Punohu's Politics, Environment and Culture Blog

Taking an extended hiatus

2010-08-29T11:43:00.000-07:00

aloha.

I will not be blogging for awhile.

I am in mourning for my daughter. I thank everyone for their kokua.

I will go back to blogging eventually. My heart is just not in it for now.

aloha.

Fundraiser planned for Donovan’s funeral

2010-08-22T13:07:00.000-07:00

Fundraiser planned for Donovan’s funeral

This is my Daughter, SHanarae Kaulananapuaikaikamaolino DOnova, who passed away suddenly and tragically last week. We are desperately trying to raise the funds for her funeral, which has been schedualed for Aloha CHurch in Lihue, on this upcoming Friday from 12-5 . We are having fundraisers and asking the community for help. As you can see from this article, my daughter was an accomplished young woman, only 18 and was about to start a wonderful life.

We are humbly asking for any help you can give. Go to any bank of Hawaii to donate.

Mahalo, Anne, (mom), and her sister, Kanani (Seanne) Donovan RIchards.

Kukui‘ula Not Defferred-A Roundup Of Council Decorum

2010-08-12T10:21:00.000-07:00

Council loosens Kukui‘ula project lease conditions

This was the Garden Island Newspapers take on the meeting yesterday. I have a completely take on the last several council meetings, and the last planning commission meeting I attended, and it has nothing to do with the issues that were being discussed. It has to do with the completely embarrassing way that commissioners and legislators have been acting lately. Especially in the Council Chambers.

Yelling, raised voices, essentially calling each other liars, whining, pompous statements, pandering, essentially acting like children, cutting off the general public when they are trying to speak,m shamelessly using public attorneys to help them as individuals to stop another councilmember from speaking, interrupting each other, making faces, walking out of the room, addressing the audience, to cut down another colleague. Its absolutely reprehensible the lack of decorum on this particular council. Yesterday was probably one of the lower points in council decorum history.

The funny thing is none of them see it. But from a general public perspective it looks terrible. I was there yesterday, and literally walked out of the room, be cause I could not stand watching them. It was an utter embarrassment. Other members of the audience were frankly shocked, embarrassed, our outright laughing at their total lack of respect for each other.

When I came back from picking up my daughter at school, guess what, they were still going at it with each other.

I testified yesterday in favor of a 2 week deferral for the Kukuiula bill. But for very different reasons that Joanne did. I feel that Council does everyone a disservice when we do not get complex issues explained in more common man terms so that we can understand the issues better. The Kukuiula situation is highly complex. Of course there is a reason for that. Its actually very simple, if you craft it simply, and state what it is for plainly. But they don't they make It so full of numbers, and other features that it actually seems a lot more complex then it actually is.

This, I have discovered after going to many of these meetings on and off throughout the years when my personal schedule allowed it, is a common maneuvering tactic to actually debase the public knowledge and awareness on issues. It is coupled with the fact that the general public was denied its rights to access from a petrified council who just didn't want to modernize enough to put documents online. That is being deferred to December. But we couldn't postpone Kukuiula 2 weeks so the general public could become aware of what the reasons were for Kukuiula wanting to move now on downgrading the buyback from 90 years to 25.

When Uncle Kaipo brought up the apples and oranges argument, frankly I was a bit disappointed. He compared the New Development in:Kalapaki by the Marriot to Kukuiula. However these units were already build out. they had a 80 year buyback and got theirs reduced. The state has much lower standards. However, Kauai is unique and Kukuiula is unique. And each development must stand on its own and has different criteria. You cannot compare the one with the other.

The issue I had yesterday with Jay Furfaros comments, were that a lot of the general public got to many meetings to fight for those conditions. He made it sound like it was just them that fought for it. Jay also called for a comprehensive housing policy. Well yeah, dud. But will poeple like myself, the meat abd bones of the general public be allowed to participate in that? Not likely. He talked alot about the general plan update. With my coalition being extremely active the last three years, think I will be invited to site at that table? not likely. In fact, they just don't give credit to any of the hard work and testimony that the general public fights for on any issue. In the end they also make it sound like it was all their idea. Sad, isn't it?

Some say I am arrogant, self serving and pretty pompous myself. Nope. I am just like the rest of the general public., We want some credit for having some good ideas. But wait....yesterday some miracles did occur.

Miraculously they did give me some credit for stuff. But it was a small gallery yesterday and they didn't have much to choose from. They needed to praise someone, and an ally somewhere. hence I got some praise on camera. It made me wonder why, since all the other times I have testified, when there were cooler people in the room I never got any. Oh well, guess I shouldn't whine about that, huh? Just be grateful,. take my pat on the head and you know the rest of it. It was a viscous hostile room yesterday, and made everyone in the audience uncomfortable. The planning commission wasn't much better. three against three, and there was some hot contention. But they act way better then the council does. They definitely have a lot more decorum. But not much.

Yesterday, when the issue of Bynums bill came up, it was blaringly apparent they needed to tweak their rules. So, I asked Peter to ask Uncle Kaipo if I could speak. TO his credit he let me. I felt like I was addressing a bunch of rowdy schoolchildren, and I very politely told them that they looked pretty bad when they acted like that., That they have to make equitable rules for doing legislation. If one document needs scrutiny before getting on the agenda, they all do. Not the ones you just don't like. I suggested that all documents should be scrutinized like the state draft bills are. I realized that if this were done, the County Attornies would have already given their approval, and then if they kept getting up and dissented, that would be on their side for not doing their job. Hence we cut the whole "County Opinion" need to essentially zero, since they already would have given it on each bill. I then told them that they need to understand that Tim was just trying to keep the ag package together and moving at the same time. There were three bills for Ag that did not move forewords with the others. Then Uncle said, ok, well I am calling a recess so that they can be read individually if any councilmembers have a problem with what you think is the illegality you can just vote no to put it on the agenda. Darryl was dead set against it and voted no. the rest, voted yes so the three bills went on the agenda. It is anyones guess if they will move through before the next council.

Another point I brought up is if the county attorney doesn't give his opinion in a certain amount of time, a bill automatically moves to the agenda. which is fair, since Tim asked a year ago for it to be scrutinized. Another thing is that at the state level, both staff and the attorneys approve and ok bills, before the Representative or Senator takes it to the floor. It seemed to rub both Tim and Lani the wrong way. You could see the mistrust of both in their opinions. I think Tim was feeling pretty beat up by the council yesterday. And that brings me to my biggest issue with running for council.

If you don't have a spine of steel, don't run. That means, be like Derek. Now Derek, through this whole thing yesterday was calm, cool and collected. But you could hear it in his voice. He was speaking slowly, clearly and politely. That was to keep himself in check. I am sure he was steaming on the inside but he kept his decorum. And I entirely applaud him for that. Dickie as well, did not engage in the hatefest that was going on there yesterday. However, having a spine of steel does not mean straight up, arguing with each other, loudly and rudely to prove how "tuff" you are, and how you can "hold your own" on the council. All that does, is show how easily ruffled you are, and you can't control your emotions. That does not make you come off as a candidate that can "hold your own" and has a "spine of steell". That just makes you looki ridiculous.

As I told Jay yesterday. "You know I miss the days when we the audience members were the rabblerousers, and you people were all calm, and professional and just let us rant. Now, its us that are calm, and you are the ranters." He got a good chuckle out of that, and agreed with me that the council had acted in an undecorous manner. Then, in his closing statements, he thanked the council, for "working together and acting in a decorous manner", Welcome to Kauai politics. Its do as I say, not as I do.

Dismantling the Mufi Hype

2010-08-10T11:24:00.000-07:00

Breaking up the hype about Mufi. In this amazing video, Mufi claims his pride in his grandfather, who ceded two islands in Samoa to the US. So, how can Mufi Hanneman be in support of anything for Native Hawaiian Sovereignty? He can't. Because his values are to cede and deed lands to the US. That is his families heritage.

I will grant that Mufi has amazing accomplishments in his life, and I applaud him for that. However, after attending Harvard and being a Fulbright scholar, you would of thought that the man would have been more sensitive to the needs of the poor and homeless. Yet his policies have been cruel and heartless towards the homeless in his area.

You would have thought also, having attended Harvard and been a Fulbright Scholar that Mufi would have been more about the equal rights of others, such as gays. But Mufi has actively campaigned against gay rights.

Mufi is a Mormon. This religion cannot legislate fairly because of its many prejudices and personal philosophies. I know.; I am an ex-Mormon. I know what the Mormon church stands for. And it isn't equality and Justice for all. The Mormon Church is an ultra conservative right leaning institution that only in recent history has allowed people of color to be full members of their church. That is a fact that cannot be denied. The Mormon Church has heavy influences in Samoa and Tonga, and fully most of the islands there are Mormons.

Hypocrisies about in his statements. He says that the people of Oahu gave a mandate in favor of the rail. However we know that there is large opposition to it in Honolulu and is as contentious as our own bike path has been.

In Kalihi where there has been a crack down against housing residents and curfews against other ethnicity's other then Samoans, (such as Tongans, the hereditary enemies of the Samoans, and others such as Micronesians) one can see where one sided tribal loyalties may significantly affect his ability to rule on matters regarding other Polynesian people such as Tongans, Cook Islanders and Micronesians. He has a new CD out in many languages including Hawaiian (Olelo). However, it is the University of Hawaii dialect. Something that many elderly speakers, and no Niihauans can understand well or at all. Which shows no sensitivity to the outer Islands, especially Niihauans, who being very conservative Christians would probably like him./ If they could understand what the CD said. But his concern is not for the poeple of Niihau understanding him, obviously.

As far as Native Hawaiian rights go, Mufi has clearly stated that he is from a heritage that supported annexxation to the US. So how can Native Hawaiian rights get a fair deal under Mufi? Since he is proud of the fact that his family ceded and happily the lands under their stewardship to the US, rather then continuing the heritage of the chiefly class. In Tonga, and in Samoa, many chiefs did not sign away the lands. That is why we have American Samoa, and Samoa, and Tonga separated. They still have their chiefly class.

Mufi claims to be Democrat. Yet on many issues, He has sided more with Republicans then with Democrats, and has caused much division within the Democratic party because of it. His policies are not progressive, and he has proven that he legislated and makes decisions on issues based on his political and religiousbeliefs and does not accept the separation of church and state. This is blaringly evident in his very vocal and public opposition to Bill 444. He is a vocal opponent of gay rights, and supports his religious belief's over the freedoms of others. On the environment Mufi has only done lip service to this, and was in favor of the SUperferry not doing an EIS before coming to the outer islands. This flew in the face of logic, and eventually the law. Thus the failure of the Superferry of which he was a strong supporter. He had the audacity to make sttements here on Kauai that he would bring the Superferry back. It did not get a kind response from the audience. Which just goes to show how completely far removed he is from the feeling and sensitivities of the outer islands.

He has designed a railway system that has caused deep division among the people of Oahu. Will he want one here on Kauai" That is their biggest problem I have with Mufi. His Oahu ego centrism. Mufi, in this video says nothing about the outer islands. Not one single word. And I believe that is how he would Govern as well. From Oahu, for Oahu, by Oahu, all for Oahu. This is the single biggest issue facing outer island people today. The fact that we do not want to be ruled by Oahu any More, and are frankly sick of Oahu treating our islands like their back yards, and like second class citizens. I see nothing in Mufis record, or this video that changes my mind. Because he doesn't even talk about the other islands. Only Oahu.

Democratic leaders in name only who push a conservative Republican agenda. So, what really happens, is that Mufie and Dukie are both the same.
He stated, is that he is the first "native born" Mayor in 40 years. That may be true, but he wouldcertainlynot be the first Native Born Governor. So that is a glass ceiling that has already been broken. I want a native born Governor that isn't a coconut sell out. That's what I want.

What is really surprising, shocking and saddening to me, is that here we have two native sons, handsome Polynesian men with amazing educations and all of the opportunities in the world to really show how much about equality, equity, fairness and Love of land, love of people they can be. Yet, these two have chosen to both go to the conservative agendas. And the last candidate standing, although a bit shorter is a Caucasian gentlemen who has shown more understanding of what really matters to most local people then these two has. That truly makes me upset. It seems as if being a front for Conservative Christian White Jihad Domestic Terrorists in Hawaii has been the way of local politicians too long. To the point where it has become an embarrassment and a travesty.t

The election of Neil AMbercrombie would send a strong message to local politicians. The days of having to be conservative, and pander to white special interests so that they can put a local face on their prejudiced and racist agendas is no more. Those days are over. You can now really do, speak, say and be the way you really want to be. And Neil AMbercrombie not being and egocentristic person bent only on the interests of Oahu and being in favor of equal rights for all, and far more sensitive to native Hawaiian rights then Mufie or Duckie is, in my book a huge wake up call for both of them. This must transcend race, religion and familial alliances. This must be a logical decision that will not dishearten the people any more. The people can't take anymore. We need a champion that will fight for US.

And that for me is certainly not the conservative, gay bashing ego centristic all for Oahu Mayor of Honolulu.

Kuku'iula 90 year reduction -Paanau low income hostage

2010-08-05T13:12:00.000-07:00

Kukui‘ula project redux(garden Island Newspaper)

Other potential "hostage" projects
more here:More potential "hostage" projects

My Take is here:

Well, the council gave Kuku'iula project the green light to go from a 90 year by back to a 25 year by back. Although the reasons are masterfully convoluted and brilliantly confusing as they are meant to be, and the average human cannot even begin to comprehend the rollercoaster ride of rates and incomes, and means and the market, even the council I suspect, the original bargainer is not buying it.

Joanne Yukimura, slightly a bit tarnished in my eyes due to the whole TVR issue, has gotten herself back into my good graces. We have had many discussions about housing, and she is a member of my Kaua'i Fair Housing Law Coalition. It was Joann who helped to set conditions for Kukuiula in the first place. What she has always tried to make me understand, is that we really do need all types of housing on the island at all income brackets. I will say that Joann has helped me to understand the intricacies of how that all works and makes things better for everyone.

When you are on the very bottom of the economic scale like I am, it is hard sometimes to comprehend these concepts. But Joann at least was able to shed some light on this issue for me.

That is why when I testified on this issue as late, many times representing the Coalition I have been hesitant to say no to it. Why, do you ask?

For a very simple reason. Paanau Village expansion project lies in Kukuiulas hands. If I want the low income housing finished for Kauai's neediest residents, then I can't go around jumping down their throats for anything. If I want the people to get a better living wage and nicer looking housing, I can't rock the boat. Even when the boat is questionable and has leaks in it.

Now, is this right or ethical? Have I sold out? Nope. This is politics. Plain and simple. This isn't about housing. However, for me, some players involved in Kukuiula are Friends. Would they lie to me? Well, that's up for debate. Do I have to see a conspiracy theory in everything? Contrary to popular belief, no. DO I completely understand this whole buy back option exception? Nope. But I do understand that if they are going to complete Paanau expansion, they need, in their minds to get a break somewhere in the original conditions and this is the break they want, otherwise funding for Paanau may not happen.

So what do I do? I trust Kukuiula? Not exactly. I watch, wait, see what happens. They have told me that they are ready to start hiring people. Good. I will wait, watch and see what happens. DO any of us really know how this whole buy back thing will play out? Nope, not even Kukuiula, I suspect. Do I completely understand the need to provide housing for well paid managers? Yes, and I will tell you why.

It just goes to prove that we have a housing crisis here, where even middle management needs affordable housing. that says a lot to me. Do I agree with Joann's opinions on this? One hundred percent. DO I agree with Kukuiula? I have too. They hold the keys to the doors of Paanau. Does that put me between a rock and a hardplace? Absolutely. I have already stated my opinions that I want the housing to stay in the hands of the people that need it most. That I do not like the 90 year exemption down to 25 years. However do I have a choice, and put Paanau Low Income housing in jeopardy? No choice there.

But what I am hoping for is that every one will watch this situation carefully, and a new council can go ahead and redux this again, and try to get back some of the ground that was lost on this issue. But that would require a mandate of the people to get into the voting booth and vote in some new blood that could tackle the double speak and confusing jargon, get it into simple speak for the rest of us, and make sure that developers cannot hold housing for housing hostages again.

Princeville Ag Gated Home in 25 Acre Tree Farm

2010-08-04T10:27:00.000-07:00

So, according to the video, the emphasis was on the "Ocean View", and also, there was absolutely nothing said about the supposed agricultural nature of the "tree Farm", which was pretty much planted all around the house, and served more as a privacy blocker, since the forest was very close to one of the windows. Will be very interesting when the supposed tree s are harvested, in oh about 10 to 15 years.

