SOME WIMPER, SOME BARK, SOME BITE

SOME WIMPER, SOME BARK, SOME BITE: The derivation of the word wuss is really unclear. And the term piss poor is offensive and not strong enough.

But whatever you call the effort of Carol Ann Davis to save the beloved Monkey Pod Trees, her condemnation of the next-least piss-poor effort , Linda Harmon’s business boycott, was worse.

You can never underestimate the effectiveness of protest leaders who not only say they won’t approve of even rude signs much less non-violent civil disobedience.. and not just discourage but ban others from doing so.

It’s bad enough when you urge people not to express themselves at “your” demonstration but Harmon’s Foodland boycott- a heroic project in context- is to be condemned according to Davis and, if the local paper is accurate, Koloa Neighborhood Association President Louis Abrams too

And we’re talking about trees here- the very milieu modern civil disobedience was made for... it all started with tree-sitting.

Where’s Butterfly when we need her... probably with her grandkids.

Davis’ KNA writings made it crystal clear over and over – never be heard a discouraging word and certainly organized non-violent civil disobedience- peacefully putting you butt on the line for what you believe in even if it means going to jail overnight- will not be tolerated. .

And so since tree-sitting was out some nuts figured they’d get one punch in and smashed up some tree-cutting equipment. Not exactly a picture-perfect hero for those who care about the trees but it will have to do under the circumstances. Wait and see how the strip mall is greeted when they’re done what with all the community good will they’ve cultivated.

And now they tryin’ to stop poor Linda from even boycotting the businesses... oooo that’s no good... just wait until the shops are up and running. Who’s gonna shop here or for that matter work there.

We hear place may be as haunted anyway and just because the Knudsen’s are “pulling a Superferry” doesn’t mean Kauai has to make the mistake Maui made when they banned “acting up” and wound up with the old barge and rudder.

Community organizer and KKCR radio host Katy Rose is blunt in her assessment. “It was clear from the outset that the only thing that was going to stop the bulldozers and the chainsaws was a tree-sit, yet those closest to the trees didn't have the courage to follow through” says Rose. “Instead, they decided to practice the politics of the comfort zone and engage in paper-shuffling and candlelight vigils, apparently believing that non-violence necessarily equals passivity and ineffectiveness, rather than risk-taking, deep commitment, a diversity of tactics, and real coalition-building around issues that regular people can identify with. “The trees were more than scenery and shade: they were a symbol of what is lost to inappropriate development, and the reluctance to make that link clear seemed motivated by the moneyed vested interests which compromised some of the would-be tree-savers. Until the concerns of regular working people are central to organizing efforts, these struggles to save the environment will be mired in elitism and will lack the militancy needed to be effective.”

Ahhhh – there is an appropriate word... cream-puff.

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Update: We found a Jerry Burris Blog from last week regarding the Democratic Caucuses and a few comments excusing the irregularities from someone calling themselves “Kolea” who knows too much not to be an insider... we left this comment after his:

What a steaming pile of apologist crap from “Kolea” who doesn’t even have the guts to sign his or her name while trying to excuse the worst theft of votes since 2000 in Florida.

It’s no wonder Gore lost if this is the attitude the Democrats have toward “counting every vote”. Instead of blaming Nader perhaps the Dems should have taken the eight intervening years to clean up their act and learn from Florida to “count every vote”, in which case- the definitive studies show- Gore would have won Florida.

Kolea- who has too much information to NOT be Democratic Party operative- should be ashamed of not only the lack of identification but for excusing the lack of democratic elections by the Democratic Party.

Proudly signed,
Andy Parx