Protesters of UH candidate didn’t bother to listen first

Each week seems to bring a new example in Hawaii of civil public discourse being hijacked by self-righteous dogmatists waving placards with trite slogans.

It was at the University of Hawaii this time, where retired Lt. Gen. Frank Wiercinski was picketed, booed and hissed as he made his first appearance on campus as one of two final candidates for UH president along with interim President David Lassner.

Without bothering to give Wiercinski a chance to make a case for himself at the first of several Q&A sessions with the candidates around the state, protesting graduate students deemed him unfit for the job solely because of his career in the military.

Their signs said "Demilitarize" and "Hawaiian Values?" The rude nature of the protest was a sorry example of the latter — and of the intellectual immaturity of some at our state university.

The UH protesters were kissing cousins of those at the Capitol a few weeks ago who tried unsuccessfully to block Don Horner from serving on the Board of Education because they didn’t approve of the Christian church he belonged to.

Since when did military duty and church membership become disqualifications for public service? It’s the most ignorant kind of guilt by association.

Those who oppose military research at UH had every right to question Wiercinski about his thoughts on the matter, and in fact, that was the purpose of the forum — to allow anybody interested in the university to ask him about anything they wanted.

But the protesting students waved their signs in his face and heckled rather than hearing him out on why he believes his 34 years of Army service, including eight years as Pacific commander, taught him leadership skills that are relevant to running a big organization like UH.

Wiercinski showed some of those skills in graciously handling the protest, but it was frustrating to see an opportunity wasted for constructive public participation in a decision about one of our state’s most important jobs.

He and Lassner both are credible candidates; the more public give and take the better before the Board of Regents makes a choice.

Lassner got a more courteous reception at a similar forum at Leeward Community College a few nights later, and hopefully it will become the model as the two candidates tour campuses around the state.

UH-West Oahu student Alexander Bautista went to LCC to hear Lassner and planned to return for Wiercinski.

"I want to hear both of their takes so we can at least be a little more informed," he said. "It’s always helpful just to be knowledgeable."

It seems that some go to college to pursue knowledge, others to act like they already know it all.

Reach David Shapiro at volcanicash@gmail.com or blog.volcanicash.net.