A Hawaiian National’s Take On The False Missile Threat
Yes, those 38 minutes were terrifying, but so are 125 years of U.S. occupation for Native Hawaiians.
While some people in Hawaii may have experienced 38 minutes of terror on Saturday morning, please imagine what it feels like for the Kanaka Maoli — the Hawaiian people — to experience U.S. military occupation for 125 years.ÌýÌý
While we do not diminish what it felt like in those moments of fear and uncertainty for residents and visitors to Hawaii, we must also frame what it feels like to be a Hawaiian — a descendant of the original people of our beloved islands — to be caught in the literal crossfire of modern day U.S. militaristic grandstanding.
The false ballistic missile threat illuminated several issues.Ìý
The prolonged and pervasive military presence in Hawaii does not keep us safe but rather makes us a prime target for U.S. enemies.
Moreover, the alarmingly slow response by state government officials to correct the false warning only added to the fear and hysteria many experienced.
The Hawaiian people have similarly experienced an alarmingly slow response by Hawaii and U.S. government officials to carry out the reconciliation process we were promised in the 1993 Apology Bill.
Nov. 23, 2018, will mark our 25th year of waiting.
And so, as we remember this week the 125th anniversary of the illegal overthrow of our beloved Kingdom of Hawaii, which wasÌýcommemorated Wednesday, I ask that you take a moment and reflect on what it feels like to live in terror for 125 years, let alone 38 minutes.
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