 Think Tech Hawaii, civil engagement lives here. Welcome to What's On Your Mind Hawaii. I'm Tim Apachele, your host. Today, we look at two topics. The first is about the air quality on the Big Island, specifically the unhealthy fog levels in Kona. Residents are concerned that the air quality alerts and news stories are not being issued out of concern of reduced tourism. The second issue focuses around the recent NFL rule requiring players to remain in the locker room or stand on the field while the national anthem is being played. Yesterday, President Trump disinvited Super Bowl champs, the Philadelphia Eagles from the White House with only one day notice because few players were willing to attend. So now let's take a look at the yesterday's air quality map in Kona. As you can see, the Big Island, all the green spots basically showing fairly good air quality. And then you have the two red dots showing areas of concern for air quality. And the ratings is 160 and 142. Basically, anything over 150 is an alert that all residents should be aware of, not just those people that have respiratory problems. So to talk about this and a little bit more is our guest today, our Kono resident, Mingo. Welcome to What's On Your Mind Hawaii. Hey, Tim, thanks for having me on. Oh, Mike, our pleasure. So you live in Kona, and you've noticed in the last week or so, week and a half, you've had some pretty bad cases of air quality issues. Why don't you tell us a little bit about it? Well, it started, of course, when the eruption began over a month ago, Tim, and it's been getting progressively worse. And on Tuesday, we blew a 154, which is in the dark orange and healthy for everybody range. And then yesterday, we were back up to 153. And it's ranged from the 80s to the high 120s in the week between those dates. And right now, we're a little bit better, but I'm looking out my window at the ocean, and I cannot see the horizon. And normally, I see a real crisp demarcation line between the sea and sky. So it's bad. But the weird thing is that we're not being told how bad it is by anybody in the TV broadcast media. And also, I think during these bad days, and I've confirmed this with both Civil Defense and the Department of Health, the Air Quality Division, is that there's really no official broadcast or alert about a high rating of bad air quality. And it's into us over here. Because imagine, like looking at the map you showed, imagine if the tables were turned. Imagine if that 160 was in Honolulu, and that nice green four was overcoded. Do you think that Honolulu News Now, oops, I mean, Hawaii News Now, would actually broadcast it and talk about it? I mean, they have plenty of time to talk about Bruno Mars and Honolulu traffic. But this is a very serious issue that is not being covered. So do you think that's just how the news cycle works here in the state? Because Honolulu has close to a million people and Big Island doesn't? Or do you think there's some other ulterior motive as to why the reporting is not occurring? Well, there could be a bit of Big Island fatigue going on right now, because we have to give credit where credit is due. They have all been doing an incredible job covering the lava eruption, and they've been doing it with great compassion and with amazing detail. And in some cases, they've been risking their own safety to give us incredible video images. But there is another priority that is not being covered and that is, when you talk about the coverage of air quality, they basically stop down at the Ka'u District, but the whole west side of the Big Island is being deeply affected by this. And we're just all wondering when we're gonna be mentioned. I mean, there was a 30-second mention on one of the new stations and then there was an eight-second mention on another one, but these are all dovetailed into economic impacts. In fact, I remember the other day, one of the people was talking about how the Pride of America cruise ship was skipping Hilo and Kona again this week, citing Kona air quality. And his closing statement was this is gonna result in financial losses of about one million. Not one sentence or one word about the health impacts to everybody living and working in Kona. Well, that's true. And I actually, I found a quote from one of the legislators from your district, Nicole Lohan, and she was quoted to say the following, we deserve information for the county, the State Department of Health air quality to basically have our questions asked. So that's quite a statement. Apparently there's a feeling not only from you, but from your representatives that information and alerts and warnings aren't forthcoming quite well enough. That's true, Tim. And Nicole's been doing a really good job. In fact, there is a meeting tomorrow night, right here in Kona to get citizens questions answered. But remember that we're over a month into this and there's still no alert on the news. There's no mention of the actual rate in the poor air quality. You know, it kind of reminds me about that old movie Jaws when, you know, they were having the shark attacks and the mayor ran up to a police chief Brody and said, get everybody