New poll on big island shows strong TMT support

[Chunkster]

Opihikao, has it occurred to you that the whole TMT ordeal has damaged the image of Hawaiian culture in the eyes of many? When the protesters take over the stage and present themselves as speaking for all Hawaiians without any clear message from anyone to the contrary, many people will assume that most or all Hawaiians are of a like mind. You and I both know better, but image matters. I actually had one young protester who came over from Oahu argue with me in the Safeway parking lot (as he loaded his car with mainland junk food) that what non-Hawaiians thought didn't matter. He and his friends were going to "take Hawaii back."

Now if any sort of Hawaiian sovereign entity is going to be reborn and then survive, it will need the good will of the non-Hawaiian majority of citizens of this state to thrive. Creating hostility isn't going to lead to success.