Friday, April 30, 2010

Hawaii preparing to turn mental health services over to insurers | honoluluadvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

Hawaii preparing to turn mental health services over to insurers | honoluluadvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

this could spell disaster for the severely mentally ill. pricvatizartion of mental health services makes me very leery i suppose itws another great linke plan in her wasr against the poor what next? there is nothing left. We will ALL die 25 years earlier if we have to live like this in this state. SHe is the veto auewen and the aueen of mean. sheesh.

Cheers, tears greet House vote | honoluluadvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

Cheers, tears greet House vote | honoluluadvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

YAY Please vote out all so called fake demopcrats that voted against this bill igf you look at who most of these poeple are they are former repubs that have turned dem just to stay in or get into public office. They should all be either immediately voted out ignored by our party or sent nack to the republicans packing. YAY for our side!! the REAL SIDE of the poeple

Civil unions bill passes | honoluluadvertiser.com | Honolulu Local news | The Honolulu Advertiser

Civil unions bill passes | honoluluadvertiser.com | Honolulu Local news | The Honolulu Advertiser

PICTURES HERE

Historic civil-unions bill gets House OK | honoluluadvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

Historic civil-unions bill gets House OK | honoluluadvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

WOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Monday, April 12, 2010

Focus on HSTA, Lingle tells rally | honoluluadvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

Focus on HSTA, Lingle tells rally | honoluluadvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

HEY LINGLE EPIC FAIL

HEY CAN I GET SOME OF THOSE PROTESTERS OVER HERE? HOW ABOUT FIGHTING THE WAR AGAINST THE POOR/ DONT THEY REALIZE FURLOUGHS IS ALL PART OF THAT? POOR AND WORKING POOR FAMILIES ARE AFFECTED THE MOST BY FURLOUGHS<>

HEY U GUYS...WAR ON THE POOR PROTEST...GUYS? GUYS!!!!!!......LOL

Large scale Commercial Ag worker issues-My thoughts.

 Using an anacronym I posted to a freinds blogs my thoughts on Ag large scale commercial operations in Hawaii and ag labour issues.


When we talk about large scale ag, even if we are using the most sophisticated tech out there currently today, which essentially cuts labor force needs in half, and requires some levels of technical skills for at least half of those workers, as well as supers and crew chief leaders, you are still talking about a significant number of people needed for stooped over labor work, in the hot sun, able to withstand that sort of a physical job. Too many people cite the whole "Hey, we can rehire all of those retired sugar workers.

They are probably dying to get back into ag. We will just hire them." Ok, lets be realistic. The majority of those folks would be 50,60, even sometimes 70 and 80 years old. These types of workers truly are some of the most amazing people you will ever meet.

They can do things with seemingly frail looking bodies that would embarrass most teenagers due to a lifetime of hard physical labor. However, frankly there are simply not enough of these people to go around. This rare group of amazing individuals needs to be supplemented by younger crews.

That is a necessity and a fact. So, where will these people come from? Most of the people here would rather work on their own pieces of property and farm for themselves and sell their produce rather then go and stoop labor in someone else's, unless the job was a technical or supervisory position. So where does that leave large scale commercial ag? Needing to import labor.

Now, you have just gone backwards 150 years into Hawai'is past. You need worker housing. You need to provide for them. They will eventually assimilate. Where will they live permanently? Will they come on worker Visas? How will they get along with the locals? How will you treat them? Will they be on contract?

Now, I am coming from a former ag supervisory angle on this. So the issue is far more complicated. Right now, workers are being imported from Asian countries and Mexico to fill out the labor force from local ag workers because the pool is so thin.

They are currently being housed on private properties scattered throughout the islands, and right now do not have it so bad, but the fact remains that they are indentured contracted workers. Their freedom of movement is curtailed, there are language barriers and fraternization is watched carefully by the handlers.

They are not allowed to currently bring spouses or children, so they lack female companionship which is also a concern for various reasons, as it was a major area of concern 100 years ago. Immigration issues are also a concern.

Costs for them to purchase equipment and clothing,as well as food and housing are taken out of wages exactly as it was done 100 years ago in Hawaii, as well as all personal needs. As you are all well aware, isolation, inflated costs and homogenous groupings contributed to much of the strife suffered by indentured workers in Hawaii.

It is a fact that over half of all laborers returned to their countries of origins many times poorer then when they began for most what was a 7 year journey. This is the human side of this issue.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

MY LETTER TO THE GI WAS PRINTED Letters for Sunday, April 11, 2010

Letters for Sunday, April 11, 2010

My letter. Chopped in half, but thanks to Nathan for printing it. I appreciate it.

There is a CORRECTION HOWEVER:


"The POOR should emulate the RICH not the other way around!.to read the WHOLE thing, scroll down. I had to chop in about half Mahalo

Saturday, April 10, 2010

MERRIE MONARCH: IS THERE TOO MUCH SMILING DURING KAHIKO, WHERE HAVE THE SYMBOLS GONE?

