Letter: Learn from mistakes to deal with axis deer

I found it amusing at best to read the letter, “Commentary excellent, editorial insensitive” (Star-Advertiser, Sept. 22). The writer chose to contrast Noel Kent’s commentary about learning from our mistakes with your editorial about dealing with axis deer (“We fail to learn from our warring past,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Sept. 20; “Cut number of destructive deer,” Star-Advertiser, Our View, Sept. 20).

Kent’s views usually are on the money and speak to a way of thinking that we seem to have lost in the evolution of our “Great Society.” I’m talking about common sense. It is unfortunate that because of misinformation or misguided emotions, some of us do not see the peril in hosting invasive plants and animals in our very sensitive island ecosystems.

There are many examples of wild animals in Hawaii that have seriously affected or destroyed our native forests and wildlands. Wild sheep, goats and pigs have all had their share of mass eradication in order to protect our limited resources.

Yes, it is so romantic to see a sensitive and social creature like an axis deer foraging in the woods or on your neighbor’s vegetable farm. But as Kent said, shouldn’t we learn from our past mistakes? You betcha!

Tom Mendes

Waimanalo

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