Comments You Don’t Want to Miss — July 31
What’s to read on Civil Beat may start with the journalism, but what I see happening is that people find themselves spending a lot of time reading the writing of other members. When people talk about there being a lot to read, that’s a big part of what they mean.
There are a number of examples from this week:
On Being Local
A speech by Mufi Hannemann where he sought the support of the carpenters union touched a nerve with me. I wrote about it, in the hope of stimulating a thoughtful — and civil — dialogue about race and ethnicity, both hot button issues in politics. A number of members stepped up and added perspectives that helped deepen the discussion. For example:
- An excerpt about his “Am I local?” test from Dave Kozuki:
I don’t think anyone needs to feel pressured to become local to fit in here. I also don’t think you need to be born and bred to be local.
So for those of you who are wondering, “Am I local?”, I’ve put together 12 criteria that will let you decide for yourselves. If all 12 describe you accurately, you are local, regardless of when you moved to Hawaii.
I’d estimate that 8 out of 12 gets you to kamaaina status.
Read the complete comment and take the test.
- This comment from Alan Sarhan.
Thanks for a thoughtful piece, Lee. Hawaii locals culture not so different from the many other places I’ve lived, only the names change: Arakaki instead of Erickson, Kealoha instead of Sanchez, Cabanilla instead of Young. My tribe better than your tribe; both of us better than any outsider.
I have to say that even though I’m one of only a handful of haoles in the places I’ve worked in Hawaii, and in most places I go here, I seldom feel any separateness or animosity. The aloha and the multi-culturalism are playing at a higher volume than the disdain of outsiders.
- And for the last word on this topic, this from Janice-Renee Yoshioka.
While racial and geographic heritage may continue to influence our early impressions and the initial level of openness we’re willing to extend someone, I think another (and perhaps more important) quality of Hawaii’s people is that we’re willing to move beyond these superficial first impressions and intelligently, thoughtfully evaluate a person’s character based both on their motivations (as communicated to us) and their actions (as observed).
Mufi’s ethnic heritage and personal history may resonate with many of Hawaii’s people, but so does Duke Aiona’s. While I might be able to compare ethnicity with Mufi and his family, the “I look like you, you look like me,” comparison’s unfortunately don’t apply when I consider our positions on many issues important to me.
On Chad Blair’s Government Reform Ideas
- An excerpt from Dave Briscoe.
Chad:
Your ideas for government certainly are useful and interesting, but isn’t what you’re really proposing less representation and an end to the two-party system. Without a Senate and House, there would be no check or balance under a Democratic governor. And with the governor and legislators joing judges, education board members, mayors and city-county councils on nonpartisan ballots, what’s left for the parties to do besides run candidates for national office? Party affiliation obviously still matters in Washington. But our island congressional seats are too often viewed by those who capture them as little fiefdoms never to be given up unless it be for a bigger fief.
The changes you propose could reduce local politics even more to running on personality rather than substance. The good thing about political parties is that they discourage too much maverick pandering. I like to know at least where my candidates are coming from, even if they try to fog-up their individual positions.
The real problem is not with the system but with the politicians we keep electing and re-electing.
Read the complete comment.
- And an excerpt from Chad in response.
I don’t personally think parties will disappear any time soon (although if I recall, Jefferson hated the idea of parties). But it is worth pointing out that the greatest voter affiliation these days is independent, and it is rising at the expense of Dems and Repubs.
Washington today is described as the most partisan in memory; Hawaii is almost entirely controlled by Democrats. Are the results satisfactory?
Read the complete comment.