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE HONOLULU ADVERTISER

Is there too much smiling during Kahiko performances amung the women?
A resounding YES!! It seems the men were encouraged to keep up[ a serious air, while the women have been increasingly giddy while performing the sacred Kahiko. Everybody gives the same excuse. Oh your just so excited its such a rush when the audience is screaming and yelling, sometimes with the meanings its hard not to smile, ect., ect.,

Now before you people start calling me a no nothing armchair quarterback, let me just inform you that although I have never been able to go physically to a merrie monarch hula competition, I have been a hula dancer and chanter for over 35 years. I first danced hula on a stage at age 12. I am a traditional hula chanter, and a kumu in my own right although I do not have a known halau. My halau follows the old ways. Those whom I teach I each in private for free without charge and without public performances. I teach a religion not a public spectacle for the enjoyment of the tourists.

I hve been critiquing the MMHF since it was first aired on TV and those of us on Kauai were able to watch it. Over the years I have seen it essentially going down the tubes. It has become a commercial tourist extravaganza with younger and younger papered or "palapala" kumus coming to the forefront. Those of Native Hawaiian ancestry are becoming fewer and fewer amung the ranks of the halaus.  You see a huge influx of caucasion, asian and filipino dancers now being the majority in all halaus.

Now you are going to say hey your a racist hula is for everyone, bla bla bla. Yeah, but like everything the Hawaiians, and Polynesians begin, everyone else has to do them one better. Just like outrigger canoing, and surfing. Everybody does it now. Hula is now the same.

With its glut of fake kumus who took a few lessons from some papered kumu now flooding the world with their cheesy versians of what Hawaiian Culture is. OK now there are going to be those of you squaking: Hey your just jealous becasue your not papersed! You never unikie'd! You are half white! AND YOU ARE NOT EVEN HAWAIIAN SO SHUT UP!!  blah blah bhlah!!. Ok lemme answer that. Yes, I DID uniki,. long before someone came and cut down  all the vegetation so that Kee heiau could be seen. It had been hidden for decades on purpose. Im may be part Native American but like I said, I was orpaned at 12 years old and hanaid. The REAL hanai, not the  u come for christmas and thanksgiving kind.Then of course the idea to reopen it for everyone to come and uniki and all the halaus to come, ect. As long as you put down the la'i, and danced with your halau you were considered unikied.

Hey man thats not how ke'e WORKS.

To uniki is a PRIVATE, and INDIVIDUAL thing. Further, not even the GREAT Iulani Luahine OR Auntie Nona Beamer was able to uniki at Ke'e. Are all those little high school kids and their paper kumus telling me they were better then THEY were? That 20 poeple can be louder than the wind and surf I agree. But can each one of them pass the old test?

I used to go once a year, with a freind, or hanai relative. I would make the trip up to Ke'e quietly without fanfare. I would cleanse, do all of the rituals, and we would go before dawn. I would ascend to kee and chant by myself. I went in the winter not in the summer, so the elements would be loud. WInd, high surf. Some years it was nearly impossible to get up there, and some years i thought the wind would knock me down. But, when I was able to physically i would go and do it.

I only brought one witness. They didnt even have to know about hula. Sometimes i even brought a tourist or two. All they had rto do was one thing. Tell me if they could hear my words clearly from the beach at Kee by the old trees. If they said yes, I knew I had yet again passed, and i continued to dance and chant.

I have failed this test a few times.  In those years I NEVER DANCED OR CHANTED.But I will say that in the last 35 years I have failed maybe 5 times. Thats pretty good odds. However I have missed the last 2 years, because of my health. SO I am unsure wether i still have the right to dance or chant. BUT this is following the CORRECT way.

A pecve of paper can NEVER make u a kumu. EVER. That idea was started in the modern era. It does have its goodthings about it. A haumana who has studied 10 or 20 years, I beleive DOES have the right to call themselves a kumu. HOWEVER, I beleive that age is an important factor. Young kumus may have new ideas, but they lack the knowlege of experiencing the gods. You dont get to have that knowlege enough in your youth. IN my opinion a Kumu should NEVER be under the ago of 35 oe 40 years old.

If you really take that to its farthest conclusion I actually beleive you should be a kupuna before you begin to teach. Many would say thats ridiculous. You would not have time to teach a haipo. I dissagree. That may be for a commercial halau, but not for a traditional one. The eldest child, or the second eldest if the oldest shows no talent, or your hanai, should have been being trained by you in private all along, and ready to assume leadership. Kumus tratitionally have long life expectations. This is becasue REAL kumus do not ussually engage in alchohol, cigarettes or drugs, although many modern kumus do. Even Iolani Luahine was a famous drinker, although she was a sacred kahiko dancer, NEVER SMILED, and was purely POSESSED when she danced.. But during hula, or teaching this is strictly kapu. SO in the end, much less bad habits amung the kumus then acverage helps to prolong life as well as the rigors of hula.

Now I am not against paper halaus. I just dont beleive they should turn into Kumu mills, where if you spoend x amount of dollars, take x amount of clasases, and techhniclly pass everything, and you umiki in some public ceremony, which was never supposed to be public however, that you get your palapala and now you can teach. BUT what is your experience, on your own? what is YOUR style? who are your kino laus? what gods and godesses will you follow? You may have a church given hula name, but who are you really?

