Trisha Kehaulani Watson: Time To Turn Marching Into Voting
A strong election turnout would make Hawaiians, some of whom now abstain from voting, a more powerful political force than they have been in decades.
Marching is not easy.
It鈥檚 hot. Tiring. Parking is always a challenge. It鈥檚 much harder with children or kupuna in tow.
It鈥檚 even harder to organize. There are permits. Security. Dizzying amounts of organization. It is a massive undertaking.
Despite the challenges, over 20,000 people braved the heat — mobilized themselves, their friends and their families — to take to the streets this past Saturday. Starting at Ala Moana Beach Park and winding聽 down Kalakaua Avenue, the day鈥檚 events ended with jubilant festivities at Kapiolani Park.
Whether on horseback or on foot — or among the many children being towed in wagons by their dedicated parents — it was an awe-inspiring sea of red shirts and Hawaiian flags flowing through Waikiki as Hawaiians and allies raised their voices in chant and song.
Regardless of the spin by TMT proponents, there is no doubt that people participated in support of the mauna and in response to the ongoing efforts to build TMT.
And although the demonstration may have physically ended at Kapiolani Park, the political movement that has emerged must continue to build.
To The Voting Booths
I know many Hawaiians who have not believed in voting in U.S. or Hawaii state elections. The logic is simple and fair: if you do not believe in the legitimacy of the federal or state government, voting in those elections is counter to that belief. If you believe the state is fake, don鈥檛 participate in it and that includes voting.
I offer this competing thought: Regardless of how you feel about the current ruling government, the reality is that many Hawaiians have the ability to vote in its elections.
You get a vote. Use it.
Our past bonds must become our future strength.
A Hawaiian voting block would significantly alter the political landscape of Hawaii. Hawaiians would become a powerful political force unlike they have been for decades, unlike we have been since the Monarchy Era. Our population has grown to numbers unsurpassed in the 20th聽and 21st聽centuries. It is an opportunity we must not squander.
We don鈥檛 need to agree on federal recognition or the legality of the overthrow. We do not have to have every detail of our way forward resolved. We don鈥檛 need to agree on everything to be powerful.
The political monolith we must become is not one of political thought, it must only be one of civic participation.
Many outside the Hawaiian community mistakenly believe that we need to consistently agree on everything. The only thing we need to agree on is that we want a better future for our children and our islands.
Because they are our islands. We are bound by common genealogy that ties us to this incredible place. And you know what they typically call people who share a common genealogy? Family.
Being a part of this family means we are born with distinct kuleana, both rights and responsibilities that grew out of Hawaii and its political history. Like it or not, fulfill it or not, this kuleana exists.
Our past bonds must become our future strength.
The reality is that most Hawaiians I know, and I know a lot of Hawaiians, share common values. We have an unyielding love of land, family and culture. We treat each other well, maybe not all the time, but I have no doubt of the genuine aloha we share for each other.
That love comes from our tie to our nation and our heritage. It was our Queen who once wrote, 鈥淟ove of country is deep-seated in the breast of every Hawaiian, whatever his station.鈥
When I see tens of thousands of Hawaiians taking to the streets across islands and ocean, I know these words remain as true today as they were when they were first written by our Queen.
