Oahu Democrats: Female Hawaii Monarchs Dissed In Favor Of Good Friday
Oahu Democrats, at the party’s convention last weekend, approved resolutions calling for the decriminalization of pot, the legalization of same-sex marriage, the raising of the minimum wage and the public financing of elections.
All are controversial topics that have failed at the Hawaii Legislature, including just this year.
But the Oahu County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaii called upon their legislators to make the legislation a priority in the 2014 session.
One resolution, however, proved too controversial to pass: eliminating Good Friday as a state holiday and replacing it with another honoring Hawaii’s female monarchs.
‘Honor and Respect’
The resolution was submitted by Michael Golojuch Jr., chairman of the state party’s GLBT Caucus.
The “reso,” which is reproduced below, states that Democrats “are dedicated to gender equity and respecting and honoring” the state’s host culture.
It points out that King Kamehameha and Prince Kuhio each have state holidays, but no holiday “to honor and respect the memories and contributions” of Queen Liliuokalani, Queen Emma and Queen Kapiolani.
Golojuch said opposition to the resolution came in part from Christian delegates who want to keep Good Friday, which commemorates the day Christ was placed on the cross, a holiday.
“Our female monarchs have not been given due when it comes to holidays,” he told Civil Beat. “No monarchy or religion gets to dictate how the state is run. By having Good Friday as a holiday, it leaves the false impression that we are a Christian state.”
Oahu County Democrats.
Hawaii is one of only a dozen states where Good Friday is a holiday.
It’s one of recognized this year. Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole Day was celebrated March 26 while King Kamehameha I Day is set for June 11.
Opposition to Good Friday being a Hawaii holiday is nothing new.
In 1998, for example, Sen. Roz Baker that would have Hawaii make the first Monday in April “Aloha Day” rather than have a holiday tied to the Christian observance of Easter Sunday.
Baker’s bill was submitted at the request of the Hawaii Citizens for the Separation of State and Church, a government and religion watchdog.
“Even though I am a Christian, it doesn’t seem appropriate that we take a state holiday for a day that has no meaning outside the Christian religion,” Baker said at the time.
Asked about the Oahu Democrats resolution, Holly Huber of Hawaii Citizens for the Separation of State and Church said, “We applaud the Democrats if they want to change it, but there has been legislation introduced before and the Legislature will not do anything. I would not hold my breath on anything changing.”
Golojuch said he was disheartened that Oahu Democrats did not adopt his reso, given that the adopted a at its state convention last year. Golojuch said there was little objection to the state reso, and he wanted to bring county Democrats in line with state Democrats.
The state reso differs in two ways from the county version: It does not mention Queen Kapiolani, and it notes that “no other religion has its own State holiday.”
Neither resolution mentions Queen Kaahumanu, the favorite wife of Kamehameha I and a politically powerful figure who pushed her people firmly in the direction of Christianity.
Resolution 2013-01 — To Honor the Separation of State and Church and the Female Members of Hawaii’s Monarchy
Whereas, the Oahu County Democrats support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America as well as the separation of State and Church; and
Whereas, the separation of State and Church is one of the founding principles of the United States of America as it is found in the First Amendment as well as Article VI of the U.S. Constitution; and
Whereas, the State of Hawaii is the most religiously diverse state in the Union; and
Whereas, Good Friday holds no secular purpose and is solely a Christian remembrance and the State of Hawaii is one of only 10 states in the nation that observes Good Friday as an official state holiday; and
Whereas, the Oahu County Democrats are dedicated to gender equity and respecting and honoring our great State’s host culture; and
Whereas, King Kamehameha and Prince Kuhio both have State holidays to honor and respect their memories and contributions to the State of Hawaii; and
Whereas, there is not one State holiday to honor and respect the memories and contributions of Queen Liliuokalani, Queen Emma, Queen Kapiolani or any other of Hawaii’s female monarchy; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, The Oahu County Democrats support legislation eliminating Good Friday as a State holiday and replacing it with a State holiday to honor, remember and respect the memories and contributions of Hawaii’s female monarchy; and finally be it
Ordered, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to each Oahu County Democrat that is a member of the Hawaii State Legislature, [as] well as to the Honorable Governor of the State of Hawaii Neil Abercrombie and Lt. Governor Shan S. Tsutsui.