Ok what does this have to dfo with SMILING at the merrie monarch? P:ENTY!!! Modern paper halau Kumus allow students to smile. They are not following a religion. They are PERFORMING. Hula Kahiko is a RELIGION. It is poart of a RELIGIOUS practice SACRED to the gods. You dont smile. You become the gods, and the godesses much like voodoo in haiti, although different as well. There is nothing in this practice to show you are HERE in this mopdern world. You are SUPPOPSED to be gone. transfixed and POSESSED of the God or Godess you are SUPPOSED to be posessed by. Not smiling like you are in some hula show, sweetly and dem,urely, and all coherent and  whatever. THAT IS NOT KAHIKO!!

I can remember the arguments about smile or not to smile. The rules in MMHF were changed to allow smiling. Many of us were appalled. If a halau smiles and is NOT attentive top the God or Godess they are too me honoring I COMPLETELY mark them off my list asa a good halau, and the kumu to a paper kumu only.

Now here is ANOTHER pet peeve of mine. The halaus have become to PLAIN!!!! The material, devoid of symbolism, the skin, devoid of symbolism, all traces of the ancient meanings gone. Some halaus do better with the traditional pau then others, some at least make an attempt, and the men especially seem to be allowed more traditional roles then the womne. Which is a completel fallacy because women had their own heiaus, and their own sacred ceremonies which were completely kapu to men, including dances and mele and oli.

The fact is that the polynesian dance has ALWAYS been one of symbols. Tatoos, markings on the clothing, ect. In some years of the MMHF this has been popular, but as I said, the MMHF has become a populist tourist attraction. Tourists want to see pretty thin girls in flowers, and pretty church like dresses smiling sweetly and being flirty, while they want to see muscled warriors greased up and looking like warriors shouting and whooping. This is what Kahiko, the most sacred religious observance of the people has turned into.

Now dont get me wrong. We are looking at the Merrie Monarch period here. We are looking at the Kalakaua period with its western influence. But the kings idea was to bring back traditional observances. If you will notice at his coronation, dancers did NOT smile, they were NOT young, and there WAS symbolism. All too often, the merrie monarch has become a dance of high school kids, with the older members delegated to the back row, instead of up front where they belonged.

There is a famous woodcut from the 18 century showing a halau block of maybe 30 women, the hair all short and limed in front, tattoed and topless performing. TO those who dfo NOT know, these women were NOT YOUNG. Hair was cut after a certain age, and the fashion was to lime it around the edges. These women w90uld have all been older, not young girls. And they were tattoed even on thier faces.

ANOTHER pet peeve of mine is short western hair for the men. Traditional dancers had LONG HAIR, not short cropped Mormon missionarry hair. NOR did they wear womens style lei poo. I am sick of all the men looking so squeeky clean Mormon missionarry style. I would prefer to see some real warriors out tthere. Also I would like to see more lua movements in Kahuiko for the men, as that was what the male kahiko was composed of. Enough with the flowery stuff. I will also say I am impressed with the womens lua movements however they are not performing their own traditional religious movements. Of course they would probably shock the audience so I suppose they cant be allowed to move out of their missionarry looking poerformances. However the men seem allowed to do their movements to no shock of the audience. I teach my women traditional ma'i. The movements are not pretty and graceful. They are what they are, honoring the female godesses, of which there are aqt least 20 thousand. Thats another thing. Honour some other gods and godesses besides the main ones. There are thousands. FInd some of them. Much has been lost, but much can be regained.

Lets return Merrie Monarch to what it is supposed to be, shall we? Or not.  Well thats my rant. You can pick it apart, and pull it to shreds, and call it jealousy, sour grapes, or just chalk me up to a crazy half white lady who is old and embittered and a gfftaud and has no idea what I am talking about. But those of you who know I know exactly what im talking about will probably be in complete agreement. And it sure feels good to get that all out!!

Now its time to watch Auana night. Of which I have no complaints, since its a free for all. In my opinion save the smiling for Auana night, and get back in touch with the gods on Kahiko nite, thats all. And QUIT SMILING.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

THEY DONT REALLY CARE ABOUT US JOIN US IN THE FIGHT AGAINST THE WAR ON THE POOR



LIKE THE SLUMS OF BRAZIL< THEN POEPLE OF KALIHI WERE CONFINED TO THEIR PERIMETERS DUE TO OUTSIDE GANGS ATTEMPTING TO ENTER THE PROPERTY

THE GOVERNMENT HAS PLANS TO EVICT ALL HOUSING RESIDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN LIVING THERE ACCORDING TO THEM FOR TOO LONG

PEACABLE LAW ABIDING CITIZENS WILL BE TOLD TO VACATE THEIR UNITS AND LEAVE TO PUT IN OTHER HOMELESS ACROSS THE STATE

ASSTAND UP AND SPEAK OUT JOIN US FOR SOON TO BE ANNOUNCED GATHERINGS AND RALLIES

Cut to the bones » Honolulu Weekly








Cut to the bones » Honolulu Weekly

Joan Conrows excellent article

Cover Story

Cut to the bones

The state’s handling of burial sites comes under fire

Image: Caren Diamond



Comes with video
Standing atop seven ancient Hawaiian burials, on a lot with at least 24 more, the house that Joe Brescia is building at Naue, on Kauai’s North Shore, has been the focus of protests and prayers, emotional meetings, a stand-off with police, sacred rituals, a months-long vigil and lawsuits — some of them still ongoing.