Another thing that gave me red flags, was the price, a million and a half bucks and also, the comment from the realtor which reads:

@lehuastouch Aloha - yes it is a unique opportunity! Listed this week at $1,050,000 - it looks like they'll be receiving an offer soon. If it's of interest, time to write an offer and include time to visit and inspect! Not sure the exact kind of trees - believe they are hardwood. I took a video of the drive into the home, and can email it to you. "Princeville Ag" is a country estate subdivision with a homeowners assocation and building guidelines. Please call or email for more info. Mahalo!
Susie4Kauai 1 week ago

SO, did this give you red flags yet? This is exactly the type of thing we wish to stop here on Kaua'i If you agree with me, then please, help to vote in people that will stop this sort of blatant abuse of our ag lands. Planting a "tree farm" is a misnomer, when your trees are 10 to 15 feet away from a million dollar house. The harvesting operation for trees such as this, and also you can also see that the trees are planted more as a bush line or windbreak. As a former tree farmer on a 50 thousand acre plantation and irrigater, I can tell you that for these trees to be harvestable, in about 10-15 years, you would have to cull about 9 out of 10 sapling trees on this property, or the trees would not be able to grow properly, and they would be sucking up exceptional amounts of soil and water from the soil layer, thus denegrating the soil badly.

Further, if you take this to its more logical conclusion, I defy the millionaire that lives here to be happy when workers start cutting down the trees 10 to 15 feet from the window.

Rest assured, the clearing will begin soon with a new prospective owner. The reason? Subtle little hints throughout the video, hint at clearing out some of the trees to get a better look at that ocean, of which you can only get a peek, and the forest (Not the trees for farming, it is called a forest), is kinda in the way.

This land will get the right to clear the land of a majority of its trees, because in order to be harvestable, it will have to be. Clever, huh? I also love how this is booked to a prospective owner. Not as a farm, with a working operation but as a " country estate subdivision with a homeowners assocation and building guidelines".

Uh huh.

Kaua'iCounty manager proposal killed-question will not be on the ballot this election cycle

2010-08-04T09:20:00.000-07:00

County manager proposal killed

It is a no brainer that the proponent of this ideology and bill will bring it back up to this commission until it gets on the ballot. The question for me is, everytime some group doesn't like the Mayor, or can't get their way all the time, this issue will continue to resurface. Do I think that if there was a County Manager instead of a Mayor things would change? Not likely. The Mayoral staff is actually the defacto manager now. In the current case, that would be Gary Heu.

One of the problems that I have with this, is much like our Police Chief situation, the need to hire a good head hunter, ect, and look for someone outside of our community seems to be the underlying sentiment and impetus for this bill. I however, would rather see local talent to fill the slot. Many newcomers to our island, do not yet understand that this is not the mainland, and that Kauai is very unique among our island chain. Those who argue that this island is rife with corruption, and a "local " mentality, or a "plantation mentality".

Well, if you aren't local, or have never been here when the plantations were thriving you cannot understand the meaning of those words. When people move here the first thing they want to do is change things. They think they have all the answers and they can do things better. People talk about corruption and the ineptness of our county government. Well of course.

When I see these sentiments, I just cannot help but feel that it absolutely smacks of a kind of antagonistic attitude towards local people, being essentially inept to run their own affairs, and we must need someone with "an education and experience" to run our affairs. That pompous attitude is very thinly disguised racism. I believe that we have enough intelligent and talented individuals right here3, homegrown on the Garden Island. I do not see the need to go outside to manage our system.

If people do not like the way things are being done, then make your voice heard in the voting booth, or attend meetings, make phone calls, or email testimony and write letters. Start a blog. DO something about it. But I truly see this issue as a "newcomer, locals can't govern themselves" issue. Frank,ly I find the arguments put forth as rather offensive. Now to the mainland mentality, that is those that think we fuss about nothing, and then don't fuss enough about other things they fail to understand the uniqueness of Kaua'i. It is for that exact reason that I do not feel that at this time we need a County Manager form of Government.

Outing Myself- Pumpkin Crunch and the Kauai Beer Summit:The Backstory

2010-08-02T14:10:00.000-07:00

Yes, it is time to out myself. Wherever you see the words pumpkin crunch lately, there I am, or there I have been. Why? What is the reason for this?

Well, for one thing, pumpkin crunch as made by the one and only Suzy Tasaka of Hanalei is really the only Pumpkin Crunch I would jump of a cliff on fire for.

So what really is this whole "pumpkin crunch" thing all about? And what in the world does it have to do with the now famous Kaua'i Beer Summit?

Well lemme tell ya........

It really all started with the Kauai Beer Summit, and not pumpkin crunch. The insinuation was that Dickie Chang, a truly sweet soul, who is really very genuine and a total innocent babe in the woods as far as the council goes was visited by three of the county attorneys who brought beer to his house and they all sat down to talk about the TVR bill. Now, at first flush I was pretty mad about that, and fired off a lot of crazy postings on my patient friend Joan's blog, who puts up with my visiting craziness on her blog whioch I think is very sweet of her.

Now it seems that we all seem to coagulate, er I mean cohabitate er, um..I mean descend upon Joans blog for some reason. So all of the good action always happens over there. Anyways, after thinking about the beer summit the night before the meeting I got this crazy idea of saying at the mike "I would only change my vote for pumpkin crunch." So of course I said it. I am a little nuts, as everyone knows. There was a smattering of nervous laughter in the room after that.

But during the breaks, in the parking lot ect, the county attorneys and me kept joking back and forth. They would say.."Hey I will bring some pumkin crunch!", and I would answer "You better make it a big pan of it!". SO, it sort of became this joke about how I would sell my soul and change my mind for pumpkin crunch.

So, the whole "pumpkin crunch" thing, is really saying: I will only sell my soul for pumpkin crunch. Beer won't work with me. I need food to feed this big belly of mine to change my mind." Hilarious but true. However, I forgot to tell them that it has to be made by hand, by Suzy Tasaka for it to work. See I left that part out.

So what am I really saying? You can't buy me off with anything. Including pumpkin crunch. I don't change my mind that easily.

So, as the days have worn on after the whole TVR controversy, I keep using the whole pumpkin crunch analogy in my posts, signing off with things like, "gotta go, my pumkin crunch is ready", "gotta go, I gotta wash the pumpkin crunch pan", or to my many detractors and critics,l "hands you a slice of pumpkin crunch with a smile."

It has sort of gotten a bit viral on Joan's blog. So I thought I would explain the inside joke here on my blog. Maybe it might make its way over to Joan's blog. Who knows. So that's the inside joke. I can't be bought for beer, or even pumpkin crunch.....unless Suzy Tasaka brings it to my house with a 6 pack. That's a triple threat. Might work. But probably not.

As for the Kaua'i Beer Summit, Dickie did change his vote from a "no" vote to a "yes" vote. But he did have serious reservations about doing so. I think he might be with my idea now, and ask for pumpkin crunch next time instead of beer.

And a side note for all of you who are still wondering if it is worth being an activist on Kaua'i, I will share with you the video that keeps me pumped up for the fight!

Christina Aquilera's "Fighter."

Also, don't forget to sign the petition to take to the Mayors office, to ask him to VETO the TVR bill.

Gotta go. My pumpkin crunch looks so lonely all by itself in the fridge. I am gonna go keep it company.

Dear Mayor Carvalho, VETO the "TVR DUE PROCESS" Bill-a letter

2010-07-31T12:31:00.000-07:00

To:
The Honorable Mayor Bernard Carvalho
From:
The Citizens of Kaua'i
Dear Mr. Mayor

We humbly implore you to veto the current TVR "Due Process" bill before you.

We realize that TVR's that wish to be "grandfathered" into an exempted class may or may not have been legal. There are various legal opinions on this. However, we also stand by the State Attorney General Opinions in which it has been stated that overnight uses shall not be allowed, and this applies to TVR use, which is not considered an accessory to a farm use, because there is no farming occurring on the properties.

We have heard numerous testimonies from TVR owners that they cannot farm their land, which is why they need to have expensive, palatial mansions costing up to 10,000 dollars a week, and in some cases up to 9,000 dollars a night, for rent on the property to "afford" to "support" their families.

We beg to differ, Sir. Local farmers who bought agricultural land, and who have been farming their lands did not put up palatial mansions on them, and are also struggling to support their families. They did not engage in this questionable activity and farmed their lands. It is highly unfair to favor one class of people over another on land zoned exactly the same. Therefore if you give an exemption to the TVR owner over the law abiding farmer what will that do to the character and dare we say it the very fiber and soul of this island?

Further, Mr. Mayor many politicians and public officials have stated over and over again about the importance of "sustainability", and the "promotion" of sustainable practices on our island. How can the practice of TVR accommodations on agricultural lands be seen as sustainable? There is numerous testimony on record from TVR owners, that they landscape and garden their property in one breath, but then the next statements are clearly to the effect that they cannot farm their land because it is unsustainable for food production. We find this to be highly suspect given the fact that Kauai has sustained food production for centuries virtually over its entire surface and the soil is easily amended. If you can grow landscape plants and grass you can also grow crops.

Further these TVR owners claim to be a major source of employing people. However, we submit to you Sir, that these jobs are menial, and unsustainable. No one working for these TVR owners will be able to afford land themselves due to the fact that the owners are driving up land prices on Kauai to astronomical proportions, even in the current down economy.

Further, Mr. Mayor the creation of Visitor Destinations, or VDA were created for just such types of commercial activity that caters to the tourism industry. These types of operations take directly away from Hotels, smaller lodging facilities and other commercial operations that are operating legally out of the VDA.

It is inconsistant, and frankly just bad policy to allow some to obey the law, and others to be exempt from it.
By allowing certain businesses to operate certain types of operations in certain areas where other operations catering to the exact same type of clientelle (IE Transient Visitors) to not have an equitable opportunity to secure those clients is unfair. It hurts all of those businesses and their employees, and shows favoritism.

Also, another point is the issue of the matter of lawsuits against the county should these operators not be allowed their "due process", however we submit to you that not only will operators sue if they are not accepted and allowed to continue to operate, but that there will be numerous counter suits filed.

The best course of action we believe, would be to veto this bill, and go to the state legislature for clarity and a bill that would be far more equitable to all concerned. This current bill has had to be amended often, and has caused a large rift in our community. We beg you to reconsider picking up the pen that allows this, and refuse to sign this bill into law, then allow for a much better process and bill to proceed in the future.

Sincerely,
The citizens of Kaua'i.

GET THE PETITION HERE

SIGN THE PETITION TO VETO THE KAUAI TVR "DUE PROCESS BILL"http://vetotvrbill.WebStarts.com

2010-07-30T19:31:00.000-07:00

http://vetotvrbill.WebStarts.com

Aloha.

Here is the website I have made today.

The petition and letter to the Mayor is all there.

Please download, share, and spread the word on this.

Everyone sign the petitions, email me and I will arrange a pickup.

Signwaving to be announced.

Lets stop feeling frustrated and do something.

ANNE PUNOHU'S FIRST OFFICIAL ENDORSEMENTS FOR COUNTY COUNCIL

2010-07-30T12:41:00.000-07:00

There are only three for now. I will be making the last four endorsements next week.

They are:

Derek Kawakami
Kipukai Kuali'i
Nadine Nakamura

Here are the websites of these fine candidates. Please cast your vote in the direction of these Kaua'i residents, who for me, have demonstrated the worthiness to sit on the council.

Why am I endorsing these three candidates? I do not give out my endorsements easily. I have specific criteria. One of them is that they have to have an even personality, a calm demeaner, without appearing cold, and they have to have roots to this island in some way. Another criteria I have is flipping and flopping. I do not like wishy washy candidates, who copy opthers rhetoric, or talk about the great "I am", or have a pompous attitude, or who do not listen to other peoples ideas even though they may make sense, but conflict with their own. I do not like candidates who cause dissension and disharmony and who try to take the credit for everything, and act like spoiled Divas on the council.

For me, Derek, as a freshman Council member has behaved admirably well,. He has not displayed any of the red flag behaviors I have seen others display when on the council that would point to a bad policy maker. He has done excellently well, and he is fair and balanced. He can disagree with you without making you feel like you are beneath him or not as good as he is. Others, sad to say display extrfmely pompous behavior, and think only they have the good ideas, and yours are really worth nothing. That is why DEREK KAWAKAMI is getting my vote.

Kipukai for me, is a no brainer to be on the council. Besides carrying one of the most noble names on our island, and being a direct lineal descendents of one of the highest Pio Lines Ali'i Mo'i of our island, (King) by the name of Kuali'i, who in history actually has the credit of being the first to actually unite the islands BEFORE Kamehameha did it, Kipukai has all of the birthright of his famous ancestor, and truly is an ali'i in the old style of the word.

He is highly intelligent, exceptionally even tempered, and listens to others opinions. He actually attends important meetings and has spoken out on the issues and does not have a pompous bone in his body. He treats everyone with respect, and does not mock poeple or raise his voice to people or try to shut them down when they may express an opposing viewpoint. I see Kipukai as someone who truly can work with everyone, and still create legislation that will actually be for the good of Kauais people.

Nadine is a fresh female face for the council which we sorely need with the evacuation of Lani Kawahara on the council. Although the council chambers has had a hard time keeping its female council members inside it, I believe that Nadine is finally the fresh face that can take the heat in the council chambers and keep at it for as long as the voters are willing to keep her there. She has an exemplary history and is even tempered an not pompous or a Diva in any way. She has a vast store of knowledge and is an empathetic person. She is not wishy washy, or a flip flop. She is confident without being stuck up. I support Nadine whole heartedly.

So please, give these fresh and deserving faces an opportunity to truly serve the people of Kauai.

Of TVR's, Farm Worker Housing, and other strange tales of Kaua'i

2010-07-29T14:09:00.000-07:00

HERE IS THE ULTIMATE AGRICULTURAL LAND TVR-GOES FOR up to TEN THOUSAND BUCKS A NIGHT. yep. Should these guys get a permit under the new TVR Bill? Evern if these people are the nicest people in the world, still this isn't right. Honestly. Come on, people. If you have this much money, then you have the money to do farming RIGHT. Big operation. Lots of empolyees, read: FARM WORKERS. NICE accomodations for your farm laborers. big contracts with major food companies. Hydroponics. If your landscape plants work well, then you can grow crops on your land. When they purchased this land, it was zoned ag. No excuses. Lease out the land. Something. Anything. Build yourself a nice home. OK, whatever. BUT NOT THIS!! THIS IS A PLANNED USE, ie they bought it with the intention of using it for THIS, and not ag. That's my problem with it. Plus, the name is absolute GIBBERISH. "Palama Huna Hale?" Huh? No such thing as huna. New age garbage. Palama? As in

Palama ¹

Definition: A membrane extending between the toes of a bird, and uniting them more or less closely together. , which is NOT a Hawaiian word. Or is a Hindi word of some sort? Or is it named after the district of Palama in Honolulu? get the picture yet? Gibberish.

And here it is: The luxury vacation rental on the north shore, that goes for 10,500 dollars a WEEK! Oh yeas, we NEED this on Kaua'i! Absolutely! This is the future of Kaua'i! This will make us all propepsrous. Hey don't be hatin cuz I can get a house for vacationin and you can't!! take a look at this abomination, here at:
http://www.holomakani.com/holomakani, Yeah, here, take our land, and make 10,500 bucks a week off it. Enjoy. Yeah. Sure. Aloha Spirit, brah!

Here is their availability calender. They seem prety booked up. Lets count the money shall we? From now, until November, so far this year looks like they will be making 80 grand. Of course that doesn't include the first part of the year. I would say probably when the bookings are all down and all of the dough has been counted pretty cose to a cool million, since the potential is 40-50 thousand a month.

You might be surprised at what you see on this "availability calender". Is this property on "ag land". Probably not. BUT is this a TVR outside of the VDA? Forget that. Is it just morally and ethically wrong? My ohana is from this area. They dont charge 10,500 dollars a week to live there. In fact many of my ohana regularly took in people with no place to stay and never charged them anything. Some of them grew up to be real estate agents in Hanalei. Think about that. The surrounding properties in this area actually are inhabited by some very poor and humble poeple, who would offer you the shirt of their backs, a hot meal and a spot on their counches. Just think about that for a second. And then you wonder just why some of us fight against these things. ALoha spirit my a$$

For my take on yesterdays meetings, PLEASE SCROLL DOWN HERE:

Well, it was a very long day, (and night) at the council chambers. If you ever want to know what going through a marathon ride of emotions, ranging from mental exhaustion, elation, fear, anger, indignation, happiness, hopefullness, forgiveness, and every other emotion there is just go to one of these meetings. You will be physically and mentally exhausted afterwards, trust me. I know I was. I wonder why I do this. I must be a glutton for punishment, a complete idiot, or completely insane, or all three. Frankly after waking up this morning with a Council Meeting Hangover, commonly known as a CMH, in council-speak, I think I am all three most definatly.

