the few wealthy folks or retired folks who have their stocks and bonds, etc., who might think they are above the catastrophe, but they are not. Maybe the richer ones can shoulder the higher taxes and higher prices of food, etc., needed to pay for all the damage Pele has created without a murmur, but how will they like it when our infrastructure is in disrepair, because where do you think the county gets money? It comes from us!
You didn’t say, Mr. Dan Whetstone, how long you have been on the island, but from the tone of your letter, you seem to have carved out your niche and put your stone wall up (Tribune-Herald, Your Views, June 28). It’s too bad your quiet and peaceful existence has been disrupted by greedy landlords.
Just out of curiosity, have you donated any time or money to all those who have lost everything, like the many (working class) in our community who have risen to the occasion? Have you given anything to rescue all the suffering animals who have been lost on the flow, like those who are hiking 8.5 miles out and back across the lava, or raising money to rent helicopters and boats to go in and get them?
The emergency response by our community has been a model of aloha for the world. I am so proud of our our community. It might do to examine more closely who is greedy.
Blow on a diamond, and all beings are affected.
Patty Johnson
Volcano