back in the water. There's no problem here. Yeah, I remember that very well. He wanted to help the economy. Yeah, I mean, the mayor's running up and down the beach going, hey, Chief Brody, you get those people back in the water right now. There's no problem here. And Chief Brody's like, yeah, we got a little problem here, Mr. Mayor. So, you know, of course, the focus on the lava zone is important. Those people are losing their dreams, their jobs, their money. That is the most important, no question. And the coverage of that, as I mentioned, has been fantastic. But there is a statewide issue. The west side of the island is being deeply impacted. And it would be nice to get just a cursory mention of the level of air quality so that people can prepare. You know, I'm a healthy guy and I've had really bad problems with my sinuses, my eyes burned, my throat's really dry. And if I'm a healthy person experiencing this, I can imagine what somebody who's not healthy has to deal with when they go outside. So your point is at least before, you know, before everyone goes outside for the day, it'd be nice to hear from some agency whether it's Civil Defense or the Department of Health Air Quality Division, someone to actually issue an alert saying that things are rather unhealthy, not only people with respiratory issues, but with people, all people that live in the area. Exactly, Tim. And here's what we deal with in the world we live in today. If you don't get in front of the message, people are gonna fill in the blanks by themselves. And I'll give you a perfect example. There's a lot of online forums and there's places for people to go rate businesses like Yelp. And there's a woman who's been online bashing a local hotel because she asked what the air quality was like and she feels that she was misled. And so she came over here anyway and got very sick. And so now she's online bashing them and that is gonna last forever. You know, online posts don't go away, they don't expire. And this is the world we live in now. So you can't ignore these impacts for some short-term gain to a local business without realizing the long-term ramifications because if people feel that they're not being dealt with fairly and honestly, they are going to have anger issues to deal with down the road. You just, you have to be truthful. You have to give them clear and accurate information and it has to be timely. Well, I think the point of communications is well founded because as of today in today's Star Advertiser, it looks like civil defense in conjunction with the Department of Health Air Quality Division. They're talking about a website to centralize air quality reporting. So in the headline, it says centralize, meaning that there's information coming from all over but maybe people aren't catching on to where it's located. So what I'm gathering through this article is that it's not enough to just have sporadic websites. It's important to have an official website in conjunction with news announcements on TV and radio. Exactly, because you can't make the assumption that everybody has a computer or everybody is really internet savvy. There's a lot of people that aren't comfortable with computers or tablets or don't have a cell phone. They're not gonna be able to go online to like purpleair.com or punch in Kona Air Quality on Google and get an immediate reading. They're gonna rely on their TV news. Right. Well, I know some of the news stations have a brief mention about air quality. Again, most of that pertains to the east part of Hawaii Island but not so much in the other parts. So if anything, it sounds like there's brief mention that affects the Kona-Kailua area but not a whole lot. Yeah, it's been very brief. 30 seconds here, eight seconds there, 10 seconds there. The mentions are greatly appreciated but a little more needs to be done. And again, their coverage of the actual devastation over in the lava zone has been phenomenal. And I can understand. People may be a little fatigued of big island bad news but this is something that affects everybody. Every time you step outside, you take a breath. If that air has got a quality issue then people need to be aware. So you live in Kona and so I'm gonna assume that you go into town. Have you noticed a reduction of tourists on the sidewalks or does it seem to be the same as usual? It seems to be pretty much the same as usual. People here are really resilient and they're a tough breed. We've got a lot of people that are into fitness here in town and I see them jogging and running. I've read some things that say that particulate levels at sea level are a little better. I don't know if that's true or not. I'm not a scientist but I don't notice that much of a difference. Kona people are pretty tough. They're gonna get through this. This is temporary. I just don't want there to be any lasting image issues that we have to deal with because people feel like they're either being misled or they're just not being given the information that's readily available. Right, well there's a gentleman by the name of Larry Holland. He has a post-doctorate and he's a fellow at the University of Hawaii, Manoa, Department