The house, now nearing completion, has become a powerful symbol of the bitter battle between development and cultural preservation in Hawaii. It’s also exposed serious shortcomings in the State Historic Preservation Division (SHPD) and come to represent what some see as a deliberate attempt by Gov. Linda Lingle and her administration to undermine and circumvent the Island Burial Councils in order to facilitate development.
These issues came to the forefront on March 8, when SHPD Administrator Pua Aiu overruled a unanimous vote of the Kauai-Niihau Island Burial Council and approved a Burial Treatment Plan for the iwi on Brescia’s lot.
In making the Feb. 11 motion to reject the plan, Council Vice Chairman Keith Yap said that the concrete caps placed over seven of the burials “are not appropriate, and we’re still very much against any kind of building over the graves.”
The Council also expressed reservations about the concept of “vertical buffers,” which references the amount of space between Brescia’s house and the iwi beneath it, and requested details about how his septic system, leachfield and landscaping could impact other burials on the site. Additionally, the Council asked Brescia to disclose his plans for providing access to the iwi by lineal descendants.
When asked why she had approved the Burial Treatment Plan after the Council specifically asked for more information and changes, Aiu replied, “It didn’t need any more revisions.”
Native Hawaiians and members of the preservation community were outraged.
“What SHPD has done is undercut the authority of the Council to protect the burials when they’ve made a decision to preserve in place,” said Dana Naone Hall, former chairwoman of the Maui-Lanai Island Burial Council.
Aiu’s approval marks the first time SHPD has overridden a Burial Council and permitted construction on a previously identified burial site, said Alan Murakami of Native Hawaiian Legal Corp., which is litigating the Brescia case: “They just absolutely caved in response to development pressure. What is the point of having a Burial Council if they can only determine how high or how wide the buffers can be? That’s a huge constriction on the power the Burial Councils previously had.”
Aiu defended her decision, saying that since SHPD is “not allowed to do a taking” of private property, the agency had “very little wiggle room” in attempting to site the house Brescia wanted on a relatively small lot widely dispersed with numerous iwi.
Murakami disputed that contention, saying the state statute does include provisions for acquiring such properties. “It’s an option that nobody wants to explore,” he said.
Aiu said Brescia’s oceanfront parcel was too pricey. “If the state was to spend $2.2 million on that lot, what do we give up? … Other people talked about purchasing the land and weren’t able to find the money.”
Aiu says financial constraints during a period of economic downturn will likely continue to affect the way sites like Brescia’s are handled.
“I unfortunately think this might be a harbinger of things to come because of more pressure on the land, especially to build along the shoreline,” said Aiu. “We will find more burials. There’s a strong sense in the Hawaiian community not to move iwi, but if we can’t prevent construction, that doesn’t leave us with a lot of options.”

“Serious deficiencies”

Iwi advocates agree that pressure is mounting. “We’ve got developers who want the view, the ocean, but they have no respect for the culture and now they even want to disregard the burials,” said Charlie Maxwell, chairman of the Maui-Lanai Burial Council.
But what is the purpose of preservation laws, advocates ask, if the state is unwilling or unable to stop construction on lands with high concentrations of iwi, and the governor’s appointee can overrule the Burial Councils in favor of developers?
“It’s very frustrating to be involved with the burials this long and to have fought for the law and these problems are still continuing,” said Maxwell, who lobbied for state burial protection legislation after some 1,000 iwi were unearthed in 1989 to make way for the Ritz-Carlton resort at Honokahua, Maui.
“After Honokahua, people certainly believed the law that was put in place would actually prevent the kind of thing that is happening now on Kauai, which is essentially building a house on top of a burial ground,” said William Aila, a member of Hui Malama I Na Kupuna ‘O Hawaii Nei, which formed after the Honokahua incident.
Native Hawaiians and members of the historic preservation community say the current troubles are rooted not so much in the law, but in how it’s implemented by SHPD.
That assessment was affirmed by a devastating new report from the National Park Service, which assigned SHPD a “high risk” status that could jeopardize the federal aid that provides half of its funding.
“This action is not taken lightly, and comes only after multiple attempts to help the SHPD correct serious deficiencies identified in audits going back as far as 2002,” wrote National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis in a March 19 letter to Laura Thielen, director of the state Division of Land and Natural Resources, which oversees SHPD.
While the report addressed SHPD’s performance under the federal historic preservation law, it also highlighted systemic failings and a number of “major problems” identified during a July 2009 visit to SHPD offices, including inadequate, untimely and inaccurate reviews of development plans that often confused State and federal historic preservation regulations and indicated “a lack of quality control and management oversight.”
The report found that SHPD’s inventory of surveyed archaeological sites is incomplete, outdated and disorganized, which “could lead to decisions being based on partial information, with detrimental effects to Hawaii’s cultural resources.”
The report further noted that a project to digitize files in order to improve their organization and accessibility “has not been supported by SHPD management and numerous efforts to train current HI SHPD staff have been postponed.”
SHPD also was ordered to develop better procedural standards for conducting surveys of archaeological and historic sites. SHPD critics said this could help stymie agency actions apparently aimed at minimizing the likelihood of finding burials prior to construction, such as directing archaeologists not to dig too deeply and either failing to require archaeological surveys or restricting their scope.