IT was really Kauai political theatre at its best. In its strange incubatorial world of nether reality we live encased in this bubble of a hub engrossed in influencing each other both on and off camera, a nd as usual, the audience area serves as the hub for the "shadow council", as we cut our deals amung ourselves, try to influence our opponents into common sense and out of their own opinions and self interests, and other strange alternative reality activities.

Our audience area is a strange sea of flotsom and jetsom, punctuated by a few leaky rowboats, and Cruise ships all maneuvering and banging heads in the same salty water of acidic verbal discourse thinly disguised by politeness while gritting your teeth from the inside.

Occasionally, councilmemebers attempot to swim into our turbulent waters and navigate through our lines of communication often, I am sure regretting their attempt to do so without water wings, or a good inflatable. We, for our part, are like Sirens, calling from the rocks to cajole our helpless victims into the water, to swim the dangerous currents that are the Citizen Gallery while the beleagered staff actually tries to keep everyone happy.

Another great sideshow is the Bull Pen of attornies which is always fun to watch if the rhetoric at the mike on either side of the bar gets a little boring. Whispering, postulating, getting up and down, getting their turns at the mike, which they relish almost as much as we do. We really can't complain, as we are all part of the same theatre group, and everyone has their parts down to a "t". We also do our share of getting up, and down, grabbing mysterious peices of paper scribble down as much as the attornies to, in a beautiful ballet of futility at times. But we have learned the ploys, the plays, the eye contacts, hand signals. When you have been in this Theatre of Fools long enough, you learn well.

It is always facinating as the camera gets turned off, and the breaks go through we exoplode, or implode into a cackling sea of hens where we really spark up the charm, or the ploys, or acts of sheer desperation. When the cameras go on again, at least 7 new alliances have been made, and 126 new deals have been struck. All within a blink of an eye. Its real Twighlight Zone stuff. Facinating to participate in.

So it was yesterday,the play played itself out, with calls for recusals, and the bringing up of infamous blog posts, and a litany of people claiming they can't farm and the only way to save themselves was by having TVR's. Then there were rthe assurances that the issue would be looked at sternly by the planning commission. Then there was the presentation that frankly pissed me the hell off. I do not beleive that anyone who has to so ostentatiousely show off there wealth does not have an emotional compensation problem.

The strangest thing to me was that we were all sort of in a dream trance there. Some internalized among each other. Those of us who were rowing the leaky little row boats in the seas of contention knew that we could not plead our case to change the outcome. It was a done deal. Frankly I was already into the "kill em with kindness " mode, and shook the hands of the ones who were seen as the biggest abusers and problems in the TVR's issue. Why? I wanted to see them as human beings. To look into their eyes. To dfind out what makes them tick. To see how to work on these poeple. TO get them to see the other side. Wel,l, I am sure its a pipe dream. But idiots and fools always hope for impossible thijngs. Maybe I don't have the spine of steel I like to think I have. Maybe I like to think that anyone can see reason somehow. THe onwe thing I did get to say is that how can you expect me, from my lowest rung to come here and support you on the highest rung when I myself have no support from you? WHere is my motivation! Is that selfigsh and heartless? Perhaps. But then remember this is a play, theatre, a dance.

ANd then the curtain falls. Reality sets in. There are repercussions to two bnills that passed yesterday. Tvr's on Ag lands. The opportunity for "fairness" and to "plead their case", and to have "due porocess". The problem is the people of Kauai do not feel like they have any of those things. The perception is that there is coprruption, back door deals, all sorts of things going on and that the poeple will always lose. That there is no hope. That it is over for Kauai.

Then, we got the farm worker housing bill. For me, that was a victory. Because it was caused by the housing crunch caused by the very same TVR situations. Those that claimed to be doing ag would now have to prove it. What better way, then to need farm worker housing. What better testament to the fact that all of these rich peoples mansions have caused homelessness, a lack of housing, and the very need to build housing for their help. Look at Kukuiula they have to have housing for their middle management earning a decent living wage because their is no housing. Look at the homeless issue. Neglecting to build housing for the minimum wage earners has caused an absolute nightmare.

What better situatioln for the massahs on the hill. Now they will need to build housing for their slaves as they work the feilds. People who will never be able to afford their own land or own their own house, or aI dare say every have their own TVR, because now there will be no more. Now, these people will have a monopoly on the TVR market. Is that fair? Due Process? Equitable? Becasue local farmers followed the law, weren't greedy, and didnd't build themselves a ten bedroom mansioin and charge 50 thousand dollars for a one week stay there, we should somehow be sympathetic, empathetic, and helpful to them. Why? Will they be gifting the little laborers any land? Permanent housing? Nope. Because the farm worker housing bill does not allow for that. All of the housing-is temporary. Therefore showing the confidence in the farmers. Which is pretty much zero. If the council had beleived these were really farmers? They would have made the housing poermanent. But it is temporary in anticipation of the inevitable flipping of properties, or the IAL, which I can assure you will be downgrading almost all of these lands out of ag, thus making all of this a huge moot point.

FOr me, as for nmmany others we now know that the IAL process will be the biggest loophole possible for these people. It will be willy nilly happily downgrading perfectly salvageable and usable farm lands, by making the ludicruous claim that only plus 4 and 3 land should be considered important. Lesser soils should be downgraded. Don't beleive me? Just wait, until after the next 20 meetings they have. The criteria and rules they are to go by will convuolute the process and confuse those on the board, as it is meant to do. That is the first step. NEver allow complete copmprehensioin of anything. If people do actually start to comprehend these bills, then it needs to be ammended, the rules changed, or something thrown in there to slow down the process. This is what I have learned from the theatre that is Council Chambers. Expect the same with the IAL bill. It will take our of ag those lands where a lot of those mansions are sitting, trust me. Forever. Even if those lands could have been ammended, and planted. Is this sustainable? Is this what is known aws food security? Is this what a beautiful and countrified Kauai looks like? Or am I a bitter old jealous fool, just a ranting old middle aged woman who has failed to be prosperous and should now be seen as the laughingstock pathetic idiot desperately grasping at anything to shoot poisonous venom at those who have done much better then I have? Why don't I bow down? Why don't I aquiesce with some grace and dignity? Why must I parade myself and make a fool of myself defending the rights of the impoverished and diesenfranchised? Why can't I just shut up and resist the urge to attend these meetings, and put in my worthless two cents, while other people fdar more important then me must wait there turn! Why, ideed. WHy indeed.

For the massahs on the hill, the problem has come home to roost and nest, and fester. Now lets see if we can separate the theatre and the reality and come to some pergatory of normalicy and some sense of fairness and justice. Is it or will it ever be possible on this little unique island of Kauai?

And while the homeless can't find a home, and the public housing residents live in fdear that even though they have followed all the rules and paid their rents they may be tossed out onto the street to house the homeless that are currently on the street becasue we have not cared about providing housing for those who need to work for the rich, and the rich and wealthy have won the due process to stay in their homes and continue their american dream, while we struggle to prevent a nightmare form happening, the world continues to turn and Kauai right along with it. Will we spin into each other, and see each other for what we are? Will we be able to look into each others eyes and make a theraputic break through?

I for one am willing to keep trying. I have not put down my armour yet. I wil continue to try. I still have hope.

Do You?

gotta go. Pumpkin crunch is ready.

Mel Rapozo : Blog Just say NO to the TVR bill-TODAY AT COUNTY COUNCIL

2010-07-28T12:32:00.000-07:00

Mel Rapozo for Kauai County Council : Blog

I stand with Mel Rapozo, encouraging everyone to please vote no on th TVR ag bill exemption process which has become tainted with the many antics both in the council chambers and out of it. THe latest antics, are what is being called the "beer summit", when county attorneys visited Dickie Chang with beer, and they discussed the TVR bill at his house.

This bill is flawed for many reasons. It allows TVRs that were operating to come foreward for a exemption and to be allowed to continue to operate. It is being proposed out of fear that 77 landowners will sue the county if they can't have thier cake and eat i9t too. Screw us, screw real ag, these guys want the mansions on the hills, and the "gardeners and landscapers", to make it look pretty for the million dollar guests they will be bringing to the property. Forget food production. Forget farming. These are NOT farmers.

ALSO: today is the vote for the "farm worker housing bill". I have told council over and over, there is a Federal law, that says if someone is on your property as a farm laborer you HAVE to provide housing for them. This bill is too restrictive, and prevents some farmers from providing housing. It also gives a HUGE loophole for "woofing", which is actually tourism, and a step down from the luxury accommodations of some TVRs, but its the same thing, different smwell.

In BOITH cases, the county is trying to recreate the wheel. The process for TVR's is already written into chapter 205. The process for farm ag workers is already written into the State, and Federal law. Further, in thye case of the farm worker bill, the structures haver to be temporary, therefor,, true farmers cannot ask for federal help to build the housing, as that has tpo be permanent.

Please come to council today. For more on the beer summit, visit Joan Conrows blog, Kauaieclectic.

Another Public Housing Whitewash Article, and I will be calling up Shaun on Monday!

2010-07-24T13:47:00.000-07:00

new ideas for public housing - Hawaii News - Staradvertiser.com

With the flurry of public debate, and my relentless fight to attempt to get someone to listen to the actual housing residents, it has been my biggest problem to find poeple willing to speak out. WHy? From the exact fear, you hear echoed in these and other articles. I for one do not fear speaking out. But many others do. Perhaps it is becasue on Kauai we have a very good management team here that is empathetic, takes calls about repair issues, fixes them promptly as best as they can, and the office staff is kind and considerate.

But in other parts of this state, that is obviousely NOT the case. When it comes to repairs, we, in our housing complex are currently awaiting a new sewer system to fix the one that has been backlogging and causing a horrible stench now for ovwer a year, backflowing into our yards. We have 2an entire building that is boarded up and uninhabitable, as well as another 2 bedroom unit. Since we only have 8 units here, it is very noticeable. We have heard that these units will be getting repaired soon. People have been here, looking at it, and we are hopeful that those units will soon have families in them, since the building has 2 four bedroom units and can accommodate 2 large families.

The plan to evict law abiding, rule following and good tenants is for one thing, more then likely unconstitutional, and as I continue my quest for an attorney to represent us should that happen for a class action lawsuit more then likely very expensive for the state. I plan on contacting Sean Donovan's office, hopefully my last name (maiden) might help since it is the same as his, and we can get some dialogue going on this.

Public housing is currently the ONLY permanent housing solution for Hawaii residents who sincerely cannot afford more then 30 percvent of their incomes. Besides some minimal county projects, this is it. So, if you evict people who have been there for years, because there IS NO OTHER OPTION, not because they are "lazy, and need a wake up call, and need to go back to the beach to wake themselves up", a more or less direct quote from the rogue Democrat Representative Cabanilla. you are asking for the state to potentially be paying out millions of dollars in legal fees and restitution to those possibly slated to be evicted.

This is trul;y the states negligence, the real estate industries greed, and the legislature and the governors short sightedness on the true housing issues in this state.

While they have waxed blossomed cheeked over their apperent "triumphs" of so called "affordable housing", and so called "gap housing" for the middle class, the truly suffering have really had no options. As I have said time and time again, these are single mothers with kids, who just can't make it out there in the housing market who need a roof over their kids heads, so they are following the rules, keeping their hyeads down and trying to be good tenants so they can stay year after year in order to raise their children.

As to any idiotic fools who think that anyone in housing gets a free ride, you have to pay rent to live in public housing, as well as pay utility costs as well. SO what in the heck are you talmking about? The general public seems blind to the fact that the residents of public housing are elderly, disabled, and the WORKING poor, many si9ngle parents. Where would you like them to go? On the streets? As a punishment for WHAT exactly? The crime of being elderly? The crime of being disabled? The crlime of being single, working poor parents of children? This is somehow a crime punishable by eviction? You want top put these people out on the sreet to put in the homeless that are on the street now? So they can liove there another 10 yhears or so, while you still WHINE about the homeless on the street? Does anyone else think this is ludicrous, preposterous, and also might I add unconstitutional and defendable in a court of law, where the outcome is state=0, evicted residents of public housing =one million per ?

Use your heads, and get a grip. Shaun, my freind, I got ya on speed dial. Talk to ya on Monday!!

Video: Watch the Shirley Sherrod Speech in Full | NAACP

2010-07-21T12:44:00.000-07:00

Video: Watch the Shirley Sherrod Speech in Full | NAACP

Here is the FULL VIDEO released by the NAACP today. UNEDITED!! Not clipped to show any bias like the one leaked to the press.

FURTHER...the White House did NOT call for her resignation

AND...as we speak, her resignation is being investigated, and RECONSIDERED.

We hope to see Shirley's name CLEARED....

and the Tea Party , Glenn Beck, and others look like the complete idiotic losers that they so obviously are. For evidence of Tea Party racism, I point you to the HUNDREDS of statements, and signage at their rallies, at the commentators on Fox News, and any one else associated with the tea party. The FARCE put on by Bachman...was a complete and total fabrication. It was completely staged, and in my opinion, using very badly paid ACTORS, to portray stereotypes of individuals.

First, a large black woman, (stereotype), holding a black baby (another stereotype), claiming to be a veteran (conservative icon), and claiming that the Tea Party isn't racist. Then, two supposed LEGAL immigrants, both with "spanish sounding" accents, and claiming that they both originally come from war torn communist countries, (stereotype galore).

The womans accent was so so credible, she seems to hyave done her chops well, accept when she lapsed into a sort of Manhatten/Brooklyn style dialect in the end, but the man was the worst. You could here his voice slipping through the whole thing. His speech was so heavily stereotypical what people think "ASouth American COlumbians" sound like it was hilarious. He sounded like a "vato gangster", in my opinion. He also had a voice that was free of inflection, when it slipped.

Then, the white senator gets up and says..."As you cqan see by the diversity of the Tea Party we aren't racist". Only one problem though...apperently, the Tea Party is NOT composed of Asians, Pacific Islanders, Or of European Immigrants, or Haitian Immigrans. THey sort of forgot those. Becasue, according to the racist Tea Party, the only good immigrants are those from communist South America, who will bow to their Agenda, or Military Personel who happen to be black.

This whole thing is such a ridiculous farce, and is so laughable, it belongs in the entertainment section, not the political section

URGENT NEWS FLASH: KUMU ILLEI BENIAMINA PASSED AWAY THIS MORNING HERE ON KAUAI AT APPROX> 10 AM.

2010-07-10T22:27:00.000-07:00

Aloha. ALthough I didnt get the call untill late this afternoon, I have just learned that one of the most revered, admired and respected people in the state, on this island, and in many places aropund the world has just passed away on Kauai, and apporximately 10 am this morning.

Kumu Illei was many things to me. I saw her peassing in a dream last week, and called someone close to her, and begged that person to take me to her. SHe had rallied hber spirits, and m,y freind said she was fine. SO I put it out of my mind and determined to visit her in Kekaha, later on. However, true to my dream, she died today. THis has been devastating news for me. Kumu Illei was so many things to me. A beloved "Aunti-Mom_Sis", as we say here, of close hanai that are too old to be our moms, not quite old enough to be our aunties, and are more like older sisters. SHe was a wise, wonderful, kolohe brilliant person and human being.

She was everything that anyone could have asked for in a Kumu. KNowlegeable, poatient, kind, loving but strict. HSe did so many amazing things in her life. But she tried to be tuff and independent right to the end. SHe instilled a beleive that truth was a heck of a lot better then fiction, thats for sure.

I cant typoe any more right now. Just too upsetting right now. I will right more, becasue I just got this news about an hour ago. P;ease spread the word to all who loved her. Mahalo

Kamehameha admits another non-native Hawaiian student - Hawaii News - Staradvertiser.com

2010-07-09T12:20:00.000-07:00

Kamehameha admits another non-native Hawaiian student - Hawaii News - Staradvertiser.com

SHAME AND HEWA!! THIS IS NOT THE PRINCESS WILL!! THIS IS PUNI ALA AND HEWA NUI!!

Akaka Bill amended to address State administration’s concerns

2010-07-09T11:15:00.000-07:00

Akaka Bill amended to address State administration’s concerns

I think that we should have congressional hearings statewide so that poeple can air their concerns and opinions on the Akaka Bill and its changes. Wether you support the bill or not isnt the point. THe point is, will the new changes deserve new debate? SHouldnt swe be able to comment on what we thinK?

The governor's full civil-unions veto statement - Hawaii News - Staradvertiser.com

2010-07-07T10:43:00.000-07:00

The governor's full civil-unions veto statement - Hawaii News - Staradvertiser.com

Kaua‘i lawmakers react

2010-07-07T10:32:00.000-07:00

Kaua‘i lawmakers react

HEWA I WILL WRITE MORE ON THIS LATER TODAY.