of Atmospheric and before the eruption, it was cited that there was about 2,500 tons of particulates or actually air quality issues and now it's increased 15 to 20 times more than normal. So that's quite an increase in air quality issues and doesn't sound good if you're living there. Sounds like it's gonna be pretty tough and maybe more people are staying indoors more than normally. They are. My neighbors are, I am, the reality is we live on a live, living, angry island right now and Tutupele is not done yet and when she's done, she'll let us know but for right now we just need to be aware and take the necessary precautions. I mean, it's obvious to anybody, I'm looking out my window right now at the ocean and I do not see the horizon line. Well, but the air today is definitely better than it was yesterday. Ultimately, what would you like to see in addition to what's occurring? You'd like to see more news alerts or news and radio alerts or you think there should be a more broad-based approach? Well, broad-based would be best. Broadcast news, TV news would be excellent because everybody tunes into that. It doesn't have to be long, just a number and again, let's go back to that map. Imagine if that 160 was over Honolulu and imagine the coverage it would get if it was over Honolulu or a populated area on Maui or somewhere else. We're just all kind of stymied that it's not being reported on at all. Yeah. Well, your points well made and I wish you luck and we'll see what happens at that public meeting tomorrow or is it tomorrow or tonight? It's tomorrow evening. Tomorrow evening. So I hope that goes well. I'm sure they're gonna talk about air quality issues. And Mingo, I'd like to say thank you for joining What's on Your Mind Hawaii. Your comments were very important and we appreciate it. So thank you. Thank you, Tim. I appreciate being allowed on as a guest. Okay. Mahalo and aloha. This is Tim Apachele again and now for our second segment and that is about the issue of NFL's recent rule to require NFL players to stand during the national anthem. This issue has really hit the news way, the news airway ways quite substantially in the last couple of days. Most recently, in fact, as of June the 4th at 4.55 PM, the president of the United States tweeted the following and he said, the Philadelphia Eagles football team was invited to the White House. Unfortunately, only a small number of players decided to come and we canceled the event. Staying in the locker room for playing our national anthem is as disrespectful to our country as kneeling. Sorry. So that's what he tweeted and I guess before we look at the next interviews here. So little known facts. First fact is the national anthem didn't become official until March 3rd, 1931. Number two is prior to 2009, players remained in the locker room and they weren't present for the national anthem. It was only when the Department of Defense contracted with the NFL to pay the NFL to have the players come out on the field during the national anthem. So this is only a phenomenon the last nine years. And last but not least, the Eagles in the last season, not one player knelt during the national anthem. So that was interesting for me to just recently find out that there wasn't no one on the team that decided to take a knee. And so let's just look at these two interviews and hear two separate opinions. Ah, this is Tim Appichella with Think Tech Hawaii for what's on your mind, Hawaii. And the topic today is the NFL ruling about standing for the national anthem. I'm here with Don and Don, this is a recent announcement by the NFL and I guess I'm just gonna ask you, what do you think about it? Yeah, I definitely do not agree with it. Our First Amendment right is the freedom of speech. I believe that that freedom is being taken away as far as you have to do, you know, I believe it's being taken away as far as you're forced to salute a flag. You know what I mean? A lot of people put their lives on the line. I come up with a military family, my grandfather served, I got uncles that served, I got little cousins that serve right now. They're out there defending our rights. I think as soon as you take that right away and you make them stand for the flag, it's definitely not right. I strongly recommend that the players in the NFL stay in the locker room for now because I believe I actually saw a business plan. I mean, everyone do the history back home, check it out. Back in the day, they didn't have to come out on the field for that anthem. Soon as the NFL and the military made that deal together, all of a sudden now, every player has to come out there. Colin Kaepernick, taking that knee, you know, there was a lot of things that happened, especially in the Bay Area. A lot of folks around the country, it's for police brutality. Well, let me ask you this because this was a non-issue at the end of the season. I mean, there might have been only seven or 10 players across the NFL that was actually taking a knee. So it kind of settled out itself. So the question is, why do you think the NFL took this on at this time? Honestly, I think it has to do with business, business and