A failure of the state

As a result of taking such a narrow approach, the full extent of burials on a site is often unknown, such as on Brescia’s lot, or discovered after construction begins, as was the case with the General Growth/Whole Foods and Kawaiahao Church projects on Oahu. Under state law, when burials are found “inadvertently,” Burial Council review is not required. Instead, SHPD determines what to do with the iwi, and the Councils have no power to challenge the decisions.
“Appropriate survey and inventory affects mitigation,” Hall said. “Everything is dependent on the backbone of inventory and survey.”
The report frequently referenced problems stemming from insufficient and unqualified staff. While it did not identify Aiu–a former analyst with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and public relations consultant–by name, critics say that both she and her successor, Melanie Chinen, a former policy adviser to Lingle, lack the professional qualifications to lead SHPD.
The report also underscored deficiencies in the areas of public outreach and consultations, agency shortcomings that figured prominently in the Brescia controversy. Following the Burial Council’s April 2008 decision to preserve in place all the iwi on Brescia’s lot, Nancy McMahon, then the state archaeologist on Kauai, approved a treatment plan that sanctioned the use of concrete jackets on seven burials and house construction atop them. The Native Hawaiian Legal Corp. sued, and in a September 2008, Kauai Circuit Court Judge Kathleen Watanabe found that McMahon had failed to properly consult with the Council and other interested parties prior to approving “preservation measures” for the project.
“The heart of this case is the failure of the state to follow procedures put in place to protect cultural practitioners, the general public and the rights of landowners,” Watanabe said in ordering McMahon to conduct the required consultations and return to the Council with a revised Burial Treatment Plan. On Oct. 2 and Nov. 6, 2008, McMahon returned to the Council with essentially the same plan she’d approved earlier. The Council rejected it.
Meanwhile, Brescia’s archaeological team, Scientific Consultant Services, had already placed concrete caps on the seven burials, without SHPD’s permission, and the house was being built over them. Watanabe refused to stop the project, but warned Brescia that he was proceeding at his own risk because the Council could approve any number of actions that might affect construction, including removing the concrete burial coverings.
Months went by, McMahon made minor revisions, and on June 4, 2009, draft 11 of the Burial Treatment Plan went to the Council, which deadlocked on a vote to reject it. Shortly thereafter, the Burial Council lost its quorum, and many more months elapsed before Gov. Lingle appointed two new members. All the while, work on the house continued.
At each of the Burial Council meetings, numerous members of the public denounced the BTP and complained that McMahon still had not engaged in the proper consultations. The public similarly opposed the 16th draft that the Council most recently rejected.
In her letter approving that plan, Aiu noted that McMahon had conducted the judge’s required consultations by meeting with three individuals, listening to testimony at Burial Council hearings and reviewing written public comments on the plan.
Hall disagreed that McMahon had gone far enough.
“When you have every individual and organization writing in against it, how can you turn around and approve it? We all know it was political.”

A change in philosophy?

In response to Aiu’s approval of the Burial Treatment Plan, Murakami said he plans to amend one of the claims–that SHPD failed to properly carry out the laws–that has been before Judge Watanabe since the start of litigation two years ago. “The approval could be reversed, but without any practical effect on the building of the house,” he said. “We need to have a ruling. Otherwise I’m sure a developer will make sure it happens again. They will point to Brescia and say, ‘Why can’t you do that for me?’ That’s the danger that I think all the Burial Councils now fear.”
Maxwell concurred. “Whatever happens on Kauai affects us throughout the Islands,” he said, which is why the Maui-Lanai Burial Council voted unanimously last week to write a letter of protest to the governor stating it had “no confidence” in the ability of SHPD, Aiu and McMahon, who is now Aiu’s deputy, “to preserve and protect the cultural heritage of Hawaii, especially the iwi.” Other Councils around the state are expected to take similar stances.
Presley Wann, who served two, four-year terms on the Kauai Burial Council, said he emerged from his tenure convinced that state laws need to be radically altered. The Burial Councils, he said, should be consulted at the beginning of the development review process, rather than the end, “when everybody’s all frustrated. That’s why we took a lot of the heat. We need to be involved way ahead of time. As Hawaiians, we know where our burials are.”
Laws governing real estate transactions in the Islands also need to be revamped to include the caveat that “nobody’s guaranteeing you the right to build,” Wann said. Some places, like Brescia’s lot, simply aren’t suited to development.
Aiu said SHPD “would like to be more proactive and do [archaeological] inventories up front in the planning process. But that will take money, time and changes in philosophy.”
Preservation advocates are hopeful that federal pressure on SHPD, and Lingle’s departure from the governor’s office, will usher in positive changes. In the meantime, Hall and Maxwell said it’s important to remember that progress has been made in the 20 years since the state adopted legislation governing the treatment of Hawaiian burials.
“We were happy with the law because before that, in the ’50s, developers would just plow them under, crushing them and take it to the dump,” Maxwell said. “It’s very painful. I’ve cried many times at burial sites, especially when the bones are all crushed. If only people would take care.”


