Movies
I saw a wonderful movie today at the Sedona International Film Festival. It is titled Snapshots. It is a sensuous, stirring, loving, romantic, candid love story. I don’t want to give away the plot. When you get a chance, please see it. It is so heart felt it will make you cry. It is directed by Melanie Mayron. She played the role of Melissa Steadman in Thirtysomething. She also played Steve Martin’s paramour in My Blue Heaven.
Saw another film tonight that was quite disturbing. It is called Poisoning Paradise. It is a documentary about the Island of Kauai. It is produced and directed by Pierce Brosnan’s wife Keely Shaye Brosnan. There are four giant chemical companies conducting toxic spraying of pesticides next to places where the local Hawaiians live and near their elementary school. There has been an effort by local folks to ask the companies to just explain what they are doing. They have refused to provide any answers . The local families are suffering from diseases as a result of the contamination. The local politicians as well as state of Hawaii politicians have been bought off by the giant chemical corporations. There was a Hawaiian bill passed by the legislature #2491. The bill was only asking for the companies to reveal what they are doing. It also asked to have studies about how the spraying was affecting the lives of the people and the affect on the environment. It was overturned by the ninth district court.
Of course, this is going on in a lot of places all over the world. This case may be a very important one because there is a lot of public support for the Kauai Island people. If those of us who care can make our voices known, we could turn the tide. If we could overturn the judgment that ruled in favor of the chemical giants; it could be the beginning of a domino affect that would help our planet.
Lou Ann and I have been to Hawaii many times including Kauai. We are going to insist that the HTA take action to support the Kauai local families. If they do not take action to support their people, we are not going to visit Kauai. We are going to encourage all of our friends to boycott the Island as well. Visitors to Kauai spent 14 billion dollars there last year.
I am inviting all of you to help out. Here is the contact information for the Hawaiian Tourism Authority:
Hawaii Tourism Authority
(Located in the Hawaii Convention Center)
1801 Kalakaua Avenue, 1st Floor
Honolulu, Hawaii 96815
Telephone: (808) 973-2255
Fax: (808) 973-2253
email:[email protected]
Here is a simple and easy way to make a difference. Please contact the HTA and tell them that you will not travel to Kauai unless bill # 2491 is reinstated. From my concerned heart to yours, Thomas