Trending
Apart from the lunacy of blaming the Lahaina fire on lasers shot from space, the most absurd thing we have heard in the natural disaster's wake is the call for Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen to resign due to lack of transparency.
Our island faces its biggest crisis in modern history and they would have us change leadership midstream. Why? Because Bissen didn't have polished answers to their questions? Because he did not cater to the outside media's fixation on rushing to blame?
Perhaps Bissen could have performed better under the glare of the spotlights, but we would rather he concentrate on the crisis at hand. His focus is on getting Maui and its people through a tragedy of unimaginable magnitude.
That Bissen had priorities beyond messaging in the aftermath is telling. A more seasoned politician would have recognized the opportunities presented by the intense worldwide interest in the wildfires that claimed at least 115 lives and destroyed 2,200 structures. A media-savvy mayor could catch a wave of airtime like this and ride it to the governor's mansion or a seat in Congress.
Bissen is either too new to politics to seize the moment, or just not wired that way. Perhaps both. As a former chief judge and prosecutor, however, he is far from new to assessing fault and laying blame. Experience has taught him the importance of patience and thoroughness in an investigation, the dangers of making misinformed statements and the pitfalls of hurrying to judgment before all facts are weighed. He is well aware that cover-ups come back to bite you.
We wonder if those calling on Bissen to resign have other candidates in mind. If so, they should put them up for election in three years. Bissen is the man this county voted into office, the one whose every decision will be scrutinized now and far into the future. He faces the monumental task of helping this island heal while starting a rebuild that may not be completed in his lifetime. It is his duty to protect the island from speculators and predators who seek to profit from our misery. His job to make sure as many relevant stakeholders and cultural interests as possible are included in the planning and rebuilding process, while also assuring things do not get bogged down by infighting or bureaucracy.
It shows how important our vote is. And also the dangers of electing one-issue candidates, of putting in office those who skate by on name recognition, party support or likeable personalities. You never know when a crisis will arise that requires complex thinking and unwavering commitment to finishing the job.