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kidding me (I'd prefer a much stronger term)). And of course the choice then is go houseless, go to Vegas, maybe Puna. But they will have to leave and this unique culture would have been destroyed so a few wealthy people could get a bit wealthier. Emotional- responses seem quite right in this case, not facilitated reason. They also realize that an influx of thousands of residents who are not island people will destroy the culture and values of this place. They will want things done like they are done "back home." You know the story, you've seen it in action elsewhere. This influx of middle and upper middle class folks will introduce class barriers where little now exist (the different econmic and educational strata mix better in Ka'u than anywhere else 2 have been). Cultural misunderstanding will produce friction and disharmony. The beach and bay will be overstressed by these numbers. So life will get far less pleasant in the years leading to the exodus of most locals and the end of this culture. As I noted, jobs and economic engine for Ka'u is important. I get that. But it is not - about anti-developers or environmentalists against jobs. As I said in my first a-mail a good long-term economic engine with well paying jobs can be produced in other ways, notably eco-culture programs, historical programs centered on education. Whenever I or my students tell people about what they learn and do in Ka'u the response is "where do 1 sign up." People who regularly come to Hawaii would love such an opportunity to become part of such a way of life even if only briefly. To listen to the Aunties and Uncles, to laugh with the children, to sing/dance and talk story, to engage in worthwhile labor, to learn how to live on this land, in this place. As I said, I'll volunteer my services to help develop something like that. But if you approve significant development that will not be possible as that culture will soon disappear. Oh, you could do a fake experience, like so many others. Hell, you could find another developer to through up a mini-Poly-culture center. Disneyland anyone? I hope you will eventually side with the will of the people most directly effected by this, the residents of Ka'u. This is not simply about environmental impact, though that is very important. It is about cultural preservation, about keeping alive a quickly fading way of life. The less powerful, less well off cane immigrant descendants and Hawaiians of Ka'u need to be considered as does the unique culture these camps produced. They and that culture deserves as much protection as any turtle. Any significant development would destroy this way of life, even a "negotiated, "mediated," "facilitated" one. Mike Sunnafarnk Quoting sunnafrank <msunnafrC~d.umn.edu>: > TO:Council Members Higa, Hoffman, Ikeda, Yagong, Yoshimotow > FROM: Michael sunnafrank - > RE: Resolution 169-07 > I am contacting you to express my dismay about your vote to delay > Resolution 169-07. I previously wrote and expressed my gratitude for > your courageous July vote supporting this resolution. But now find you > have decided to give the developer, despite nothing new from that > front, more time to attempt to ruin a very special place. I urge you > to do as the vast majority of Ka'u residents wish and eventually > support this resolution. > i own land in the Ka'u District where I plan to retire in a few years. _ > Currently, I am a resident of Minnesota and Professor at the - > University of Minnesota. I recently wrote to you in support of > Resolution 169-07 and again to thank you for your July vote to pass that Resolution. > Given that unanimous vote I was shocked to learn that five members of > the council reversed themselves, voting to delay another two months. > This was done despite overwhelming support for the resolution by > residents of Ka'u. The developer scores yet another victory. - > Yes, money is tight. Yes, it would be nice to bring jobs to Ka'u. But > we are talking about a tragic and imminent threat to the people and > culture of this rural area. We are talking about one of the last > undeveloped easily accessible beaches in Hawaii. We are talking about 2