Front page sham article in today’s Hawaii Tribune-Herald about Experience Pohakuloa Day

Frontpage article in Today’s Hawaii Tribune-Herald 5/13/22 on “Experience Pohakuloa Day” was a complete one-sided sham. Even a photo of someone wearing a “Kia’i” cap. and the PTA commander Cronin talking about PTA being good “stewards of the land.” See my letter below. I should also mention that KGMB last night news had a story about PTA federal firefighters filing complaints about poor safety conditions at PTA. I just sent a letter to the editor. See below.

Jim
 

Letter to the editor:

Dangers of Experience Pohakuloa Day!

The May 13, 2022 article on “Experience Pohakuloa Day” was completely one sided. All who visit the Pohakuloa TOXIC Area (PTA) need to be aware of the dangers of war dust. See https://www.cnn.com/…/military-exposure-burn…/index.html PTA has many war toxins blowing in the wind from more than 70 years of weapons training in the center of Hawaii Island. A very dangerous one is Depleted Uranium (DU) oxide particles. DU oxide involves alpha radiation and can be deadly when small particles are inhaled. It can enter the lymph system and lodge in various organs causing cancer. DU has a half-life of 4.5 Billion years. Our organization especially recommends that children NOT enter PTA.

Millions of live rounds are fired annually at PTA. PTA is a training ground for conventional and nuclear war. B-52 and B-2 strategic nuclear bombers fly from Louisiana, Missouri, and Guam to bomb PTA. DU oxide dust particles can be re-suspended in the air by ongoing live-fire training explosions at PTA, strong frequent winds in the Saddle region, and any kind of movement (disturbances) in the area.

Our organization first picked up high radiation readings on 2 monitors at Mauna Kea park on May 29, 2007, the day of the New Saddle Rd. dedication with strong winds coming off PTA from the south blowing toward the park. This was before the military officially acknowledged DU had been used at PTA after years of repeatedly denying its use.

Remember that the US Military is the greatest polluter on the planet. It is the largest consumer of oil and the largest emitter of Carbon Dioxide (CO2). For the PTA website to claim that the Army provides “environmental and cultural stewardship” reminds me of Nazis during the Nuremberg trials claiming “Auschwitz was a family camp.”

Jim Albertini

Jim Albertini, president of Malu ‘Aina Center For Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box 489 Ola’a (Kurtistown) Hawai’i 96760
Phone 808-966-7622 Email ja@malu-aina.org Visit us on the web at www.malu-aina.org