This situation on Mauna Kea continues to be a disaster waiting to happen. A Star-Advertiser reporter asked me what I would do about it.
I’m just a banana farmer, but one that happens to be a military veteran and knows a bit about military tactics. When I was up on the mountain early on for a TMT ribbon-cutting ceremony, I saw right away that the protestors had us in an L-shaped military ambush. That should never have been allowed to happen.
If this continues, more and more protesters will be up there. Are you willing to take the chance that no one rolls a boulder down the mountain? And then the situation escalates, we bring in the National Guard, and somebody shoots? If this keeps going on, somebody is going to get killed.
It’s so clear to me. We need to get our law enforcement people involved and plan for the worst case scenario. Or we can continue to be gentle and somebody will get killed. I have seen this in action in Vietnam. It’s something to see. It is so much better to be safe than sorry.
From the beginning of this situation on Mauna Kea, I’ve been very clear that this is very serious. What’s important – no matter which side of the argument you are on – is safety. We have to maintain public safety.
photo Vadim Kurland / CC by 2.0
Dont be silly
With all due respect Mr. Ha, worst-case scenario fallacies are more harmful than good. What if we imposed typed of extremist 1% doctrines on all avenues of life, we’d have no civil liberties and we’d be living in a police state.
…the illegal state of Hawaii have no right here. We know the truth. …Republic of Hawaii…aka illegal…state of Hawaii. Whatever tactics my people shared is an achievement. I am proud they are organized and resourceful. How hard it is to keep kapu aloha.. Maika’i. ‘Onipa’a! God bless!
Mr. Ha,
E ALA e! Wake up!
The only casualties thus far are from the KŪ KIA’I LAHUI that is being arrested for being KAPU ALOHA! ALOHA AINA!
PEACE & ALOHA!
There is no hostility here!
There is where you represent!
A’ale point your finger! Beware of it’s back 4 affect!
There is one solution to this “problem”. Get off of our mountain. We are the kanaka maoli. We are the children of Hawaii.
Mr. Ha, This is NOT Viet Nam!! Not even close!
If you care about us, the Hawaiian people, why are you trying to provoke a war? Try Kapu Aloha, Mr. Ha.
Ku kia’i Mauna!!
You are a wimp, you are scared about a “formation” protesters were making. Don’t forget it is their American Right to protest, and just because you are a paranoid wimpy little girl, doesn’t mean Hawaiians are gonna get nuts. We are the most peaceful people on the planet earth, so suck eggs punk.
Ha Ha Ha Mr. Ha, very funny, you need to get treated for PTSD, your paranoia is epic, i was on the Mauna too and we must have seen different things, being a trained observer you didnt happen to notice the action of the protectors was Pono in Kapu Aloha because you prejudged and pre loaded your opinion before you got up to the Mauna because you are a paid supporter of the TMT, trying to pose as a concerned op ed , your attempt to incite violence and peddle fear to the readers is a floundering pathetic example of why you are the enemy, you will lie for them against the good honest people of the islands, shame on you Ha Ha
Richard Ha ,please stick to your bananas . Don’t ASSUME, live aloha.. No slapping the slipper ..
Article is very silly.
Mauna Kea is a Conservation Zone, which is being ruined, thanks to big money… follow the money, not the propaganda.
The kia’i mauna, the protectors are stepping up, because enough is enough and all the usa agencies that are supposed preserve the aina are causing harm by arresting kanaka on the mauna, but allowing all non-kanaka drive to the summit during restricted hours.
Blatant discrimination against Hawaiians on their own land.
“Let’s get this straight: If someone uses force against you, and that person has a gun, that is violence. Right? If that person is a police officer (of whatever kind) carrying a gun and using force, that is violence. If a person in governmental power orders that officer to use violent force, that is violence.
We are under violent attack in Hawaiʻi. The violence is all basically coming from one direction. Let’s be very clear about this.”
Thanks to maka ainana, Kaho’olawe is now protected from usa bombing.
