Comments You Don’t Want to Miss: Aug. 7
One of the things I enjoy about the conversations on Civil Beat is the way we seem to chip away at issues together, the way members and reporter-hosts expand on ideas with give and take. What follows are just a few examples from the past week.
The Value of Hawaii
- This comment from Hugh Starr regarding Jonathan Osorio’s essay, The Value of Hawaii: Hawaiian Issues by Jon Osorio.
Jon Osorio has succinctly and powerfully expressed a critically important view about the global economy, U.S. military pre-eminence, the orthodoxy of the capitalist ‘free market’ economy and the gigantic impacts all this has had, and will continue to have, on the Hawaiian Islands and our people, without Change. These concerns happen to also be in the forefront of discussions within my ohana also. While born in these Hawaiian Islands, we are not Kanaka Maoli…so in this regardit seems Jon intends to suggest that without koko it is not possible to hold these very same concerns, ideals and future view for Hawaii Nei? And if so, wondering aloud, how he might view our particular role and responsibilities in this impending transformation?
- This response from Jonathan Osorio.
On Hugh Starr’s posting, I had to go back to the fragment that was published to this site and discovered that it made no reference to the multi-ethnic nation state that 贬补飞补颈驶颈 was before the 1893 coup and the American takeover. Almost all of the independence advocates in 贬补飞补颈驶颈 refer back to the fact the Kingdom contained native and non-native citizens whose civil rights were protected by the same constitutions and legislation. In advocating for independence we cannot lawfully or with conscience limit civil rights to citizens of Hawaiian ancestry. Independence requires us to advocate for a multi-ethnic citizenry. Federal recognition forces us into a political if not social model of exclusion.
Katherine Leonard
- This comment from Keith Ishida.
The only issue I have (with) the the Senators is they didn’t question the Bar Association’s methods and secrecy until now. The Bar Association gives out “Qualified” recommendation all the time, and no one bothered to object to their methods and secrecy then. I would suggest that the Senate’s past acceptance of the Bar Association’s “Qualified” recommendations without questioning the Bar Association’s practices in reaching that recommendation renders their objection to the “Unqualified” recommendation and their accompanying objection to the Bar Association鈥檚 methods to be a bit hypocritical.
- An excerpt from Frank Goodale.
On a separate note and without regard to this specific nominee; with 50 years of statehood and only one woman to ever be selected to sit on the Supreme Court, we have incontrovertible evidence of a different type of failure that has resulted in institutional discrimination within the same institution that is charged with protecting us from discrimination. This points to a “process” that is fatally flawed and in need of serious analysis and correction.
Read the complete comment.
No, Mufi, That Wasn’t “A Right Thing to Say”
- An excerpt from Chris Daida.
The big reason I bristle at Mufi’s comments is because they were made during a campaign–one where the major rival does NOT look like “us” and was not born here. I have to admit, it’s really difficult for me to think that it wasn’t the case that Mufi was making an appeal he thought his opponent could not. If you disagree, fine. But don’t call me a hater of diversity because of it. Please read me clearly on this point: There is nothing wrong with having pride in one’s heritage and place of origin. I’m thankful you welcome people of all nations and cultures. I just did not agree with the way Mufi referenced the two in a campaign speech in this particular race for governor. And I didn’t agree with your response to James. Saying that Neil and all of his supporters are neo-colonists is akin to saying that Mufi and all of his supporters are local bigots. Clearly, demonstrably, neither are true. Both are divisive. And you should be able to identify that point–for the sake of living out the de facto motto of Civil Beat.
Read the complete comment.