KAUAI INOA RULE AS THE MOI OF PAPA HEE NALU NSSA crowns

2010-07-07T10:23:00.000-07:00

Jaquias, Hurst each capture NSSA crowns

A retelling The Wailua Vigil-My Thoughts (From a Participant)

2010-07-06T09:55:00.000-07:00

Although this event happened last year, it is as sharp in my memory as yesterday. This summer for some reason I feel the call of hula kahiko, chanting and the mana of the culture strongly. I was remembering this great event yesterday, and so have decided to repost what I wrote very shortly after having experienced it. THis was my personal experience, as one of the participating chanters, cultural practitioners, kumu hula and hula haumana participating in a vigil at Wailua, on the hill just above Hikina A Ka La Heiau. We participated in a very old and acient revival of an all night vigil, and oli, kahiko, olapa, and pule ritial in which every hour on the hour we repeated an entire ritual exactly the same over and over.

This was a momentous event, where the Wailua river suddenly broke its banks in one of the most dramatic flash floods in Kauais history.
AS we were literally feet from the river, during the night another miracle had occured. An absolutely dry night with thunder and lightening the entire night, right above us and over the kai, in perfect timing to the o9li and the pahu and heke If I hadn't been through it myself I never would have beleived it. Deep into the night we all knew something very special had happened.

But the biggest miracle, was the kind of ua nui we may never see again. Rain so thick we coulnt see each other a hand away, and our mouths filling with water as we kept on chanting. IT was absolutely amazing to the onlookers as several cracks of lightening crackled literally feet from us, and then the river opened up. It made many newspaper headlines as well.

WHy were we doing this? To protect the iwi kupuna from being paved over and disturbed by the bike path. I was just there, last week, still protesting this possibility with the heroine Kaiulani Huff, Nani Rodgers, Liko Martin Jimbo Alalem and others. I am reprintg this so none of us forget what we were doing in those two days.

The Wailua Vigil-My Thoughts (From a Participant)

clip of Kawananakoa's controversial speech

2010-07-05T13:59:00.000-07:00

Death by stoning imminent for Iranian woman, attorney says - CNN.com

2010-07-05T13:03:00.000-07:00

Death by stoning imminent for Iranian woman, attorney says - CNN.com

STAND UP TO THIS ABSOLUTE OUTRAGE AND JOIN WITH PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO OPPOSE THE STONING OF THIS WOMAN SHAME AND HEWA

The Heirs Of Hawaii: The Ruling House is Kauai - Maoliworld

2010-07-04T15:11:00.000-07:00

The Heirs Of Hawaii: The Ruling House is Kauai - Maoliworld

This is a blogpost I wrote in answer to some stuff on Maoliworld, that I just joined yesterday.
Feel free to coment. Just dont swear or get stupid. ALoha.

With all of the bickering over who is who and what is what, tearing apart geneologies and screaming about who was hanai here and who was hanai there, one fact remains glaringly clear.

That the lines of succession clearly stand with the Mokupuni o Kauaimanokalanipo. I think everyone can pretty much agree on this fact.

My hope of coming to Maoliworld, was to intelligently discuss how we can all come TOGETHER, and pull together all of the threads that keep unraveling among alot of the different groups and claims.

Yet what happens 24 hours after i sign up for Maoliworld? Without even knowing me someone left a foul hewa haole insulting word on my post.

Its pretty aka'aka, considering I have a pic up of me at a "fake state" protest on Kaua'i. Its pretty obvious I am for Hawaii returning toi the people.

It is this sort of bickering and internal warfare that will absolutely kill any chance for cohesion and unity, and really tear apart the movement. In my opinion, there is a kernal of truth to EVERY SINGLE CLAIM of persons, groups and individual "Royal Persons", of which there are many around.

To me, this just proves the facts that the Hawaiian Alii are alive and well, and that no one is gone, erased, or removed from time. That everything is alive, well and kicking and ready to fight.

For me, I find it very disingenuous to put up information, and then silence those who wish to comment and debate. When individuals claiming to be Mois, wether Wahine or Kane, silence debate, and then say "Oh no, those other guys claims are false, hewa. It is only us that rules, and no one else everyone else is a liar", that is where I have some serious problems.

Am I guilty of doing this? Of course i am. I have pride in my own position. Which usually clashes with what others beleive. But it doesn't mean I am not for sovreignty as much as anyone else! I am. It is just that each is loyal to different lines. Is this any different then what has been around for hundreds of years? No. Is this the way of Polynesia? Yes. Will different lineages and geneologies grumble among themselves who is false claim and who is real? Yes. Ae. Ae. Ae. Ae.

HOWEVER: In the situation that we are currently in, it is my fervent hope, that all sides can sit down and discuss all of this is a rational manner. I beleive that the first thing everyone must agree, is that there is SO MUCH Alii Moi, and Alii Nui lines still left and around in Hawaii Nei, that everyone has a claim, in some part and portion. I beleive this wholeheartedly.

But when I look at everything together, and the geneologies, of which I have been working on now for well more then 10 years now, I realize that to me, it is Kauai that stands out among all others. The reason for this is historical, geneologically.

All Pio lines only came from Kauai. When u look at the Kookalani lists of Cheifs, which is the one I usually look to for its intense authenticity, and of course the Kalakaua and Liliuokalani Dynastic lines, Kaumualii and Kapule lines, and especially Kamakahelei lines, it just seems blatently clear that any way u slice it, the lines from Kauai predominate.

Therefore, with several claimants to the Throne, Princess Abigail, and Prince Quentin, and then of course Prince Kuhios line, to me, I would be happy with either, although my hanai side supports Princess Abigail, that is becasue Kauai seems split in its allegience. Further, the Kaauwai's are alive and well on Kauai, and the ohana is supported of both Abigail and Kuhio, since both bring Kauai to the forefront.

If truth be told, I would be as happy with a lineal descendent of Prince Kuhios rising to the throne as I would be with Princess Abigail, or Prince Quentin. The difference for me, is that I have actually met Princess Abigail, and her brother when he was still alive. I wonder sometimes if some of you have ever met her, or actually ever seen her., or spoken to her They are both very tall, very stately, very so obviously alii. There is something inherent in the manner of all true alii. Prince Kuhio was also a wonderful example of true alii and conducted himself accordingly. I support all of these claims, including the claims of Kuhios line. What i do not support is the insulting personally of any individual alii, wether you agree that they are the hiers or not, insulting words and claims are just not pono and very hewa to me. Although it is true, sometimes the alii themselves were perhaps at times scathing to each other in their rhetoric, to me, the aliis that took the higher roads, and did not engage back in that rhetoric, had the higher and more cheifly status in my assessment.

If we all think for the truth, we all know that to be an alii by koko is only part of the equation. We must also look at the actions of each alii and how they conduct themselves, and what their deportment is like. TO any of you feel that swearing four letter words is the action of a true alii? Why would a true alii stoop so low as to use such foul and profane words? If you want to insult someone in the old way, then use the proper poetic kaona to do so. Please do not stoop to the foulness of the English language. You cheapen yourself and the alii.

Dress nicely, as befits an alii nui. Conduct yourself with dignity and class. Do not engage yourself in screaming matches or pissing contests. Sit down intelligently with each other and calmly discuss everything in a rational manner. DO you think this is the haole way to do things? By sitting down and discussing things in this way you are somehow doing things the haole way? It is not.

In precontact there was a clear system that was in place. Do you honestly think everyone was running around with war clubs bashing each others heads in, and not discussing matters first>? Most warfare was diverted through partnerships with different lines, through councils of cheifs, rational discussions, alliances and decisions, and hoikes and contests that substituted for warfare., including oli, lua, konane, and hula kahiko and riddling contests. Amazingly enough it was not seen as the best option to conduct warfare, because the idea was to transfer loyal people ALIVE. Our King, Kaumualii, and his mother, Cheifess Kamakahelei beleived in peaceful trading to avoid warfare, and certain alliances through partnerships, thus much warfare on Kauai was diverted for many generations. Well, that and Cheifess Kamakahelei's chanting. That worked pretty good too.

W
hHat good was a dead person, for beefing up your own lands and people? Think people..And the aliis could always use a bunch of kauwas as well, if they did not want to swear loyalty or fealty to that Cheif or Cheifess. You see, loyalty was a very valuable asset, precontact. If u ask me its a pretty valuable asset right now. This is the actions of a high civilization. I have been attempting for over 20 years to put forth the idea, that this culture was one of the highest and most intelligent civilized culture on the face of this earth. All of this infighting is certainly not helping to advance that idea.

And on the subject of hanai. Oh I am so going to get very walaau about this. Most people today have no idea what true hanai was. I remember learning from Gramma Rachel Mahuiki about this. And anyone who disputes her knowlege, is a strauight up idiot, in my book. If you dont know who she was, then you know verty little about anything.

She 0once told me this moolelo, and I have never forgotten it. I was very upset one day, at my hanai status, because I didn't have koko. She took me aside, and had this to tell me, of which she has told to many people since that time, and I remember her telling it to the whole ohana in the backyard once as well.

The mo'olelo goes like this:

In the day, when there was warfare, and many had been killed, when cheifs and cheifesses went on their tours of the mokupuni, they would enter each district. It would become known that a child was wanted and perhaps would be blessed and hanai'd. TO be hana'id, gave exactly equal status to that person as koko. In fact it was a COMMON practice, if your OWN HIERS were not considered suitable, to name the HANAI your heir!! This is seen time and time again in the chants, geneologies, documents ect. This is a fact. This cannot be denied. Such was the importance and level of being hanai before, by the cheifly classes.

This is how it was done, according to Gramma Rachel.

The alii would come into the district, and all of the people would bring their hokupu. Many children were brought to the alii. The child, if chosen, and selected, was placed on the aliis lap, until it mimi'd. (shi shi, or urinated) on the aliis lap. Then, a great cry was heard, and this child was taken into the household, and hanai'd, and given high status. So all of this bickering over who is who and who is hanai, as you can see in the documents, and the palapala, many hanai were given status sometimes over the eigitimate koko hiers due to ATTITUDE and DEPORTMENT.

According to Gramma Rachel, alii looked for certain signs, and certain attitudes, intelligence and deportment in hanai children. They as aliis were wise, and chose well. Many times children would try to usurp their own parents rule. A hanai was considered to be more loyal to the Chief/cheifess because of the fact that they were elevated by them. Therefore they would defend the cheifs claims, sometimes far better then their own issue.

So, Gramma Rachel concluded by saying that is why, in Haena, the old way is to hema the diaper, and let the children mimi on you. Was this done with my own keiki? absolutely. And it was always a moment for great joy, lots of laughter, and it is always the tradition there. No one gets upset when the children mimi on you. That is yours, you can claim them, have a special bond, hanai. True Hanai has nothing to do with the English version of hanai.

Why do I speak so strongly of Hanai, and this old way> Because that is my situation., I was hanai in the old way, for what Gramma said is the same reason the cheifs gave. Because of loyalty, support and defense of the lines and the ohana. That is what I have done my whole life. As a hanai i am grateful and loyal and defend. I know what it means. It is a heavy and enduring responsibility and never to be taken lightly. I have inherited much and been given much, and have tried, I beleive to honor my hanai status as best as I can with my whole heart and soul. So enough about hanai. I do not want to see any more of this arguing about who the alii hanaid, and how they cannot have claims over legitimate koko. I have explained this to you now, directly from the mouth of Gramma Rachel Illalaole O Kamehameha Mahuiki (her true inoa). DO not dispute my hanai's words. Hewa.

Why do I support Kauais claim to the throne? Well, first of all, Pricess Abigail was supported by my hanai ohana. SO I support Princess Abigail. That is logical, if it happened to you, you would support as well. But there is another reason. My hanai Uncle, Palu Hanohano Pa, the last documented person to leave Kalalau was adamant about the situation between Kamehamehas lines, and Kauai Lines. His grandmother was alive when all this was going on and he got it directly from his own parents, regarding the loyalty of Kauai's people to Kauai's alii. He clearly told me, weeping, in tears one day, that he was not under any circumstances of Kamehamehas lines. That the people of Kauai, here in the valleys of Na Pali and of the North Shore, were all Kaumualiis people, and the children of Manokalanipo. He made me swear, grabbing my hands in a vise grip that I would always defend that. Do you think I would say of course Uncle, and then turn around and betray that? Never. How hewa would that be? Uncle Palu gave me so much of his knowlege, and he expected me to follow his wishes on this to the letter. SO I do, to this day on. SO how can I support anything other then the claims of Kauais lines? I cant!!

On Royalty or being a Monarchist versus a constututional government without a monarchial head, I have a lot to say about this. I am a monarchist, but I also beleive in the Kalakaua constitution, which Queen Liliuokalani perpetuated. I beleive in a monarchial, head, the system of ALiis, and cheifs as frameworked by them, and I also beleive in a House of Nobles, a House of Commons, and in free elections to the house of commons. I beleive in the council of Cheifs/alii as the only body that can proclaim an Alii Moi of ka moku pae aina o Hawaii nei. I beleive in a true country and kingdom that has citizens of all races and nationalities within it as Kingdom Nationals. I beleive in all rightful land claims being restored. I beleive in equality for the citizens of Hawaii nei. These are the things I beleive in.

Is this wrong? Is this hewa? No one will ever convince me that it is.

Please, feel free to comment. I am happy to debate, discuss and learn. But if u leave haole swear words on my comment section, I will remove your comment. If you want to swear and cuss at me, do it in the old poetic way. Or not at all. I will not suffer that kind of pilau stuff here. So please, say what you feel. Aole pilikia.
Aloha
Anne Punohu .

HEWA Waimanalo homeless await rumored sweep - Hawaii News - Staradvertiser.com

2010-07-02T23:51:00.000-07:00

SO Much for the "Homeless are all mainland good for nothings argument". How many times can I say this ad nauseum? How long can I keep saying shame, and hewa!! When will anyone listen?!?

So, all of you know how extensively I have been trying to educate people on the fact that the state has plans to EVICT LAW ABIDING HOUSING RESIDENTS, to put in the homeless there are now, to just replace these homeless with others who have done NOTHING TO DESERVE IT!!

The HAWAIIANS ALL DESERVE A PEICE OF LAND AND A HOUSE. Period. End of conversation. FOr everyone else, there needs to be LOW INCOME AND VERY LOW INCOME HOUSING BUILD IMMEDIATELY!!

The Red Cross should step in. Guess why they can't? The REd Cross can only come in if government officials ask them too.

This entire state should be declared a state of disaster. This needs to end. The people have had it. This is the most inhumane thing I have ever seen. It is beyond comprehension!! I can't even type anymore. I am just too disgusted.

Waimanalo homeless await rumored sweep - Hawaii News - Staradvertiser.com

Web site for public comment on UN Declaration | Indian Country Today | Content

2010-06-30T13:05:00.000-07:00

Web site for public comment on UN Declaration | Indian Country Today | Content
http://www.state.gov/s/tribalconsultation/declaration/index.htm THIS IS THE RIGHT LINK THE ONE IN THE ARTICLE IS WRONG!!

This is the official link, and the article appearing in Indian country today. I suggest everyone get their fingers cracked and start slapping the keys and get in your comments!

This is about renewing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

There is a comment period for everyone. The link ins in the article. I did it, and I challenge the rest of you do do so as well!

sincerely,
Anne Punohu
Me kealoha pumehana

Houselss, Homeless, Potato, Potah-to-Conference reeks of rotten eggs

2010-06-30T11:15:00.000-07:00

Mayor blasted over homeless - Hawaii News - Staradvertiser.com
You clearly have got to love this article, and a lot of the responses to it. If the ridiculous could be any more sublime.

So, I f you haven't guessed yet, as I write on this topic and advocate for fair and equitable housing ad nauseum and no one really listens to me, I will of course be repeating myself.

I have recently met some people, who are responsible hard working people. One is a mom with three kids. The other is a professional woman. Both have degrees. Both are articulate, intelligent, have no vices, such as drinking, drugs, or questionable behavior, and no mental illnesses. They are perfectly deserving of a decent job and decent housing.

However, neither can find that. They are houseless not homeless. They are part of the much larger numbers of people that do not have a tent parked at the beach. They stay with friends, or live in other peoples back yards, wherever they can go. The word has gone out about a 500 dollar dine for sleeping oin your car, and the rousting of people from beaches. People are clearly terrified. No one wants to step forward. People do not even tell other people that they are actually homeless.

Many poeple on o0ur island, get up get dressed, get their kids off to school, go to work, pick up their kids, and then its a struggle to get through the night. It is more expensive to be on the street. You cant always cook for yourself, you use more gas in your car, and getting a hot shower can also be a problem.

