Last month Oprah Winfrey was accused of refusing to open her private road in Maui after a tsunami warning was issued for the Hawaiian Islands [click here if you missed that].
Oprah sets the record start, pointing out she does not actually own the road, it's just called 'Oprah's Road' by locals because it leads past her house...
From Oprah Daily
It was especially disheartening to me this week, as someone who always tries to lead with good intention, to be falsely accused of making decisions that could harm others. When tsunami warnings hit Maui, my first thought was "Are we safe here, and how do we help others get to higher ground?"
There’s the main highway that winds all the way around the mountain— and an easement, a one-lane private road that leads to the ocean or leads to town. This is the road that locals call “the Oprah Road.” The facts are: I do not own that road. It belongs to Haleakalā Ranch, which granted me easement rights long ago to what was once just a cattle trail.
In emergencies—like the fires two years ago or this week’s tsunami warning—decisions about opening that road involve multiple parties: Haleakalā Ranch, Maui Police, and Maui Emergency Management. The reason is that the road was not built for public transport, and many portions are unmarked and hazardous. This week, I advocated for opening it immediately, and once the hazards were cleared, it was opened with people in place to supervise and ensure safety. The choice was made as quickly as possible, with the right intention: to get people to higher ground.
Yet, somehow, that turned into backlash and misinformation suggesting I was “forced” to open it or that I was blocking access. Neither is true. But still—the lies spread.
And this isn’t the only falsehood out there. Every week, my lawyers and I are playing whack-a-mole with fake AI videos of me selling everything from gummies to pink salt. Let me say this clearly: If you see an ad with my face on a “PRODUCT,” it’s fake.
read the full piece here
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