Protesters demand end to furloughs | honoluluadvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

Protesters demand end to furloughs | honoluluadvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

IMPEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Blog post I left on a freinds blog (using a moniker)

As a single mom, I really want to say something about single parenthood.

Despite all of the hurdles and obstacles our little ohana has been through, I gotta say that my kids have turned out great.

They turned out that way, because I made a decision not to allow men, drugs, alchohol and bad people into our lives, and have kept my word on that. My kids mean way more to me then any personal relationship with anyone else.

They turned out that way because I stopped trying to stuff their heads full of empty religious dogma, but allow them to act upon their own good natures and common sense of humanity.

I don't allow others around our little ohana who make trouble and cause dissension. Do that, and you do not have an invitation to our lives. Period.

This allows my kids to decide for themselves when kids they hang out with may not be good for them, and they have both done an excellent job from weeding out those whose friendships that do not enhance them as human beings. (Although sometimes I do voice my opinion on the matter! :D)

In our house there is freedom of speech, although sometimes I do feel the need to editorialize from time to time.

This teaches them to stand up for themselves and others in a world where arguing and debate has become a national spectator sport.

But they have gotten really really good! Sometimes it sounds like Glenn Beck and Keith Obierman around our house.

But in the end we always hug and make up. And we love each other very much.

Also, both of my children have grown up with the idea to make themselves and their lives better. They have learned not to make my mistakes, while hopefully taking my best qualities and integrating them into their best qualities.

They are strong minded and independent thinkers, who both have their own individual lives, pursuits, ideas, friends, beliefs and accomplishments. They are each unique individuals, and I am very proud of both of them.

I care where my kids are, who they are with and what they are doing. That to me is being a good parent. Too many parents have no idea where the kids are or who they are with or what they are doing.

I make sure that I have a good support system of family and friends, and know where to go in the community should I or the kids need help.

The election of a President that had a single mother for a parent and was raised by grandparents, swayed me more than the color of anyones skin. I felt that finally the case against single kids being the scourge of the world because they were raised by single parents was over.

Its time to take a new look at single parenthood, outline the successes of many kids who turn out not only just fine, but exceptional. I think that my two kids are a perfect case in point.


And they are not exceptions either. Kids of single parents do great things every day in our communities. We don't give them, or the parents the respect they deserve. And that includes all single parents, dads too.

Let us hope, that the first President raised by a single mom, and grandparents who struggled to give him a good education, and whose mother pierced his consciousness with a desire to do good for people all over the world, and here in our country is treated with the respect he deserves.

With that respect, comes respect for my two kids as well. Without that respect, and that dignity afforded to kids of single parents, people that tend to think discriminatory fashion and in a prejudiced way against them will continue to undermine the successes and glorify the failures.

My Article Submission to the Garden Island RE WAR ON THE POOR

BEFORE YOU READ THIS< I MADE A MISTAKE IN ONE OF THE CABANILLA QUEOTES> SHE STATED THAT THE POOR SHOULD EMULATE THE RICH NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND MAHALO