(f you are working, shelter hours here on Kauai are a nightmare. You have to check in by 4 pm. Many cant go there, because of the geographical location of the shelter, being in Lihue. The gas money alone, if you are trying to save up for a rental is hard if you are working in Kapaa, the North Shore, or the South Side. The shelter here is very good. However we need more very low income housing. And quick.

On Oahu, its an epidemic proportions. I know many families there that are homeless. I guess on Oahu there must be an influx of the severely mentally ill, and druggies and others, but i also know there are a significant number of houseless, and families.

The problem is there is no permanent housing here that they can afford. The solution, accodording to some law makers, is to push out existing families out of public housing that have been living their in their opinion for too long, and have extended family members living with them.

This is their solution. Kick out one group of people, who have been following the rules and paying their rents for years, and make them homeless, so that these other homeless can get into housing, and off the street.

WOW. Now THERE is an intelligent solution!~! NOT!!

That solution woujld also cause a flurry of lawsuits. Forget flurry. Try avalanche Can anyone say the words "unconstitutional?" If anyone else had been renting in the private sector, and been a longstanding teneat, would we say to them, "Hey you have been paying your rent and following the rules here long enough!. Its time to get on with your life and get another rental you lazy worthless bum!". Would we say that? Nope.

However, that is exactly what some state legislators are planning come January. Some of them think, rather insanely, that public housing residents are somehow now a worse scurge against hum,anity than the homeless they often treat like wild, untamed animals. Now its the public housing residents that are the terrible, lazy bums. Even though most families are law abiding, pay their rents and follow the rules. What sort of a farce of a government says "Hey lets kick out the public housing residents, so we can stuff these guys in there and put those guys out on the street."

A lot of public housing residents work, and have children. If you evict public housing residents, arbitrarily, after deciding how many years is "too long" to live in public housing, which is by the way labeled as "permanent housing", and NOT as a "temporary housing, or shelter", then you are essentially putting a lot of working class and the working poor on the beaches. Which they are not allowed to stay at. Which will put them back in a homeless shelter. So they can wait to get back into public housing.

Yeah thats a really good solution. makes a hell of a lot of sense. NOT.

The only solution, is to do a few things:
1. Residency policy for social services.
2, Immediately construct more low and extremely low housing facilities.
3. Fix up the units that are empty all over public housing, and get them occupied.
4. Rent control., and new laws to cap what people can charge for rental units in this state, based on 30 percent income.
5. NEWw laws that state that if you re coming here to do business and hire employees, then you m,ust put into a worker housing fund to provide low uiincoime and extreme low income housing in this state. (Oh people will scream about that one!) I don't care.

If I was in government, these are the steps I would take.

Kingdom of Atooi: A New Synopsis, and a new name, Kamawailualanimoku

2010-06-27T16:30:00.000-07:00

After my first investigastive report and thesis, it came into my notice and understanding and rememberance of a certain clause and activity that was done historicly not only on this island but others, to proclaim and create an Alii Moi when the person actually had no geneological claim to it

Now as you know I couldnt claim to my satisfaction that AIpoalani had any legitimate geneological claims to becoming the Kauai Moi. However, there is another way he could actually be claimed legitimately in my eyes as the Alii Moi.

Here they are:

Restore one of the Pio lines, such as Mano Ka Lani Po, and return the name of Kauai to Kauai Mano Ka Lani Po, as this was its name for hundreds of years, and is backed up by histroric, chants, moolelo, and documentation. and get rid of the whole "Atiooi" inoa, and any other derivitives they have been batting around. That would really help to lift a large and derisive cloud of illegitamancy the "Kingdom" has been getting, even from me.

2. Restore Kauais sacred name, which is NOT Atooi, but Kamawailualanimoku .
This name is supported by many chants, kahiko, moolelo and documentation. It is even in the Kumulipo.

4. Legitimately call together the rest of the living lines of Alii NUI, MO'I, and PIO lines, ect. I have listed them all in a former posting
This will take, time and research, and locating many people. However, to really solidify and make Aipoalani someone that EVERYONE can support, it MUST be done according to PROTOCOL.
You need to call together everyone, and get their consensus and agreement that YOU, Dayne Aipoalani, will by right of "conquest" and "defeat" claim Kauai as yours, and ask all to swear loyalty to YOU. If all agree, essentially it becomes a "bloodless Coup."

Why do I beleive this is the way to go? Because it was something your claimed ancestor did, as well as Kauais legitimate Moi, Kaumualii, diplomacy, and right of conquest combined. After all, it is not practicle to actually have a battle and a war here, but that is how Kamehameha the First elevated himself from a minor wohi cheif, along with the help of English cannon, guns and ships to conquer other islands. But this is a very different situation.

If you can suceed in convincing all the other cheifly lineages here, with living legitimate heirs, that YOU are the best konohiki for the job, and everyone agrees by consensus, that you by sheer force of will, personality and perseverance deserve the right to rule Kauai as Kauais Mo'i, then I can see absolutely no impediment to you doing so.

5.Create an Islandwide Constitution. This must be agreed upon by all of the delegates, hereditary family alii lines and heirs, that will elect you as Kauai Moi, and all agreed upon tenents, including land divisions. It is here, where your superior skills of geneology must be employed fairly, while all are before you, to decide who will be the konohilis, Alii, ect. I suggrdt that you begin to employ the hghly trained and knowlegeable geneologists wherever you can find them they are numerous and many. You must also call to your side the last living Kupunas, historians, and archivists. Many documents must be perused, to decide who will attend. You will have many petitions before you, from many poeple clamoring for the right to attend and be a part of this, since many hundreds have claim to the alii class here.You must put forth your list, and Your constitution. Then all must vote on it.

6. Ratify and implement the New Constitution. After the constitution has been ratified (agreed to), then you must implement it, by designating the different Aliis, and konohikis for each specific areas. They each must be an excellent choice, and be good caregivers of all the poeple. This is the old and accepted way. Your choices must be wise. If you choose wrongly, it will reflect upon You. Remember, that all couldbne deposed by the poeple. This was the old way. You do not want to be a tyrant, and damage your people, you want to be a kind, and benevolent ruler.

7. Land Aquisition. After the Aliis and the Konohikis are named, and in place, each one will call together the people. Land claims then can begin islandwide. IN each konohiki district, all claims will be taken to the ALiis, who will then meet with you, the ALii Moi. It is up to You, then to take these claims, and work through the legal details, with the court attorneys for returning these lands to each alii, and Konohiki who will then redistribute the lands to the people. You must actually make sure they do this, and do not cheat the poeple, or keep the land for themselves, or are fair and equtable in their distribution of the lands. You must allow a Land Court to be put forth to deal with any claimants, so that any greivances can be brought before your courts. You must also establish a court system as well, including naming who will sit in on these cases, and decide them, and keep the laws of the land, which you will be creating within the new constitution. The laws must be fair. Remember, all who live under your rule must be cared for. This includes non Hawaiians, as well as those with Hawaiian blood. The great Queen Liliuokalani had subjects of all races and nationalities. So will you.

8. Commerce, Indistry, Health, Safety, Welfare, and Education. You must now begin the task of overseeing all of the cabinents and tenents of governments. Each appointment you make must be done very carefully. Remember you do not wish to impose more suffering on the poeple. They have already been though so much. You must now begin to build up the economy, infrastructure, secure loands, and raise capitol to finance all public institutions, and form an economic infrastructure. People must be housed, fed, cared for, and their educational and medical needs provided for. Their must be road maintenence, police, fire, rescue, and all other manner of departments created. You will need money for staff, and you will more then likely need to float bonds to accomplish this.

9. The new (old) Kingdiom of Kauai Manokalanipo, or Kamawailualanimoku whichever one is agreed upon, by a consensus of the cheifly lines, which have electedf islandwide to accept you as the ALii Moi of Kauai decides upon, You now must establish a language, and a monetary base for your currency. This must be backed up by some sort of an ecomony which may take some time to establish. You will also need to pay off any bonds floated to you, or any international loans you may have been able to seure, to keep the social safety net alive for the thousands of poeple who will still need to rely on services for them. This was something that all of the ALii Mois of the Kingdom of Hawaii Nei have had to do. It proved very difficult, and required negotiating a lot of treaties, the problem came when floating bonds and loans, were paid off with land, because liquid assets were scarce for the Hawaiian Monarchy. But I am sure that for you, this will not be a problem.

a)You will, of course, immediately restore the Kingdoms language to the KAUAI DIALECT, and you, yourself, will begin to relearn the proper dialect of the ALiis. You will ensure that Hawaiian, Olelo, is the language of Kauai, Manokalanipo, or Kamawaibuilanimoku the primary language, and if you choose to then, English can also be a secondary language. You must of course, in this case, make sure that all government documents, public documents, and all commuinications be in these dialects, and then traslated into English, much as the government now translates its documents into many languages. The people must also be taught in the schools Hawaiian(Olelo) first, then English of course, or Spanish, or whatever other language you feel should be the secondary language. After all you are the Moi, its your call. You may choose to have the secondary language, be another country with which you have strong diplomatic ties, with or economic ties with. It is entirely up to you. That is why in French Polynesia, or Tahiti, the language is French and not English, because of this very thing. Well, that and the fact that they were colonized by the French as well. English becasme Hawaiis secondary language becasue of course the diplomatic ties, were with England. It was not the American language but the English language which was predominate along with the Olelo. You may again establish Olelo language newspapers across Kauai. We could have French as our secondary language, or even Spanish, or Maori, or Tahitian. Its up to you. You realize that true native speakers will be required to restore the original language. There are however few speakers of the ALii class language. Beleive it or not, I beleive Mr. Robinson is actually fluent in this level of Olelo. I am sure he would be more then willing and gloriousely happy and proud to help you, and all of the other ALiis restore the correct vernacular to the Alii class. remember, the commoners language and that of the ALii class were vastly different.

b)You will see that the currency will need to be backed by SOMETHING. Unfortunately for this situation, the only real asset you will have is the land. That is why land aquisition must occur BEFORE the coinage of a currency. You must have something to BACK UP the currency with. But thats not a problem, since you will be reinstituting intensive agriculture on Kauai, to make the land produce. Virtually everyone will be able to contribute, since all will have their ili lands returned to them, each family will be alotted its due, and all can keep the ecomomy afloat. Then, the currency can be backed by a certain economic flow. Tourism, must also be regulated, and that will also be a source of income, as well as any other venture you and the Moi want to establish to help to boost the economy.

10. With you now seated firmly and duly agreed upon to all of the cheifly lines on Kauai, you have restored the correct names to Kauai nei, you have brought the cheifs together, had yourself elected and proclaimed as alii nui, you have gotten the loans and bonds that you needed and returned the land to the poeple, gotten the economy rolling, kept essential services going, restored the language,and have appointed to your cabinet learned, educated, and knowlegeable poeple who have the ability to help to support the ALii and the Konohikis to keep their districts safe, clean, and well ordered, you have done what I beleive in your heart of hearts wanted to. Been proclaimed the King of ALl Kauai, and I suppose you would like to include Niihau in that, although I am not sure how Mr. Roibinson will feel about that, but I am sure through your fine and excelent diplomatic skills it can be accomplished.

I wish you godspeed, and hope to see you take this course of action that I have suiggested. I beleive that you truly want to be the King, the ALii Moi. I believe that you would rather follow the well meant, and well thought out advice I am giving you. Many of Hawaiis Kings had advisors. After all, Kamehameha the First had 13 of them. They all told him to go and conquer Kauai, and take Kaumualii prosoner, or kill him. He listened to them,something of not taking a more better course of action. However, his son did listen to those same advisors. Of course, his ship was wrecked on his reckless attempt to conquer Kauai, based on the advice of his advisors, spurring him on that he was the rightful King of Kauai. Luckily foe him, Kam II met a good, benevelent, and diplomatic King of Kauai by the name of Kaumualii, who cared for him, fed him, outfitted him and sent him right back to Oahu. Such is the famousness of the Kings of Kauai. Yes, advisors can be many, but the advice must be wieghed form all angles. Because a King must have advisors to surround him. And as every wise King knows. Not all should agree with him on everything. There needs to always be a balance.

Insights on PBS Hawaii - Neighbor Island Mayors - June 24, 2010

2010-06-26T11:29:00.000-07:00

Insights on PBS Hawaii - Neighbor Island Mayors - June 24, 2010

This is the link to the PBS hosted local airing of the three outer island mayors.

this is a MUST SEE!!

Kaua'is TVR : Ag vs Vacation Rental "supplement". No Excuse for not being able to produce off the land.

2010-06-25T12:13:00.000-07:00

Give me one acre of land, I could do a LOT of agriculture on it.

But then, ag lands do not go to people like me, who can actually farm, know what to plant and where and how to ammend the soil and make things grow.

It goes to rich greedy fake so called "farmers", who come here, don't know what the heck they are doing, fail, and then cry and moan that they HAVE to have a vacation rental, or they can not possibly make it!!

What a ridiculous, unfair farce.

The worst thing is when the council whines they don't know what agriculture is and they are trying to figure out how to define it. That's like saying they don't know how to eat, or walk, or stand upright, and they have to define it.

It reminds me of the ridiculous debates a few years ago about what constitutes an "environmentalist", regarding the seat on the planning commission that states there must be a representative from enviromental interests on the planning commission.

Its the same thing. Some people said, well I know which bin to put cardboard in, and I drop off my cardboard at the recycling center. Therefore, I have been active in the enviromental community and know enough to represent that seat on the commission." That was what some people were actually saying, I am not kidding you.

The same theory is now being applied to agriculture. "Well I have plants on my land, so I am a farmer. See all this grass?".

I just cannot tell you how totally p.o.'d that kind of very ignorant, and fake stupid "well I dont know I am innocent. Whats agriculture anyway? How do we define it? Lets ponder this until after the election. "

I will never forget, at the meeting I had a great conversation with one of the landowners, who actually turned out to be a really great couple.

I mentioned to the wife, that if they paid more attention to doing ag on their land they probably would not even need to supplement their income with the vacation rental, after finding out how much they charged for a room rental.

She agreed but said that the mortgage payments on the house were very high and that is why they needed to rent out rooms, but that if they did do more ag it probably would produce more.

Another issue that I heard, not from this couple whom I actually like, and think they really are pretty sincere poeple, I often here from these "farmers" that they can't sell their crops. Thats ridiculous. People are SCREAMING for Kauai produce. When I mention this, then they say that they can't get a good enough price for it if the market is flooded with certain seasonals.

So I tell people you need to niche market. Do hierlooms. Look at other varieties of crops. Do people listen? Nope. Want to know why?: Its real simple. They will "token farm", and then delight in failing, so they can say see, the land can't produce we cant make it work. SO we need to change the zoning because this ag land is just no good for farming.

That is the most bogus argument there is in this modern agricultural era. There are tons of soil ammendments that are safe, like sunhemp, a natural soil conditioner. Two or in the worst cases three rounds of this crop and you can fix the most depleted soils. A round of liming afterwards, and there is just absolutely no excuse for not being able to get in a crop of anything. A good load of loam from the west side maybe, if you need to, and six inches or organic topsoil tilled in, and you are on your way to a highly productive peice of land. There is NO EXCUSE for not being able to bring in a crop. Especially if land has been fallow for awhile. Everyone knows fallow land is the best for ammending and rejuvination, and will be able to produce well if you take care of your spoils properly.

But all this is a waste of breath. These poeple will do the exact opposite to ensure they DON'T get a good crop or do well. Then they can whine, moan, and complain. THey waste all of the ag lands, they trash them, they do everything wrong, and they are the ones that contribute to the degeneration of our soils and ag lands.

I would like an ordinance where we take the land away from farmers, and give it out to poeple like me who can actually farm. WHo know how to produce food, or to ranch and produce meats, cheeses, or who can grow herbs or medicinals, or who can produce traditional canoe plant crops, or florals that can be used for mass producing leis, such as vanda orchids, and plumerias.Ho0w about growong ipu gourds, and Kauai wauke, and producing real Hawaiian tapa again? how about lauhala groves, and a manyfacturing area, where we can produce lauhala weavinjg from right here on Kauai? How about ulu groves, and the selling of breadfgruit? More taro farming? how about hawaiian medicinal plant farms? How about niche marketing, such as truffles, vineyards, and then wines produced right on kauai? Fruit tree groves, and then the production of jams and jellies from them? What about the numerous varieties of teas, and then the manufacture and packaging right here? What about the fruits which we need to export such as papayas, mangoes, bananas? How about edible gingers, and a host of other hierloom and niche marketing crops? This is what agriculture is.

The guy that said he couldnt grow an orange tree by the ocean, obviousely a mainland transplant does not understand that years ago, in the kalalau valley true farmers came here form the mainland, planted citrus in the kalalau valley, on the ocean, on the coast, with wind and rain, and saltwater, and were able to supply all of California with citrus, including oranges limes and lemons. When I hear this guy complaining he cant grow an orange tree, that just really insults the intelligence of Kauais people. since we know the history of citrus here. In particular the varieties of Ka'u oranges that are adapted to those conditions, the Hawaiian lemon s and limes, ect. So we know the guy is just totally incapable. HE should not have that land. Give it to a real farmer.

