Hawaii Faces Many Issues Requiring Public Discussion

Editor's Note: This article is part of a series by participants in a free, public forum on Monday Feb. 28 at the University of Hawaii, bringing together authors from The Price of Paradise books from the 1990s and The Value of Hawaii collection of essays from last year. Learn more.

Read related articles:

• Jonathan Osorio
• Deane Neubauer
• David Callies
• Susan Chandler

Contributors to the Price of Paradise books and radio show subscribed to three guiding principles:

(1) communities must take an honest look at the problems they face if they hope to do anything about them;
(2) communities that engage in lively, informed dialogue will deal with their challenges more effectively; and
(3) communities have a moral obligation to keep the interests of future generations in mind when dealing with current challenges.

The overarching goal was to provoke civic engagement. The following are a few of the many topics that require enlightened public discussion as much today as they did nearly twenty years ago when the first Price of Paradise appeared:

• Unsustainable fiscal policies (i.e., a fiscal train wreck that elected officials seem disinclined or unable to prevent)
• A less-than-honest description of heavy rail (e.g., the suggestion that it would reduce the current level of traffic congestion and not damage the environment)
• Ill-advised efforts to legalize gambling (just another hidden tax)
• A public education system in which the children’s interests are at best secondary (Furlough Friday was a dramatic illustration of what happens when the interests of others conflict with the interests of the children)

About the author: Randall Roth has been a member of the faculty at three law schools and was named Professor of the Year at all three.  At UH he has also received the Regents Excellence in Teaching Award and the Clopton Award for Outstanding Community Service.  In 2000 the Honolulu Star-Bulletin included Roth on its list of "100 Individuals Who Made a Difference in Hawai'i during the 20th century" and in 2005 the City of Honolulu's Centennial Commission put Roth on its list of "100 Who Made Lasting Contributions During Honolulu's First 100 Years."  In 2009 Morehouse College presented Roth with the Gandhi, King, Ikeda award for pursuit of social justice by non-violent means.

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