THIS IS THE UNEDITED RAW VERSWION I HOPE IT WILL BE PRINTED>

Guest Article
Garden Island Newspaper
Anne Punohu
8083320341
Kalaheo Kauai
Kauai Fair Housing Law Coalition
Kauai DHS Clients Coalition
TO:
Editor, Nathan Eagle
Submitted by Email on April 7, 2010
The War Against The Poor: Evictions, Access and Persecution
When I first tell someone about what I know is occurring within DHS, and especially within the
Housing Department here in Hawaii, most people are incredulous and rightly so. I get totally shocked
reactions form people, who frankly don't or won't believe me and think I have finally gone off the deep
end. They cannot believe that such actions would be taken against those least able to defend
themselves or even speak up for them selves for fear of retribution and swift actions taken against
them. The oppressed and persecuted individuals fear even the slightest utterance of discontent could
mean that they will find themselves on the beach, subjected to rousting by officials and herded into
facilities where they feel nervous and uncomfortable and constantly watched and monitored. Even their
right to fresh air is taken away, and especially freedom of movement. They are rousted from their
homes where they have lived peaceably, paying rent and following the rules and forced back out onto
the street, where they will be rousted yet again and forced back into institutions that again are not
conducive to feeling safe or comfortable and again their freedom of movement is curtailed. Their
services having been drastically cut, both in medical benefits and in food allowances. They are a hated
and despised group. They are virtually blamed for every ill, and all of the fiscal shortfalls are being
places squarely upon their backs. At the same time, they are required to work whatever jobs may come
their way whatever the job is. Refusal to agree to perform the job and they will be cut off from food
rations and assistance of any kind. Failure to comply will have swift retribution.
This sounds like a chapter straight out of a Holocaust victims diary doesn't it? Sad to say, my friends, it
is not. It is the future of so called Public housing in the so called State of Hawaii where people are
supposed to be a free people and treated equally and free from persecution by the Government.
However this is not the case. A well thought out war plan has been conceived, planned and is being
methodically carried out by Government leaders and officials, to create a final solution to the problem
of the poor in Hawaii. That final solution is to psychologically impose a belief on the people that they
are not wanted, are a burden, and are the cause of all of the ills of this State, and that they have a moral
obligation to either become wealthy somehow, find housing food and medicine somehow without the
aid of the state. If you still have the audacity to hope for care, then you had better understand that your
lives and the lives of your children rest in the fickle hands of department heads who are gleefully
making rules and regulations made to break your spirit, break your will, and break you.
Now by now you are all thinking I am a complete madwoman. What in the heck am I babbling about?
How dare I make comparisons with the victims of the Holocaust and the cushy and luxurious life that
Hawaii's working poor, poor, handicapped and elderly live here. What am I thinking?
Here are some facts for you to consider. In England, where there is a housing crunch Government
housing is provided. There is no limit to the amount of years you can live there. In the Philippines,
Government housing residents are allowed to coop services, and create their own cooperative business
to give themselves employment. In Africa, Habitat for Humanity has provided thousands and thousands
and thousands of housing units, and given people hope for a brighter future. None of these residents
will ever have to leave those homes.
To be perfectly honest, in Hawaii, Habitat is the real public housing provider, and not the state. They
have shown far more compassion to the people then the state has. The county housing agency has
created affordable housing that is not affordable, and a little over a year ago refused to acknowledge
that there was discrimination in housing here on Kauai, the highest in the state where landlords were
blatantly advertising against Section 8 voucher holders refusing to allow them to apply for housing.
When the Housing agency was asked to help support legislation to prevent this from happening they
refused, especially the Kauai County Housing agency.
The animosity in the County Housing Agency against my efforts continues to this day, where the
second in command was recently involved in a screaming match with me, and was highly rude and
disrespectful. But by that time there were no cameras around to record the incident. I was told how dare
I speak to this person, how dare I tell them what do to, how dare I use a tone with this person, etc.
Exactly as if I had no rights as a human being, and that I was not as good as this person. To say that I
was offended and upset by this is an understatement. To this day this individual has offered me no
public apology as yet. I suppose I don't deserve one, since I am only a public housing resident, and a
receiver of welfare. Despite the fact that I have worked for many years and been a productive member
of society. Not only that, I am also made to feel, that because I am disabled, I should sit down and shut
up. If I can speak at a meeting I should be able to get out there and sling boxes all night at a retail store.
The veiled threat is always there. I walk a dangerous tightrope every time I dare to speak out. That is an
absolute fact.
Here in Hawaii, however, the picture looks serious and very bleak for Hawaii's Public Housing
residents. According to recent statements made at the March 19th meeting of a legislative informational
committee, Representative Cabanilla, a Democrat and the head of the housing committee made these
statements. There are direct quotes and not exaggerations:
“Of course we are going to bring the rich into public housing. We know that if we do this, the rich will
emulate the poor. It has been proven.”
“We have plans to evict all of these intergenerational families that have been living in housing far too
long. Why, there are mothers there who are living there with children and even their grandchildren!
They need to get out, and make room for others we need to get into public housing.”
“Of course, public housing has been sold. Yes, that is true.”
“Because the handicapped, and the elderly will never be able to contribute enough to society to be
useful or afford their own places, we will provide a small apartment, and thats that. They will stay
there.”
To say that the room, full of DHS workers, who are about to lose their jobs were extremely shocked,
but nobody was more shocked then I was. I had been investigating and trying to decipher the new “5
year plan” for housing, which I was told was a “One year plan”, to find the things I knew were not
right. There was something inherently sinister about this years plan. The plan was full of cleverly
written statements, to the effect that
“Bringing in higher incomes is a priority. In order to do this, we will be offering special incentives,
such as cable, electric and phone hookup allowances for them, as well as special landscaping and
maintenance”.
I had to fight hard to get my testimony in regarding the proposal, when it was discovered that we were
supposed to have a resident board representing us but that Kauai actually had none. I read the RAB
reports, which showed that RAB members had serious concerns about the proposal. I came up with
solid and fail proof methods of solving the collection issue which they were using as a basis for
evictions. This was included in the final draft, but it was approved without any final input form anyone.
No suggestions were ever considered, they were merely recorded for forms sake. The final tally was 9
persons had testified statewide on the proposal. I was the only one at the Kauai meeting. Just me. By
myself. It became obvious to me that there was a concerted effort to keep information from the general
public regarding the content of the proposal even though the newspapers had tried to get the
information out.
With the double whammy of offices closing, and possible evictions of thousands of Public Housing
residents for doing nothing wrong, it became clear to me that this was not just a normal thing. This was
a war. A persecution of an entire class of people, whose utter destruction was the goal of government
officials and leaders. Later, a few days we heard about further cuts to welfare benefits, the displacement
of people who are holding down essentially minimum wage jobs and need the assistance just to feed
their families , and the cutting back of medical services to quest beneficiaries.
When the entire state looks to the poor to carry their fiscal burdens, rousts them like chickens, in
shameful acts of inhumane mistreatment, trying to herd people into facilities they do not want to go to,
and take away social workers, benefits and housing, what I ask you does that sound like to you?
Does it ring a familiar bell in historical context? Does the fact that the working poor, homeless, elderly
and disabled in this state are made up highly disproportionately of Native Hawaiians, Polynesian
Immigrants, and immigrants from other Asian countries mean something to any of you? Perhaps not.
Perhaps you are embittered against a group of people whom you stereotypically want to label as
alcoholics, drug addicts and loser white trash from the mainland.
:et me ask you a question. Do any of you have family who have been to a war zone? Or family who
have survived ethnic cleansing, or persecution? DO any of you know what it means when you
persecute an entire class of citizens, and denigrate them to the rubbish heap just because you can?
Don't think I get any help from my own people either. Want to know why there aren't crowds of us out
in the street? Because we are psychologically controlled, beaten down and terrified to speak out, as
most persecuted groups of people are. Everyone is afraid of coming out and speaking out. In fact, they
don't believe me either. I can't get anyone to listen to me. No one wants to believe that this horrible
event will take place. No one.
But perhaps,. After reading this article, your eyes may be opened. You may finally be willing and able
to find your voice and stand up and fight this. You may find some shred of pride left. I know, they have
beaten it out of you, but we must try. We cannot let this happen. We must let the world know of our
plight here in Hawaii, and what they want to perpetuate against us, the class of people that they think
have no power, no voice, and should just shut up sit down behave and be quiet. We are to obey all of
their orders, and their laws, and go where they herd us. If a rule comes down one day we can do one
thing, then the next day a rule comes down and reverses that we are to comply. We are not to be seen by
the general public.
If you find this as appalling as I do, and if you are sick of being treated like this and subjected to this
sort of a brutal regime, then I urge you to become freedom fighters. I don't mean in a physical sense. I
mean help me to organize protests, and help me to find mainland attorneys who will swoop in here, and
help us with class action lawsuits. Help me to get the word out to independent filmmakers, and the
outside world. Shame them. Prove what you now know. Expose this to the world. I will not go out of
this housing easily. Nor will I allow my fellow humans out on the street to be herded like cattle into
institutions where there is no hope for housing. We must stop this persecution. I call on each and every
one of you with a shred of humanity in you to help stop this abominable war against the poor.
Mahalo
Anne Punohu
Kauai Citizen
Kauai Fair Housing Law Coalition
Kauai DHS Clients Coalition.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Mizuno didn't say "That"-response to Lingle claiming Mizuno made innapropriate statements