Public input sought on strawberry guava plan

2010-06-24T12:25:00.000-07:00

Public input sought on strawberry guava plan-I will be in SUPPORT

I will be testifying in FAVOR of this. I did a lot of research on this, read everything and made a few phone calls. This species will NOT impat Native HAwaiian plants. this was proven after an amazing solid 15 years of biological research. SPecifically done in HAwaii, with Hawaiian plants. I can tell you thqt this is one plan that I am in absolute agreement!! THere is virtually NO SINGLE FOREST on Kauai that is not threatened by this species!
Now, If we can just come up with something for the Java plum, and the African Tulip, then we could virtually restore our native forests!. Oh and throw in invasive ferns that choke out the palapalai, and invasive non indigenous gingers, and then we could restore the forests!!. If this proves its worth, that may be quickly coming in the future!!

I do not endorse Mufi Hanneman for Governor

2010-06-23T12:02:00.001-07:00

Our party needs an absolute purging! It is disgusting, and I am totally disgusted.
I have made a public statement that Mufi Hanneman needs to proudly walk himself on over to the GOP and stay there.
Do not let the door hit you on the way out.
That goes for all of the rest of the closet Republicans we have infecting our party. Its like a rampant disease.
Say you are a "democrat", then just act like a Republican. Get the benefit of no one voting you out, because you are catering to both sides.
In the meantime, the Democrat party has consistantly told me, year after year, that I am not a Democrat because they cannot seem to find my name on the list.
So, the real Democrats are treated like crap, while the Republicrats are treated like gold and offered stuff, while the rest of us true Democrats are pretty much ignored.
I have stated that I will call for a boycott of the Governors race if Mufi Hanneman is selected by our party.
I am not advocating voting Republican, because why bother you can just vote for Mufi. What I am advocating is plunking for Gary, and that is it.
If we all threaten not to vote, and let Aiona have it, because what is the difference between Aiona and Hanneman? Nothing. Hanneman is a conservative Republican.
I am willing to stand by the boycott idea. If everyone really cares about the state, the election and the campaign, they will vote for Amercrombie. Period. I can sincerely tell you that many REAL Democrats are disgusted with the thought of a Hanneman win.
Most outer islands people do not want Hanneman for other reasons. He is for Oahu. Its all about Oahu. Outer islands? Trash them, who cares. Its Oahu that matters.
Hanneman can raise all of the money he wants.
Some of us would rather throw the baby out with the bathwater and commit political hari kari then allow this imposter to the throne on the governors seat, to wreak havoc for another 8 yers of exactly the kind of leadership that Lingle has shown.
I for one will never tow the party line on this one. The box will remain empty. And I will encourage others to do the same.

Civil unions' fate unknown - Hawaii News - Staradvertiser.com

2010-06-22T15:52:00.000-07:00

Civil unions' fate unknown - Hawaii News - Staradvertiser.com

Justice 'gave life to Hawaiian law' - Hawaii News - Staradvertiser.com

2010-06-22T15:49:00.000-07:00

Justice 'gave life to Hawaiian law' - Hawaii News - Staradvertiser.com

President Obama & the First Lady Hold LGBT Pride Reception

2010-06-22T14:44:00.000-07:00

Faith group seeks new path as stone is moved - Hawaii News - Staradvertiser.com

2010-06-21T14:30:00.000-07:00

Faith group seeks new path as stone is moved - Hawaii News - Staradvertiser.com

stone is moved

A focal point for many in Wahiawa will be repatriated to a Hawaiian birthing site

By Michael Tsai

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jun 21, 2010

Papia Sengupta said she and her fellow members of the Lord of the Universe Society (LOTUS) are not going to dwell on matters beyond their control, but the tears on her cheeks yesterday seemed clear-enough indication that the loss of the group's central object of worship was still fresh.

Members of the Hindu group had spent 22 years as adopted caretakers of the so-called Healing Stone of Wahiawa, in which they discerned the presence of the god Shiva. In recent years, the group had worked in loose partnership with a group of Hawaiian nationalists who valued the stone's historical significance as a kapu marker for the sacred area of Kaukonahua. Last week, the Hawaiian group removed the stone from the marble temple on California Avenue that LOTUS had built for its protection.

Tom Lenchenko, kahu of Kukaniloko, said the stone would eventually be repatriated to Kukaniloko, the venerated birthing site of Hawaiian alii where it had spent the early part of the last century.

Yesterday, LOTUS observed its regularly scheduled monthly service at the California Avenue site, its first since the stone was removed.

"We are very sad, very depressed," Sengupta said afterward. "Our religion tells us to be tolerant and reasonable. We are nonviolent people and we do not want to create conflict, so we must now decide what we do from here and not look to the past. It is very important for us to keep this community together."

The ceremony proceeded as it always does with the bathing of sacred icons in milk, honey and yogurt, the honoring of gods Ganesh and Shiva, and the recitation of 108 variations of Shiva's name. The audience sat tightly packed together on the small marble platform, many dressed in brightly colored traditional garb, their eyes occasionally drawn to the empty concrete cradle on which the largest portion of the three-piece stone had rested.

Robert Cain, who attended to the day-to-day cleaning of the temple and its surrounding areas, was there the morning that the stone was removed.

"I arrived here around 5 a.m. to do my normal cleanup and I was surprised to see (kahu Elithe Kahn) with a group of people," Cain said. "They had watered down the stone and were preparing a ceremony. I asked her what the occasion was and she said, 'It's time to move the stone.'"

Kahn, who holds the lease on the small plot on which the temple stands, worked with Lenchenko to get authorization from the property owner to move the stone, although LOTUS was never informed of the plan.

Cain said he left but returned a couple of hours later to watch a group of people use jackhammers to loosen the stone from its anchoring. Cain said he was invited to stay for a ceremonial blessing. There was a moment of tension when a couple of LOTUS members arrived at the scene, but Cain said the entire process of moving the stone was handled efficiently and was "very respectful."

Sengupta said LOTUS erected the temple around the stone to protect it (it had previously been housed in a dilapidated shack) and to give people in the community an opportunity to worship it as they saw fit.

"We never said it was our stone," she said. "It was always available to anybody who has faith. We worshipped it in our way and for us it was a peaceful and disciplined way for our children to see how we get together. But it has always been about the entire community. Now we need the support of the community if we are going to go on."

LOTUS board members have begun discussions of what to do with the temple now that the stone is gone. They are considering taking over the soon-to-expire lease so they can continue to make the temple available to visitors.

"I was amazed that (the stone's removal) happened so suddenly," said longtime LOTUS member Mira Savara, 56, of Aina Haina. "We're definitely going to miss its presence and its blessings, but this place has become such a powerful place for prayer. We believe in praying together and I will still come."

FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARADVERTISER.COM

Members of the Lord of the Universe Society gathered yesterday at the former site of the Healing Stone of Wahiawa. The empty base of the stone is in the background.

More Photos

Tom Lenchenko, kahu of Kukaniloko, said the stone would eventually be repatriated to Kukaniloko, the venerated birthing site of Hawaiian alii where it had spent the early part of the last century.

Yesterday, LOTUS observed its regularly scheduled monthly service at the California Avenue site, its first since the stone was removed.

Robert Cain, who attended to the day-to-day cleaning of the temple and its surrounding areas, was there the morning that the stone was removed.

GIVE ME A BREAK-MY COMMENTARY ON THIS

1. First of all, there is NO SHIVA IN HAWAII.
2. The Gods here are 400,000. ABout a thousand times more then they have in India.

3. If you want to worship Shiva in YOUR pohaku, then BRING IT FROM INDIA AND HOUSE IT IN THE TEMPLE.

4. This is not a "stone", but a KII POHAKU. A standing stone. THese stones, are Laa Kii Pohaku, sacred standing stones were EXCLUSIVELY MALE IN GENDER. (THEY WERE NOT FEMALE OR FEMININE IN ANY WAY AT ALL. (SHIVA IS A FEMALE GODESS IN THE HINDU BELEIF).

6. IF you want people to be respectful of YOUR religion, then respect the HAWAIIAN religion!! If YOUR religion beleives in the embodiment of living gods or godesses living within stones, and the Hawaiians beleive the same thing, why would you move the stone in the first place? It was housed in a ":shack". What may be a shack to you, is a blessed place, just old with certain materials. I am AMAZED at the AUDACITY of Hindu religious practitioners flooding into Hawaii, and trying to OVERTAKE THE HAWAIIAN RELIGIOUS PRACTICES AND BELEIFS!!

7. That this stone was removed is a good thing. I applaud it one hundred percent!! STOP STEALING THE SACRED POHAKU!! ITS NOT YOURS ITS THE LAST THING THE PEOPLE HAVE NOW U TAKE EVEN THAT AND SAY IT IS YOURS! HEWA HEWA HEWA!!

Democratic chief takes Mufi to the woodshed « Volcanic Ash

2010-06-21T12:49:00.000-07:00

Democratic chief takes Mufi to the woodshed « Volcanic Ash
Democratic chief takes Mufi to the woodshed

Mayor Mufi Hannemann got a dressing down from Democratic Party Chairman Dante Carpenter for not minding his manners at the recent state Democratic Convention, where Hannemann stumped as a candidate for governor.

In a 2 1/2-page letter to Hannemann, Carpenter complained that the mayor and his campaign committee decided not to sponsor a breakfast it was expected to host, “created turmoil” by hosting a competing campaign event that drew delegates away from Resolution Committee meetings, breached an agreement on the time for the mayor’s speech to the convention, ignored the time limit on the speech despite repeated warnings and tried to bamboozle hotel audiovisual people into playing an unauthorized campaign disc after the Hannemann speech.

“Working with your campaign representatives at times became cumbersome and created confusion,” Carpenter said. “Misunderstandings between your campaign representatives and the convention committee were numerous.”

Carpenter said that even after the Hannemann campaign was asked to avoid having its Friday night event interfere with the Resolutions Committee, the campaign placed invitations on the chairs of all the committee meeting rooms.

“At minimum, your Friday function represented a ‘distraction’ while at worst it was disrespectful of the very core reasons for the Friday night Democratic Party’s convention meetings — the serious participation of convention delegates engaged in developing Democratic Party principles,” Carpenter said.

He said the Hannemann campaign insisted on a written agreement for the time of Hannemann’s speech, then breached it.

“The written agreement stated that you would speak for five minutes with 1-2 minutes of ‘wiggle room.’ In fact, you spoke for 12 minutes and even when called on subtly three times by me (‘… Mufi, Pau’) to wrap up your remarks, you did not.

“In addition, during your speech your representative approached the Hilton’s AV people and gave them a disc to play at the end of your speech and informed the Hilton people that the convention committee had approved it. Hilton people checked and discovered that no such arrangements had been made or approved to place special for music for you and they did not. This representing yourself to the Hilton AV people was inappropriate; putting our people in the position of having to tell Hilton that no arrangements had been made was embarrassing for all concerned.”

Carpenter expressed disappointment that Hannemann didn’t participate in the nitty-gritty of the convention’s work.

“In your speech you spoke about your mentors, specifically Senator Inouye and Governor Waihe’e; both excellent examples of outstanding, committed Democrats. For your information, both Senator Inouye and Governor Waihe’e participated in many aspects of the 2010 convention, voting on resolutions, SSC members, national committeeman and state convention chair elections.

“It was a privilege for me to be able to look out over the delegation and see these two men sitting at the table with the delegates from their districts and precincts. Had you followed the examples you cited, I am sure that the delegates from your district and precinct would have enjoyed having you sit with them and share your views on the platform, resolutions and changes to the party’s constitution, as well.”

As party chairman, Carpenter says he’s neutral in the primary contest for governor between Hannemann and former U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie. When Carpenter served in the state Senate in the early 1980s, he and Abercrombie were both members of a faction led by Ben Cayetano.

ANd you have to ask me why I do NOT SUPPORT Mufi Hanneman as the next so called, fake, sheeps wool "Democratic" candidate for the governor? Hell No. Not only this, he has gone against civil unions, treated the homeless like garbage, and only cares about Oahu. WHat will the outer islands gain by this obvious conservative republican in Democratic Party sheeps clothing? ZERO.

The outer islands revolt will show in the voting booth, trust me.

An Investigation: Who is the Ali'i Mo'i of the Mokupuni Of Kaua'i?

2010-06-18T20:23:00.000-07:00

OK, to put this whole issue to rest. Here is the truth and the real history.

There are the sacred kapu cheifs and cheifesses of Kauai. THey were numerous.

But there are only 24 historically listed, accepted lines of Ali'i Mo'i class on Kauai. The overwhelming majority of these names carry the ancient naming codes of Kauai in them. Most names start with the letter K. There is not one single solitary reference to the name "Atooi" in any one of these names.

Above and beyond even the class of Alii Mo'i, there is the true, sacred lineage of the KAPU Cheifs of Kauai.
They were and are still called Alii Pio.

They are not "Customary Cheifs.". THey are even higher then Alii Moi.

On Kauai there were Moi's for different sides of the island, namely Westside, and northshore/Eastside. Our island has mostly been divided in this way.

Since the years of 1200.

There are 24 Historical Alii Mois, and their decendent lines.

IN an 1833-1910 Marriage records, there is one Aipoalani, from 1846, and 2 Kanakaoles from 1833 or therabouts. Both from the Westside.

However there are 52 Opunuis. These are the Pio lines. The purest blood in Hawaii.

Amung the records there are many with the Kauai surname. In almost one hundred years there is not one single name on either side of the records which shows the name of "Atooi".

All who know the geneology know that the history reflects in the names.

As I have stated all along, the ruling family is the Kawananakoas. There is written proof, a direct edict from the Queen, and the fact that the Kawananakoas are Kauai Pio lines, would also make Kauai the ruling house.

The cheifly names of the last more then one hundred years are numerous from the Westside.

I do not doubt that Dayne Gonsalves mothers side has enough blood to claim a konohiki status. OF that I have no doubt. These are minor wohi regional cheifly classes, the same rank as Kamehameha the 1, before he elevated himself with the help of the english and captain cook.

The geneology on his side reflects however, more ties to the big island, and Oahu then Kauai.

There are approximately 500 or so Pio names from Kauai. Pio names are ONLY found on Kauai, AND NO OTHER ISLAND!! By 1833, to 1910, about half of those remained.
These families had numerous marriages, and many were from the Westside, as well as the Puna, Waioli, Hanalei, and other areas.

However that is not enough to claim Ali'i Mo'i status, and certainly not the right lines to claim Pio.

However this is my opinion, however, I have intesively gone over the geneologies carefully.
The Aipoalani claims are from a Ali'i Mo'i from about the 16th century. However, Aipoalani was a retainer, and not the Mo'i himself. The Mo'i he traveled with was reviled, and removed from Kauai, and was hiding o0n Oahu, and was eventually murdered there. AIpoalani escaped, and lived to an old age, with living children. THe geneology however climaed only one AIpoalani on Kauai. That contrasts with the large families of the Pio and Moi classes on Kauai. Of the 3rd ALii Moi on Kauai from the 13th century, Laamaikahiki, by the 1833 census there was only one left on Kauai.

The Kanaka'oles are from a cheifly line, of course, everyone knows that. However they are a Big Island Ohana, with very minimal ties to Kauai.

Irregardless of all of this, according to the constitutions of Queen Liliuokalani, and her brother, the ascension to the thrones, and Moi status or governorships of the other islands, are inherent in their public proclamations which did claim that on the event of Ka'iulanis death without issue, that Prince David would be the heir apperent. And that his 2 sons and one daughter, would also carry that tittle of Princess, and Prince. That is why Princess Abigail, and Prince Quentin Kawananakoa, her nephew legally carry the title today.

The constitution clearly states that unless you are named in the line of succession you have no claim to rule as a Alii Mo'i. Further, it is required that you be elected and chosen by the council of cheifs.

On Kauai, that ascension, was given to several people during the constitutional government, from clear Pio lines.

