It was uplifting to read the article highlighting the spirited resistance by thousands of Mauians to an immediate forced tourism “reopening” (“Petition urges delay of tourism,” Star-Advertiser, Oct. 4). Who would have expected this devastated community to have the courage and organizational akamai to present a petition of more than 11,000 signatures against immediate reopening to the governor?

This shows the very special malama aina of this community. Clearly, these folks are demanding their rights as citizens to be consulted on decisions affecting their lives and well-being. And for the moment, this includes the right to grieve and rebuild their lives and homes away from the intrusive eyes of tourists and their cameras.

To no one’s surprise, our political leadership in Hawaii has been deaf to their pleas. It reacted in the way it always has: valuing the hugely powerful tourism corporations over the rights of our citizens. Publicly, Gov. Josh Green equated any “damage” to the tourism industry with “damage” to Hawaii.

What has remained unspoken is the real question raised by the Maui wildfires about our future. Will Hawaii’s excessive dependence on a hugely (and increasingly) fragile industry like tourism mean massive trouble for our islands?

Noel Kent

Manoa

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