The problem is public safety, not beliefs. It’s the terrain that dictates the results. I respect Kapu Aloha. But there isn’t a strong leadership to assure me that folks will abide by Kapu Aloha. In the absence of a strong leadership we are back to the terrain. The terrain is steep, loose, narrow with high ground and drop offs on the sides. Asking an average person to “trust me,” things are going to be fine, is not reasonable in the absence of a strong trusted leadership. It’s not about anything other than public safety. That is why I have been constantly asking to dial the temperature down.
Say what you mean, mean what you say!
You write an article filled with negative insinuations geared toward the protectors then do a complete back flip when called on your words.
If it is indeed as you say…’public safety’…then why are tour groups allowed up there? Better still, why are astronomers allowed up there IF “The problem is public safety”, “It’s the terrain that dictates the results.”, “The terrain is steep, loose, narrow with high ground and drop offs on the sides.”, “It’s not about anything other than public safety.”
Is it not the SAME terrain no matter who is up there and when?
Your comparison of your time served in Vietnam to the kapu aloha protectors is ludicrous! Wishing for this to end in ‘war’ (your Vietnam reference) is full testimony that you are colonized, everything you do is of a European mindset/actions.
The only ones who need to ‘dial the temperature down’ is YOU and the rest of your tmt followers.
The problem Richard is that the US stole Hawai’i with the USS Boston 160 marines and 2 gatlin guns ready to kill Hawaiians. Forcing TMT down Hawaiians throat is just another oppressive thing the OPRESSIVE State of Hawaii is doing to our people with no regard to protecting our aquifer. And you Richard get your water from Mauna Kea what would you do when the mercury gets into your bananas?
“It’s an old trick that is still being used today…non-Hawaiians with a racist edge, using a pseudonym (with a Hawaiian name) on online discussions, to appear to be a Hawaiian (but is critical of Hawaiian rights (ie, agreeing that the illegal-occupier USA is the one who is right.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgM6Haj9pnQ&feature=youtu.be
What is wrong with you? Talking about guns, killings, and shootings on the Mauna!? If you haven’t realized, Kanaka Maoli respect the Mauna and would never engage in “Vietnam” type activities. The only people provoking that type of behavior is the law enforcement in this fake state. Especially DLNR! Sad to see a business owner of your stature plastering “false” accusations and a bunch of elementary style “what ifs” all over social media. You need more Aloha in your system. Ever heard of Peaceful Protests? Yeah, that’s what you’re up against. KAPU ALOHA! You want public safety? Then ask all the tourists, scientists, workers, and anyone else to stay off the mountain as well. Like how it’s supposed to be in the first place!!!!!!! PRESTINE!
What a fear monger.. when everything else fails, use fear.. None of the protectors have ever been even remotely violent or ever threatened to be. How do you come off saying if protectors remain trying to protect something sacred to them its their fault it the military gets violent? Lets try and operate in a different paradigm – a paradigm of aloha Richard not the same one indigenous people have been dealing with for over 700 years
National Guard? Vietnam? Somebody will get killed? Mr. Ha, it seems to me that you are the one guilty of stirring the pot of violence with your invective. The violence seems to be coming from the state government and people like yourself. Remember, the protectors do not use weapons like guns- their weapons are aloha and pono. And for you to question the quality of leadership of the protectors? How well do you know the leaders? Why do you have little trust in them? Isnʻt it the state government which should not be trusted? Arenʻt they the ones who break their own rules and behave in ways which are not pono? Mr. Ha,I have always tried to listen to and give value to what you say- but this post has gone too far. You are spreading the flames of violence and fear with your words. I think an apology to the leaders in the protect Mauna Kea movement is warranted for implying that they lack strength, leadership qualities and trustwothiness. The protectors are on the mauna to ensure safety, so if that is your main concern, please malama them for their efforts. It is the presence of armed force that threaten that safety. And if you wish to “dial the temperature down”, please stop posting fear based articles like this one. Even better, apologize- by doing so, you will decrease the temperature and even make some new friends! 🙂
Any Kia’i who want to call Mr. Ha militant should go re-read the articles written by their good friend Will Falk, a mainland haole lawyer whose alt-media screeds were far more laden with paranoid talk of violence and military action than anything that banana-farmer could imagine.
It sounds like Mr. Ha has internalized the most famous of all the lessons from the Vietnam War: “We had to destroy the village in order to save it.”
You’re way off Tim Lynch