After the death of Deborah Kapule, the QUeen {Liliu) named these to suceed on Kauai:

These were ALii Nui, and ALii:
* Ali'i George Humehume Kaumuali'i (by Kawalu), born 1798 on Kaua'i, he started a rebellion on Kauaʻi, challenging the rule of King Kamehameha II, but was defeated and forced to flee, only to be captured and exiled to Oahu where he died; married Elizabeth Peke Davis, born 12th February 1803, daughter of Isaac Davis, and his wife, Ali'i Kalukuna, and had issue. He died 1826.
o Ali'i Harriet Wahinekipi Kaumuali'i, born 1823 on Kaua'i, married 28th March 1837 in Honolulu, John Meek Jr., and had issue. She died 3rd September 1843 on Maui and lies buried at the Maria Lanakila Catholic Church on Maui.
+ Eli Meek, born 1839, married Kahanu'ulani Amoy, died 1930. He died 1875.
+ Robert Meek
+ Elizabeth Meek
* Ali'i nui Keali'iahonui (by Kapua'amoku), High Chief of Kaua'i, married 1stly, Opunuiokalani, married 2ndly, about 1825, Ali'i nui Elizabeth Ka'ahumanu, born about 1773 in Kauiki, Hana, Maui, died 5th June 1832 in Manoa Valley, Honolulu, daughter of Ali'i nui Ke'eaumoku Papaiahiahi, and his wife, Ali'i nui Namahana'i'Kaleleokalani, and had issue. He died after 1845.
o Ali'i La'amea Keali'iahonui (k), born 28th January 1825.
* Ali'i nui Kinoiki Kekaulike (by Kapua'amoku), married Ali'i nui Kuhio Kalaniana'ole, High Chief of Hilo, and had issue.
* Ali'i Kuki'iahu (w) (by Naluahi)
* Ali'i Nahinu (w) (by Makua)
* Ali'i Kamahelelani (k) (by Kekai Ha'akuloni)

GOVERNORS OF KAUAI

* Honourable Ali'i nui KAUMUALI'I, Governor of Kauai [1795] – [26.5.1824] (see above)

* Honourable Ali'i nui KAHALAI'A LUANU'U, Governor of Kauai [1824] – [1825], son of Ali'i nui Kala'imamahu (see Hawai'i Island), and his wife, Ali'i nui Kahikuha'akoi, married 1stly, Ali'i nui Kuini Liliha, married 2ndly, Ali'i nui Elizabeth Kinau [Ka'ahumanu II], and had issue. He died 27th April 1826.

* Honourable Ali'i nui KAIKIO'EWA, Governor of Kauai [1825] - [10.5.1839], born 1765, son of Ali'i Ka'ianaukupe Kaolohaka-a-Keawe [Ka'ianaukupe], and his wife, Ali'i Kekiko'ola Lalanikauleleaiwi, he was a friend and supporter of Kamehameha and became a gaurdian of King Kamehameha III; married 1stly, Ali'i nui Kalanikaulihiwakama, married 2ndly, Ali'i Emelia Keaweamahi, Governor of Kauai (see below), and had issue, two daughters. He died 10th April 1839.
o Ali'i nui Kuwahine (w) (by Kekiko'ola Lalanikauleleaiwi)
o Ali'i nui Likelike (w) (by Kalanikaulihiwakama)

* Honourable Ali'i nui Emelia Keaweamahi, Governor of Kauai [1839] – [1842], she succeeded her husband in the post of Governor of Kauai (see above).

* Her Excellency Ali'i nui Anna Keahikuni'ikekau'onohi, Governor of Kauai [1842] - [1844], born about 1805, daughter of HRH Prince Kahoanoku Kinau (see Hawai'i), and his wife, Ali'i Kahikuha'akoi. She died 1847.

* His Excellency Ali'i PAULO KANOA K.C.K., K.C.H., Governor of Kauai [21.10.1846] - [4.1.1877], born 1802 in Kahalu'u, South Kona; started out as a clerk to the Governor of Oahu; Knight of the Royal order of Kamehameha Ist, Grand Officer of the Royal Crown Of Hawai'i; Member of the Privy Council of State; Member of the House of Nobles; married 1stly, Ali'i Kahana'auwai, married 2ndly, 8th October 1842, Ali'i nui Kapau (she married 1stly, Ali'i nui Ka'a'aikaulehelehe, and had issue, see below), and had issue. He died 10th November 1885 in Honolulu.

* His Excellency JOHN EDWARD BUSH, Governor of Kauai [4.1.1877] - [1880], born 15th February 1843, Minister of Finance [20.5.1882] - [8.8.1882]; Interim Minister of Foreign Affairs [19.8.1880] - [22.9.1880]; Minister of the Interior [14.8.1880] - [27.9.1880] and [8.8.1882] - [14.5.1883]; married 1stly, Maryanne Peters, daughter of John Peters, and his wife, Mele Ka'aiawa'awa Napiwai, married 2ndly, Mary Julia Glennie, born 14th March 1868, died 7th June 1932, daughter of William Munson Glynnie, and his wife, Kealohapau'ole Kamakaiwi, and had issue. He died 28th June 1906.
o John Edward Bush, born 31st January 1890.

* His Excellency FRED WILLIAM KAHAPULA BECKLEY, Governor of Kauai [16.8.1880] - [7.1.1881], born 26th November 1845 in Waimea, son of William Charles Malulani Beckley, and his wife, Kahinu Ho'olulu (see Maui), married December 1867, Emmaline Kailikapulono Metcalf, born 5th March 1847 in Honolulu, died 21st April 1929 in Honolulu, daughter of Theophilus Metcalf, and hi's wife, Kailikapulono, and had issue. He died 7th January 1881 in Honolulu.
o Sabina Kahinu'okekuaokalani'akea'olekeleke Beckley, born 17th October 1868 in Honolulu, married 30th December 1889, William K. Hutchinson, died 14th March 1943, and had issue. She died 25th January 1935 in Honolulu.
o Charles Kapahukui Beckley, born December 1872 in Honolulu, died 29th April 1873.
o Fred William Kahapula Beckley, born 7th May 1874 in Honolulu, married Alice Heanu, and had issue. He died 20th December 1943.
o Charlotte P. Beckley, died 26th October 1895.
o Emily R. Beckley, died 28th December 1904.
o Fredericka Wilhelmina Kailikapuolou Beckley, born 1880, married 1905, William Farewell Jones Naki. She died 24th August 1911.

* His Excellency PAUL P. KANOA, Governor of Kauai [12.1.1881] - [1886], son of Ali'i nui Ka'a'aikaulehelehe, and his wife, Ali'i nui Kapau (see above); he served as Minister of Finance [30.6.1886] - [1.7.1887].

* His Excellency LANIHAU, Governor of Kauai [31.7.1886] - [1888]

* His Excellency WILLIAM HYDE RICE, Governor of Kauai [8.2.1892] - [28.2.1893], born 23rd July 1846 in Punahoe, Honolulu, son of William Harrison Rice, and his wife, Mary Sophia Hyde, married 17th October 1872, Mary Waterhouse, born 26th July 1847, died after 1928, daughter of John Thomas Waterhouse, and his wife, Eleanor Dickenson, and had issue. He died 15th June 1924 in Hawai'i.
o William Henry Rice, born 24th June 1874 in Lihue, Kaua'i, married 8th June 1897 in Honolulu, Mary Agnes Girvin, and had issue.
+ William Harrison Rice, born 26th January 1901, married Olivia Le Bosquet, died 25th June 1930, and had issue. He died 5th May 1974.
# Henry Harrison Rice, born 26th February 1929, died April 1983.
+ Paul Girvin Rice, born 14th April 1903, died 14th May 1981.
+ Richard Hans Rice, born 20th May 1906, died 30th January 1966.
+ Mary Dorothea Isenberg Rice, born 26th January 1911, died 1st February 1988.
o Charles Atwood Rice, born 12th September 1876 in Honolulu, died 1964.
o Arthur Hyde Rice, born 25th July 1878 in Lihue, Kaua'i.
o Mary Eleanor Kaonohilani Rice, born 25th November 1880 in Lihue, Kaua'i, died 22nd January 1923.
o Anna Charlotte Rice, born 5th August 1882 in Lihue, Kaua'i.
o Harold Waterhouse Rice, born 10th November 1883 in Waikiki.
o Philipp La Vergne Rice, born 22nd July 1886 in Lihue, Kaua'i.
o Emily Dorothea Rice, born 30th September 1889 in Lihue, Kaua'i, died 1975 in Honolulu.

HERE ARE THE 23 LINES OF ALII MOI FOR KAUAI
List of Aliʻi Aimoku of Kauaʻi

The known independent rulers were:(That means without overrule by another island Mo'i)

* Moikeha 1st Aliʻi Aimoku of Kauaʻi
* Haulanuiaiakea 2nd Aliʻi Aimoku of Kauaʻi
* La'amaikahiki 3rd Aliʻi Aimoku of Kauaʻi
* Ahukini-a-Laa 4th Aliʻi Aimoku of Kauaʻi
* Kamahano 5th Aliʻi Aimoku of Kauaʻi
* Luanu'u 6th Aliʻi Aimoku of Kauaʻi
* Kukona 7th Aliʻi Aimoku of Kauaʻi
* Manokalanipo 8th Aliʻi Aimoku of Kauaʻi
* Kamakamano 9th Aliʻi Aimoku of Kauaʻi
* Kahakuakane 10th Aliʻi Aimoku of Kauaʻi
* Kuwalupaukamoku 11th Aliʻi Aimoku of Kauaʻi
* Kahakumakapaweo 12th Aliʻi Aimoku of Kauaʻi
* Kalanikukuma 13th Aliʻi Aimoku of Kauaʻi
* Kahakumakalina 14th Aliʻi Aimoku of Kauaʻi
* Kamakapu 15th Aliʻi Aimoku of Kauaʻi
* Kawelomahamahaia 16th Aliʻi Aimoku of Kauaʻi
* Kawelomakualua 17th Aliʻi Aimoku of Kauaʻi
* Kaweloiankanaka 18th Aliʻi Aimoku of Kauaʻi
* Kawelo'a'maihunali'i 19th Aliʻi Aimoku of Kauaʻi
* Kuali'i ? - 1730 20th Aliʻi Aimoku of Kauaʻi and 19th Alii Aimoku of Oahu
* Peleioholani 1730 - 1770 21st Aliʻi Aimoku of Kauaʻi and 22nd Aliʻi Aimoku of Oahu
* Kamakahelei 1770 - 1794, 22nd Aliʻi Aimoku of Kauaʻi
* Kaumuali'i 1794 - 1810, 23rd Aliʻi Aimoku of Kauaʻi

Ever single one of these family have PIO lines, or at least the level of ALi'i Nui. AS you can see, we even had a female Governor of Kauai as well.

Further, I want everyone to note, NO WHERE is the word ATOOI ever used in any of these official documents including the documents issued by prominent historians oif HAWAIAAN ANCESTRY.

There is not ONE SINGLE CHANT that I can recall, remember or find. I havd even called other Kumu Hulas who are renowned and respected. I have consulted renowned Native Hawaiian geneologists. I have searched and searched in hope of validating just for my own peace of mind the claims that Kauai was EVER called ATOOI.

hHat I did discover, however, was that the recollections of my hanai ohana, who have passed on correctly told me of other names of Kauai. Most notably that of Kauai Mano Ka Lani Po. This Alii Moi was the only King of Kauai to have his name linked to the island, and it carried on that way for hundreds of years. It still remains in chants and moolelos today.

There is the older sacred name of Kauai as well. There is also the renaming of Hanalei from its former name of Hale Le'a, but the ahupuaa remained the same.

There are the expected names of "Opu", "Moo" and "Maka" names and the "Kawahine" names that dominate the Pio lists. Further, the Kawelo dynasties and others such as the Keawe lines as well. These are the solid Moi lines.

I do not write this to be offensive, hewa, rude, mahaoi or niele. I write it because I am a historian, a chanter, and a keeper of Moolelo, and geneologies are part of what I do. Because I beleive so strongly in the Monarchy, and the cheifly class, I study this intently and have increased my study over the last 10 or so years.

The cheifly class is alive and well. But we must follow a constitution. A proper one. One that has already being done. There is no reinventing of the wheel. But there is something called "jumping the gun".

I sincerely hope there is no offense in this posting. But I had to do it, much as it pains me to do it.

I have personally met Prince Edward and Princess Abigail. My hanai dear Gramma Rachel supported their claims. As does most of Hawaii Nei. To now have Dayne claiming to be the King of Kauai, is something I would like nothing better but to prove. I tried using whatever tools I had at my disposal. But in the end, I have to conclude, based on the facts at hand, that at least for the overall Moi status there is just not enough evidence there to suggest that he has a strong enough claim to it.

The facts are the facts and cannot be changed, that the Kawananakoas are not only the Moi of Kauai, but also the Pio lines, and are the Heir apperents. TO all of Hawaii, as deemed by her Majesty, Queen Liliuokalani, according to the Hawaiian Constitution and the council of Cheifs. Because the Kawananakoas are alive and well, and the direct issue of blood is unbroken, at this time, they are the legitimate heir apperents to both Kauai, and the entire Mokupuni Pae AIna. However, I am sure that when they are restored to their rightful place, they may seem fit to bestow upon Dayne the title of Alii Mo'i if they choose to, or the title of Alii Nui, or ALii, or Konohiki Nui, or konohiki Iki. Whatever is bestowed upon Dayne, I am sure that he will make a kind, generous and benevolent cheif.

But I do have to say that through all of this investigation I have surely learned a lot. And now I have even more knowledge of the geneologies and histories then I did originally and a lot more to keep stored away in my memory.

ALoha no.
Anne Punohu

Just sayin' -- There's more to Hawaii than just Oahu

2010-06-12T12:02:00.000-07:00

Just sayin' -- There's more to Hawaii than just Oahu

Excellent article by a fellow blogger. Please read regarding the significance of the neighbor island vote in the gubernatorial election

Lawmakers visit homeless to seek input on solutions | honoluluadvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

2010-06-05T10:19:00.000-07:00

Lawmakers visit homeless to seek input on solutions | honoluluadvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

a full report on this visit later. I spoke personally to Mizuno for over an hour. While Cabanilla makes caliys statements about public housing residents, and then trots dow to Waianae to make a solid case for evicting public housing residents, Mizuno seemed to be willing to listen to reason. I can tell you that Cabanillas goal is to evict public housing residents. Mizuno I am hoiping has changed his mind. The situation of poeple being homeless is not caused by the homeless themselves. ANd good law abiding rent poaying long term residents should not be forcced back onto the beach in an exchange of hostages of war. I wil;l be adfding more to this post as I continue my fight against any such legislation.

Some Hawaii homeless abuse state benefits, lawmakers say | honoluluadvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

2010-06-03T14:25:00.000-07:00

Some Hawaii homeless abuse state benefits, lawmakers say | honoluluadvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

shame and hewa i hate to say i told u so but i told u so.

Both of my coalitions are on high alert and fully prepared to fight any legislation in January that will compormise the health safety and welfare of law abiding housing residents whose only crime is not earning enough to support outside rentals.

although they see me and my little coalition as no threat to them, they m,ight feel differently in 2012.

contact me if u are ready to fight the good fight

aloha

Got WIndmills post, and my history with the "Olelo Hawai'i or the Hawaiian language

2010-06-03T11:41:00.000-07:00

http://parxnewsdaily.blogspot.com/2010/06/word-imperfect.html (link to aundy's post)

Oh I LOVED this post, Andy. Kumu Illei was not my first teacher of 'Olelo. That teaching came originally from hanai 'ohana, with my first formal introduction to the "university style" coming from the late Kumu Helena Maka Santos, who single handedly created a new interest in 'olelo Hawai'i mostly amung the born and raised of the North Shore. I spoke it,semi- passaby although often broken up with English with the North Shore dialect but did not know how to read or write the language.

However here is some history which I'm sure you already know.

The people of Hawai'i never used the 'okina and the kahako before when the language became a written one with the first printing of Na Bibela. The Exception was among the Ali'i. As I am sure you know, there was the "upper class" 'Olelo, reserved for the Ali'i, and the court and retainers, and the language of the common people, which was what I was familiar with.

When the Ali'i dealt with other leaders and countries, the language was often used more phoneticlly and deciphered mostly from linquists or botanists or historians aboard ships that traveled here. That is how the misspelled and misprounounced words for the major Islands occured, such as "Ohwyhee, Mowree, and Atooi", but this redated the creation of the 'okina and the kahako, although the macron was used in many phonetical spelling attempts. That is why you might see these incorrect spellings in documents of the period.

The people were fluent enough in the language not to need it. However if you read the old Nukapepa, you will see many liberal and creative spellings of "Hawaiianized" words. The "s" and the "t" was used far more liberally as well.

How the use of the 'okina and the kahako came about was of course from the great writer of the Hawai'ian Dictionary Mary Kawena Pukui and Samuel Elbert who were commissioned to do it by the territorial Government.

It was the creative genius of these two that came up with the idea of the 'okina and the kahako, the 'okina to replace certain sounds, most importantly the "glottal stop", and the kahako to teach people where to elongate the vowels.

This was done since about the time of statehood the language was practicly non existant despite its being named as the official state language.

