An interesting article about Hawaii

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Stelth · #1 Post by **Stelth** » Tue May 21, 2013 2:31 pm

http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/i ... n-paradise

#2 Post by **ConchRepublican** » Tue May 21, 2013 3:46 pm

Um . . . wow. And I didn't even finish yet.

I hate when excuses are made for obvious racism and prejudice. I don't particularly care what/how people think, they are allowed to feel however they want, and even hate whomever they want, that's their business, but when they act on it we have a problem. When it's excused with handwringing "understanding" we have even more of a problem.

This disgusted me:
In a poem titled, "Racist White Woman," Trask wrote: "I could kick/Your face, puncture/Both eyes./You deserve this kind/Of violence./No more vicious/Tongues, obscene/Lies./Just a knife/Slitting your tight/Little heart."

And my wife and I are considering a trip next spring . . .

Stelth · #3 Post by **Stelth** » Tue May 21, 2013 3:53 pm

I had no idea this situation existed until very recently.

#4 Post by **ConchRepublican** » Tue May 21, 2013 4:14 pm

Well . . . I'm not surprised there's animosity, I used to spend a lot of time on a Key West message board and one of the mods there would call tourists "tourons".

Now I get it, a lot of people on vacation can act like fools and entitled because they spent a lot of money and want to be pampered. feel special, whatever. I don't like that and I think most don't behave that way, but when dealing with the public, the tourist industry especially, it's going to happen.

The fact that kids are routinely (it seems) verbally abused and bullied at school is not right. I get kids can be mean and cruel, and that's a part of growing up, but this is more sinister than that because it's promoted as part of this "ancestral memory".

Stelth · #5 Post by **Stelth** » Tue May 21, 2013 5:00 pm

I find the fact that the authorities dissuade prosecution the most frightening part of the article.

#6 Post by **Doc Ibold** » Tue May 21, 2013 5:03 pm

Wow, disgusting. I've been to Hawaii several times, and I never experienced anything like this.

It always infuriates me when things like this happen, and especially when it seems like the children are continuing the tradition of intolerance.

Looks like Ill have to stop recommending Hawaii to folks.

Pahonu · #7 Post by **Pahonu** » Tue May 21, 2013 7:24 pm

It seems the Hawaii tourism industry has been successful in downplaying such occurances. Very sad.

Braddah Kimo · #8 Post by **Braddah Kimo** » Tue May 21, 2013 7:34 pm

A very good article elucidatng the situation we have here . really carefully first half are the effects. Second half of the article are the causes. they are not excuses they are the causes.

Braddah Kimo · #9 Post by **Braddah Kimo** » Tue May 21, 2013 8:18 pm

How Hawaiians feel about the overthrow And the occupation of their home by foreigners

Let's pretend I visit your house: You offer me food and rest. I decide to stay. I order you and your family around, use your things and rearrange the rooms. I take down your photos and religious symbols, replace them with my own and make you speak my language. One day, I dig up your garden and replace it with crops that I can sell. You and your family must now buy all your food from me. Later, I invite my father and his buddies over. They bring guns. We take your keys. I forge a deed and declare my father to be owner of the house. I bring more people. Some work for me. Some pay me to stay in your house. I seize your savings and spend it on my friends. You and your family sleep on the porch.

Finally, you protest. Being reasonable, I let you stay in a corner of the house and give you a small allowance, but only if you behave. I tell you, "Sorry, I was wrong for taking the house." But when you demand your house back, I tell you to be realistic.

"You are a part of this family now, whether you like it or not," I say. "Besides, this is for your own good. For all that I have done for you, why aren't you grateful?"

-------------------

Pahonu · #10 Post by **Pahonu** » Tue May 21, 2013 11:42 pm

It's a good analogy Kimo, and I sympathize. Sadly there are countless situations like this where the imperialist nations of Europe as well as the United States once controlled or still do control the lands of various ethnic groups. The general direction since the end of the WWII, though, has been for these former Empires to allow self-determination for their colonies. Starting with India in 1946, dozens of new nations have been formed in recent decades, up to last years recognition of Southern Sudan. But (and isn't there always a but) in many of these places, the colonization process itself has so altered the population of the area, that granting a vote for self-determination by the residents might still fail to reflect the wishes of the original inhabitants. The Zionist movement into modern-day Israel would be an example of this and its effects on the now Palestinian minority. The entire history of the United States in respect to the displacement of native groups would also exemplify this.

Perhaps an even more accurate analogy might include someone from a different place building their home in your neighborhood followed by many more over generations until you were now in the minority. The single house analogy bothers me a bit because it implies Hawaii was always a single, unified society. Which it was not. I'm not saying what was done over a century ago was right, but what must be dealt with is today's reality. Their might be some lessons to be learned in the case of Puerto Rico which has voted several times not to become the 51st state in the Union or to become an independant nation. This is at least partly due to cultural differences and the difficulty in establishing stable nationhood. Just my thoughts on a very complex issue.

Stelth · #11 Post by **Stelth** » Tue May 21, 2013 11:46 pm

Regarding Puerto Rico: I've spoken to native Puerto Ricans and I've heard more than a few times that the reason statehood is rejected is because Puerto Ricans want the money and benefits the U.S. government provides minus the regualtions being a state carries.

Pahonu · #12 Post by **Pahonu** » Tue May 21, 2013 11:49 pm

Yes, that would also include rejection of nationhood as stated.

Braddah Kimo · #13 Post by **Braddah Kimo** » Wed May 22, 2013 5:34 am

" granting a vote for self-determination by the residents." That is very white of America to grant Hawaiian resident s Anything. That's another trick up the sleeve of the oppressors " Well they voted on statehood so they must've wanted it " Hawaiians did not trust any Haole system, voting system included.. 1959 saw the very soon and expeditious Destruction of the local and hawaiian way of life. their homes were taken away their culture was taken away their land was taken away. There is an old axiom here : the Western mindset will never understand the Polynesian way. It is a wholly other culture here and only those who spent decades Here to have developed a strong foundation in Polynesian culture And Hawaiian history will understand the anger that many kanaka maoli have. I may not condone violence at outsiders but I do understand.

Danno · #14 Post by **Danno** » Wed May 22, 2013 8:00 am

And many people maintained that arrogant mainlanders are the most likely to incur natives' wrath. It's their "cultural inability to be humble [that] is a huge contributing factor in a lot of violence against them," one person wrote. "There is a high degree of arrogance and lack of respect that mainlanders exhibit," added another.

I've seen college kids from the US mainland on holidays on O'ahu letting off steam- a few planeloads of them and I'd be wanting to punch one of them out as well!

Braddah Kimo wrote:It is a wholly other culture here

I think we need to respect this whenever you visit another country.

IKnowWhatYoureThinking · Wed May 22, 2013 12:31 pm

I think we need to respect this whenever you visit another country.[/quote]

Too bad there aren't more people that respect the cultures of where they are. This includes Americans visiting different parts of the states.