politics. Right now, you know, there's a lot of things going on in our country that, you know, there's underlying people that want to hit it face on. Everyone kind of wants to hold back, you know, act like they don't see it. And that's part of the recognition. As soon as we recognize the problem, we can find a solution. But if we don't even see the problem, we're never going to get a solution. So unfortunately, the commander in chief made kind of his point to say that if you don't stand, you're not only not American, but maybe you should exit the country. Did you hear that from the president of the United States? I did not, but he can, you know, for him to even, his opinion is his opinion. I mean, it's Donald Trump, you know what I'm saying? And I mean, if everyone knows Donald Trump, it's about money, you know? The fact that he was able to get it, you know, he's the president, you got to salute him for that. He did what it took to become president. It did what it did, though, I think it opened our eyes to see how many people are really with the new world, new movement, as far as terms of America, and how many folks are still in the past. You know, the New York Jets, the owner, Christopher Johnson, he made an announcement that he is going to cover any and all fines for any player that does want to take a knee on the field versus having them stay back in the locker room. What do you think about that? Man, that's a real coach. That's what, that salute. I'm a raider, but a salute New York Jets coach, you know what I'm saying? That's righteous, that's all right. You sure you wanted to go on public record that you're an Oakland Raider fan? I'm an Oakland Raider fan, the captain, I'm with you. So do you think this is an issue? You said business and politics, but do you think it's a, well, more of the politics issue is that trying to wrap the flag around the president of the United States and trying to him determine what is patriotic and what isn't patriotic, a lot of people feel that Donald Trump's the last person in the world to basically define patriotism. What do you think about that? I definitely agree. What I've heard is I heard he didn't serve his country five different times, I believe, I heard. You have to do the research on that yourself, folks, but yeah, man, you know, there's a lot of good, you know, just like the whole situation, even with the police brutality, you have very, very good cops out there that want to make a difference. There's other cops that are bad. Of course there's the blue code, you know, they don't want to tell on each other, okay, we get it. But understand that those bad cops are giving you good cops bad names. Same thing with Donald Trump, just because he's up there and you know, he says things that are outrageous. I'm sure he's done good things for good people in his past and I heard about a lot of bad things he's done, but he doesn't represent all of us. So let me ask this question. We basically had a situation where, again, the players more or less had not really, you know, the whole issue kind of just settled down and now it starts up again. If you're a player for the NFL, what are you gonna do? Do you think you're gonna stay in the locker room or are you gonna join lock arms on the field? Will that signify a defiance that President Trump or is, you know, people that feel very patriotic? Is that a disrespect to the flag and to the national anthem? Depends on where you're at as a player, as far as salary, because I know all those players, they're regular people just like me and you. You know, everyone gets paid differently. If you have the funds to afford it, I would definitely still go out there and kneel, pay that fine. If you don't, stay in the locker room. That would be the best bet to do it. That way you don't ruffle no feathers, that way you can still feed your family and kind of stuff like that. Because when it's all said and done, we all gotta live on the search together. Well, that's a great way to end the conversation. Don, I wanna thank you so much for joining me on What's On Your Mind Hawaii. I'm Tim Apachella and thank you Aloha and we'll see you soon. Aloha, Tim Apachella with Think Tech Hawaii for What's On Your Mind Hawaii. We're here today to talk about the new recent NFL ruling about standing for the national anthem. I'm here with Sal and Sal, what do you think about it? Well, I think, you know, they run a business. So, I mean, I'm not allowed to make a gesture at my personal job and I don't think that the players should use their job as a platform to protest. Well, that's a really good point. Also, speak a little louder because we got a lot of road noise here. That is a good point because a lot of people are arguing that it is a First Amendment right and that the NFL is infringing upon the First Amendment but you just hit the nail on the head and that is when they are employed and they're on the field, they're on the company time and therefore, they may not be able to exercise their First Amendment right. So, say that again and I think that was a good point. Yeah, well, it's a privilege to be in the NFL, first of all, right, if they interviewed you