 A WHILE AGO LINGLE ACCUSED MIZUNO OF SAYING SHE HIRES HER CRONIES FOR GOV CONTRACTS AND THATS WHY SHE WANTS TO PRIVATIZE> I WAS THERE HE SAID NOTHING TO ACCUSE LINGLE OF ANYTHING


WHILE WHINING THAT MIZUNO WAS SMEARING HER GOOD NAME< SHE HAPPILY TRIED TO SMEAR HIS IN ALL OF THE PRESS> WHAT A HYPOCRITE> TYPICAL>

GET THE FACTS STRAIGHT I WAS THERE> REP MIZUNO WAS EXPLAINING A POLITICAL STRATEGY NOT ACCUSING LINGLE OF ANYTHING> ME THINKS SHE DOTH PROTEST TOO MUCH>

SO HERES MY ANSWER TO THAT:





To Whom it may concern

Art no time during the March 19th 2010 meeting on Kauai did Representative Mizuno make reference to the fact that the Governor, Linda Lingle was giving contracts to her friends or campaign contributers. Representative Mizuno's statements were for some reason taken completely out of context.

I was sitting in the very front row, there ws a microphone, it was a relatively small room, and I heard nim clearly.

What the representative was doing, however was describing a political process and strategy used by some elected officials and lawmakers. HE was describing how contracts can be awarded sometimes to friends, colleagues associates and campaign contributers.

However he never connected the Givernors name, nor insinuated that this was what she personally was doing.

I am writing this in order to clear Representative Mizuno of any offense, or offensive speech. He came to Kauai to communicate with us, take our concerns and our testimony and we applaud him for this.

This meeting was not about the Governor, although it was about the policies of her administration and her department heads and how the people felt about how their lives were going to be affected by those policies.






They took the time to fly all the way to Kauai to actually listen to us. I hope you will do the same for me. I can attest that what I heard at that meeting was not what has been stated.

Mahalo

Sincerely

Anne Punohu
Kauai HI
808 332-0341
Kauai Fair Housing Law Coalition
Kauai DHS Clients Coalition