before you were selected to the draft and the rules was implemented before that, would you take that stand, right? I don't, me as an individual working in, you know, in a common job, I can't show up to my job and meal and not do what my company expects me to do. Have you ever gone to an employer and saying, hey, I want to say what I want to say because it's my First Amendment right? Have you ever said that to an employer? Well, when you apply for a job, you're applying for the job under the circumstances and what is expected of the job. So, in that sense, it never crossed my mind, you know. I didn't accept the job and tell myself, well, when I get this job, I'm gonna protest against whatever, you know. Did you have any reaction to President Trump basically saying that if they don't stand for the national anthem, even though they come out of the locker room, that maybe they should depart the country? Did you hear him say that? I heard him say that, you know, President Trump, at times, he's not very presidential, you know. I didn't vote for Trump and I didn't vote for Hillary. So, at the same time, I'm more conservative than I am liberal. So, in that sense, you know, what Trump said didn't really have anything to do at what Kaepernick is protesting about. So, to me, I think Kaepernick, if he wants to protest, why don't you go volunteer and be a police officer? Put yourself in a police officer's situation. You know, go work one whole month. You got money, when you're not working in NFL, go volunteer, be a policeman wherever this, you know, stuff that going against the police. So, if you were an NFL player and you felt very strongly that you were protesting something very close and very close to your heart and something that really had a lot of meaning to you and that's what a lot of these players are doing, would you be one to just stay in the locker room and then later come out, or would you come out and take a knee and take the penalty? Well, first of all, I would respect the flag. That's the flag represents our freedom, regardless that, you know, we're Hawaiian people here in Hawaii and our government was overthrown, you know, in the name of, so to speak, Christianity and I can't think of the correct word, but I'll get to it, but you know, you got to stand up for what you feel, but there's a time and a place. Like I said, if you want to protest, well, go volunteer and be a police officer. Look at two sides. You're only looking at one side, right? Do you remember the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico and the track and field awards and there was two African-American players that raised their fists with black gloves on and they took a lot of heat for that, a lot of heat. Do you think it's a similar situation right now? Well, I don't think it's similar. You know, they're on a national platform and they sacrifice to even get in the Olympics too and they had a right to do what they did, but I don't condemn them for doing what they did, you know, they use that as a platform and you know, you can say maybe it's a say, but I don't think so. Do you think the timing was good for the NFL to make this call or do you think it could have been done at a later time? Because the issue was almost over. There was only seven people or 10 people at the end of last season that was actually taking a knee. So do you just think the timing was real bad on this? I think there was a little more than that, you know. What do you think, what else was more? There were more people that were protesting than seven people, I think, you know, I may be wrong, but I think more people were contesting than seven, but like I said, the platform, you know, the NFL is a business, right? They were losing money. Nobody wants to admit that they were losing money because of the protesting, so like I said, I think. Do you think standing in the locker room waiting for the anthem to end is a good parcel solution to those players that feel this is a very important issue to them and not forcing them to stand during the anthem? Do you think that's an elegant solution? I think the solution would be like the media shouldn't focus on the players who are kneeling. Go ahead, you want a new world, you're going to kneel to other people that's attending the game. But for a national, I watch the NFL to watch the NFL, you know, to get away from politics, to enjoy the sport of the NFL. Do you think the sports announcers should just steer clear of it and just not even put it on camera when it happens and just go with the game, just report on the game? Yes, I'm tuning into the network to watch the game, not to, if I want to watch anything political then I'll turn it on the news. You go to ESPN after the game? Well, ESPN, sports and politics, it should be separated, that's my opinion. Okay, Sal, well, hey, sports for sports. Sal, thank you so much for taking your time. I'm Tim Appichella with Sal and this is What's On Your Mind Hawaii for Think Tech Hawaii. Aloha. Welcome back and thank you very much for tuning into What's On Your Mind Hawaii. Our next show is on June the 19th and look forward for you to come back and check out the show. Aloha.