The use of the 'okina and the kahako to teach almost anyone to read, write and speak the language of 'olelo Hawai'i is one of the most brilliant attestments to the creative genius of the people of Hawai'i to adjust and to perpetuate the living, breathing culture of this place.

While Kaua'i, and its distinctively different dialects, (from the North Shore and Na Pali dialects, the Ni'ihau dialects, a and the West side dialects are distinct and unique Kauai still ranks as the purest of dialects in Hawai'i.

I still prefer to read and write 'olelo without the use of the 'okina and the kahako, since it is not neccessary for me.
This helps to decipher older documents especially Palapala Sila Nui, as well as chants or mo'olelo that were written before the use of the 'okina and the kahako. To do that however you must be able to put the words in its proper context and kaona, so sometimes that takes quite a bit of research, otherwise you will actually get your meanings all wrong.

When I first learned to write and read 'Olelo with Auntie Helena, it was almost impossible for me to understand the concept of the 'okina and the kahako. Auntie Helena taught us first what we knew and were used to and then introduced the new "University" style.

Kumu 'Illei did the same thing. To this day I can tell if someone is a native speaker, or only learned the "University " style. O'ahu speakers are the best example of this. When they speak, it sounds more like german to me and is hard and gutteral, rather then the soft, lilting musical quality that is distincly the sound that most outer island fluent and native speakers make when they speak 'olelo.

When I took from Kumu Illei as I am sure she can attest I had a very hard time with the "university Hawaii" sentence structure. In fact I was very bad at it. But to be fair, I suck at English sentence structure and grammar as well, so it is no wonder I also suck at University 'Olelo as well!

However when I write something for others I always use it. I will write it out without it, and then go back and pop in the 'okinas and kahako.

I enjoy reading the Nukapepa from the old days. A lot of words I still need to look up and its always fun to see how the words were "Hawaiianized" even back when the 'okina and the Kahako were not in common use.

Long live Ka 'Olelo 'O Mokupuni Pae 'Aina 'O Hawaii Nei!(Andy's original post on his blog, and a breifer post from this post of mine.

Hawaii cuts result in 10% fewer families taking preschool aid | honoluluadvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

2010-06-02T12:54:00.000-07:00

Hawaii cuts result in 10% fewer families taking preschool aid | honoluluadvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

HEWA AMD SHAME I CALL ON THE IMMEDIATE DISCHARGE OF LILLIAN KHOLLER OF HER DuTIES AND A REPLACEMENT SOUGHT THROUGH THE LEGISTATIVE PROCESS

KIUC indicted for endangered species law violations

2010-05-20T11:51:00.000-07:00

KIUC indicted for endangered species law violations

of this act can be enforced and win on kauai then all other federal laws in regards to the cul;ture, environment, health safeety and well being and also civil rights should be able to prevail as well. there is hope now.

Hawaii school board considers closing Haleiwa Elementary | honoluluadvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

2010-05-19T09:44:00.000-07:00

Hawaii school board considers closing Haleiwa Elementary | honoluluadvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

blog on this coming soon. i will add to this later.

imopeach the goveror

Wailua path project delayed amid Hawaiian protest

2010-05-19T09:28:00.000-07:00

Wailua path project delayed amid Hawaiian protest

Posted up[ on Jopans blog under an assumed name, since everyone always blasts me apart wh4n I post on that blog.

Hats of and a deep respectful bow to the TRUE heroes of Kauai. The ones that step forward and put themselves on the line to stand up for their beliefs. The ones who are truly passionate and care about our island.

Anyone who thinks that white burials would be treated the same is clearly completely delusional and has no sense of the reality of what is going on.

Further the ENTIRE area of Wailua is SACRED. Period. No discussion, no debate.

The path is not meant to benefit all of the people of Kauai. The reason I say this is because it is not respecting all of the people of Kauai. It is not accessible to all of the people of Kauai in an equitable manner. It is not transportation and recreation but is now a multi use path, rather then giving a soft path for animals, running parralel including horses which are banned but dogs are not.

This path is like an arrow into the peoples heart. And its aim is swift and true. Take the clearest path to your goal no matier what, or who stand in your way. Somehow this is suppposed to equate it to a noble endeavor.

How does this path show our keiki to respect the aina? IT teaches them that concrete rules. That in order to have a place to play or ride their bikes they must travel long distances to enjoy the benefits. That anyone can do anything to their families bones because they are not respected,and their families don't even count as even deserving of the barest human dignity. These are the lessons the kids are learning from this poorly planned albatross hanging around our necks. No offense to the albatross.

This whole thing angers and sickens me. Taking something that began so simply and for a good cause, a bike path for transportation and recreation, and then just using it as a sledgehammer against everyone and causing all of this mess and conhusion just because a few people had their vision and plans and then started to cater to one certain group while shutting out everyone else is just a total debacle. This path will be a battle all the way to its bitter end. And will cause numerous lawsuits, numerous complaints, numerous heart aches and tragedies. Rather then planning the path in an intelligent and sensitive way, it has instead become a political statement weapon and tool.

Shame on everyone AUWE.

(check out Joan COnrows excellent blkog at Kauai Eclectic

My take on the Political Congressional Debates and the Democratic Party

2010-05-06T14:19:00.000-07:00

I would never n a million years vote for Ed Case. He got his chance we sent him home. I am by no means a tow the line Dem, and I often have not seen Colleen as personable enough and I have had major issues with her speaking style. But to let Djou in the door would be like letting Lingle Lunacy continue.

SO what do I do as a Democrat? I personally don't care what the Oahu centralized polls say. I will go with Colleen. It wont split the votes enough, because the Republicans can't vote for Case. Essentially the conservative wing of the Democratic party will vote for him. Virtually every single former Republican who has switched to the Democratic party will vote for Case. The more liberal and progressive voters will vote with Colleen.

It will be very telling to see just how the Republicans have infiltrated and very successfully the Democratic Party.

Just look at our current Mayoral race. I once told everyone I knew, watch if in 2010 the Republicans do not run a Mayoral candidate. If they don't it proves that their stranglehold on the Mayors administration is extremely strong. So strong and confident and blatent about it that they have no need to even run a candidate. They already have one. The Mayor. He is a Democrat. See the picture yet? Our party needs a major purging, period.

I think our party needs an enormous wake up call in this state. We have cow towed and bent over for conservative values and ideas for far too long.

For me the biggest issue is former Republicans who change parties and waltz into public office. To me that is highly repugnant.

We need to send the Republicans in Democratic sheeps clothing back to the "Party of Me, the GOP" and get back to the core values of the Democratic party which is to fight for and support the real people of this country, and to truly believe in equality equity and civil rights.

No one who voted against civil unions, or who has voted in favor of bills for creating laws that discriminate against people should be in public office period. I will not be supporting any Democratic candidate who has voted against the civil, equal rights of anyone or been a party to creating laws and voting in favor of laws that discriminate.

Don't be surprised who steps forward in the next election cycle. You can take that anyway you want to.

I hope my party heard that loud and clear. We need to get back to the party of Kennedy in this state.
We need to walk our walk. We need to stop pretending to be Democrats and start voting like Democrats.

It is my opinion that a third party would be very good for this country. Although I myself would not switch, I feel that can go two ways. Extreme Liberalism, and extreme Conservatism. We may even get 2 strong independent parties that can jostle with each other. Who knows, with more strong political parties in this country we may see much better who is actually for what. It may pull votes from both parties but it may also strengthen both parties.

If the conservative Democrats were to leave the Democratic party, and the Liberal thinking Republicans, and the ultra right wing militants were to leave the Republican party, you might actually see the two parties revamp themselves into a more purer form of what each party actually is supposed to represent.

To me, that can only enrich the political landscape. For me as a Democrat I would feel much better as well as I feel the quality of candidates would improve and confusing rhetoric would be lessoned. I believe strongly in the real Democratic party and I hope one day to see it return to its pure form.

Hawaii homelessness still rising in wake of recession's job cuts | honoluluadvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

2010-05-05T13:43:00.000-07:00

Hawaii homelessness still rising in wake of recession's job cuts | honoluluadvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

AND THIS IS WHY AND HOW THEY ARE SETTING THE STAGE FOR H)(OUSING EVICITONS ACROSS THE STATE> THEY WILL BE MAKING AN ARNITRARY NUMBER TO ECVICT CURRENT RESIDENTS TO MAKE WAY FOR THOSE ON THE STREET WHO HAVE NO OTHER OPTION THEN PUBLIC HOUSING< FURTHER THEY WILL BE ASKING FOR CREDIT CHECKS NOW> SOMETHING NEW HOMELESS ARE HAVING HUGFGE ISSUES WITH SINCE MOST ARE BEHIND IN THEIR BILLS> THEY ALSO CONTACT PAST LADLORDS TO ASK ABOUT PAYING RENT BEFORE> SO U SEE THIS IS A VISCIOUS CYCLES PERPETUATED BY THIS STATE TO DESTROY THE POOR> JION ME NEXT WEEK FOR A WEEK OF PROTESTS> WE WILL BE AT THE KAUAI STATE BUILDING STEPS> BRING SIGNS SAYING STOP THE WAR AGAINET HE POOR> WE WILL BE THERe EVERY DAY FROM 9 until 4 pm

MAHALO

AP

Letters for Tuesday, May 4, 2010

2010-05-04T13:47:00.000-07:00

Letters for Tuesday, May 4, 2010

I am sure all of the people who have stepped all over me through the years, talked down to me, condescended me, and brought me to tears are not so happy about m,y finally coming clean with what really goes on.

However, when a COuncilmember sees fit to call a meeting then stack the stable, and bring me to tears in front of my own daughter, and a county official decides that screaming in my face after the cameras gop off at a public meeting, thats what you get.

Now, maybe, poeple will think twice before disrepspecting myself and the people i am fighting for. The gloves are off. From now on, if you treat me with disrespect I will let the public know all about it.

HUGE mahalos for printing the letter. It should poiss of a LOT of poeple. Good.

Bring it on I can take it

EXTREMELY STRONG LANGUAGE ADVISORY NOT SUITABLE FOR MINORS TO WATCH YOU HAVE NO RIGHTS - George Carlin

2010-05-03T18:01:00.000-07:00

YES GEORGE CARLIN I LOVE THIS MAN.

THis is how I feel about the CURERENT ADMINISTRATION RUNNING THWE STATE OF HAWAII

bless u George..RIP my bruthah

The Battle for America Montage

2010-05-03T17:37:00.000-07:00

JOIN MER> STAND UP NOW IT IS NOW ROUND TWO HELP ME AND JOIN ME IN FIGHTINTG THE WAR AGAINST THE POOR> THAT INCLUDES THE WORKING POOR AS WELL> ELDERLY DISABLED SINGLE PARENTS LOW INCOME

THERE WILL BE A WEEK LONG OF PROTESTS STARTING NEXT WEEK ALL ARWE WELCOME ALL ISSUES STATE BUILDING STEPS KAUAI HAWAII>

SINCERELY ANNE PINOHU

HOUSING DISCRIMINATION METING NO MENTION OF OUR COALITION-LETTER TO THE GI

2010-05-02T02:51:00.000-07:00

The coverage on the Discrimination in Housing meeting., in what I am sure was an unintentional oversight by the Garden Island Newspaper that our coalition was not mentioned. We worked for over a year to get a bill drafted, passed, a coalition formed, hold meetings, gather evidence, and garner support for a bill that would have prevented Housing Discrimination in advertising.

Our coalition started with 2 members. Myself and my daughter. We combed 9 months of newspaper advertisements on Kauai showing blatent discrimination in housing. So blatent that many ads actually said “No HUD allowed.”. We made cold calls to people that put that in their advertisements, pretending to be different people. They made numerous statements of a clearly discriminatory nature. Many were racially motivated against local people. Many were discriminatory against women with children, the elderly and the handicapped. In particularly those on Social security. Some of the statements were beyond disgusting and very incindiary. We recorded the conversations by hand, and wrote out the scripts exactly as they occurred. We presented these scripts to politicians and others to explain what we had discovered and uncovered. I began to get other people that I knew in politics involved.

We held meetings, we talked on the radio about it and the Garden Island did help us out a lot in getting our fight into the paper. We had the support of the ACLU, the Legal Aid Society, OHA, shelters on Oahu, groups from all over Kauai and the state. We had support from congress, with Neil Ambercrombie writing us a letter of support on Congressional letterhead.

We had the support of Mina Morita who introduced the companion bill in the house. We also had the support of James Tokioka and Roland Sagum/ We had the support of three freshman councilmembers at the time, Lani Kawahara, and Dickie Chang. Derek Kawakami, and also from incumbant Tim Bynum. We had support from private citizens, and citizens groups.

My daughter, my neighbor who I recruited, and Joann Yukimura traveled to Oahu to fight for the Bill that Gary Hooser drafted, and introduced and I helped to write. I had meetings with the County Housing department.

Once I started meeting with the Housing department I started meeting major resistance to the bill. I was involved in a private meeting in council chambers, at which Dickie Chang, Jay Furfaro, The Heard of the Board of Realtors and the County Housing Department attended.

All were against the bill. They wanted to take out essentially the heart of the bill. My coalition would not back down . We knew that if the guts got ripped out of the bill, we wouldn't have anything. Councilmembers Jay Furfaro, The Kauai Board of Realtors Representative and the County Housing Agency would not support the bill. Our own housing agency actually wrote a letter against the bill.

Other housing agencies also either did not comment on the bill or wuld not support it. The State of Hawaii Board of Realotors went against the bill. The legislature passed it on to third reading with major changed that also ripped out the heart of the bill where it died and was not heard. The bill was defeated

My efforts at the County Council to propose a bill for Kauai the exact same bill proposed for the State Legislature and drafted to suit Kauai went no where. I could not even get on the agenda to discuss the issue. When I met in council chambers, I told everyone at that table this was a Federal violation. I told them the bill was written on solid law. I told them that eventually this woyld all come to a head, and come back to bite them eventually. I told them that people would eventually start filing lawsuits..

Unknown to them I had made many phone calls to the Federal Government Housing Agency, and lodged complaints as well. I encouraged people to phone in their complaints to Legal Aid. I tried to inform people with public meetings oh what their rights were. I would like to state that we are extremely grateful for the courage and tenacity of Legal Aid on this iissue and are grateful for their support of our efforts for the failed bill.

These efforts that we did, should be acknowledged for their merits. Many people put their neck on the line to support what myself and many others tried to do. Others stuck their heads in the sand.

Our coalition is still very active, and it is our clear intent to have the bill reintroduced after the Gubernatorial elections. We are currently staying on top of State Public Housing changes that we feel are extremely discriminatory. I did not attend the meeting on Friday because I have been ill. But to see that the Federal Representative finally told everyone what myself and our coalition had told them long before gave me a sense of accomplishment.

Now when our coalition says something perhaps people should pay a lot closer attention. And the housing agency in this state would do well to remember that our coalition is strong and still actively in this fight. I am very pleased with the tone of this meeting. Because it sheds a clear light on everything that we brought forth and fought for. I just want to thank everyone who helped myself and the supporters of our coalition. We are not done yet. We need to get this law passed in the legislature. Thank you for remembering us and our hard work.

Sincerely

Anne Punohu

Kauai Fair Housing Law Coalition

HERE IS THE BILL:

THE SENATE
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009
STATE OF HAWAII
JAN 23 1009
S.B. NO. tI~~
A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO DISCRIMINATION.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that low-income
2 individuals have an extremely difficult time finding affordable
3 rentals in Hawaii. This situation is made more frustrating when
4 housing vacancy advertisements discourage people from applying
5 by advertising "no section 8 accepted". At this time, in the
6 State of Hawaii, the law does not prohibit discrimination based
7 on lawful source of income. However, thirteen other states,
8 including California and Oregon, have prohibited this type of
9 income discrimination. Renters who participate in government
10 assistance programs, such as Housing Choice Vouchers, also known
11 as, section 8, should have an equal opportunity to find housing.
12 The purpose of this Act is to prohibit discrimination based
13 on lawful source of income in real estate transactions,
14 including advertising available rental units.
15 SECTION 2. Section 515-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
16 amended by adding a new definition to be appropriately inserted
17 and to read as follows:
2009-0451 SB SMA-l.doc

1 ""Source of income" means any lawful source of money paid
2 directly or indirectly to a renter or buyer of housing,
3 inc 1 uding :
4 (1) Any lawful profession or occupation;
5 (2) Any government or private assistance, grant, loan, or
6 rental assistance program, including low-income
7 housing assistance certificates and vouchers under the
8 United States Housing Act of 1937, as amended;
9 (3) Any gift, inheritance, pension, annuity, alimony,
10 child support, or other consideration or benefit; and
11 (4) Any sale or pledge of property or interest in
12 property. "
13 SECTION 3. Section 515-3, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
14 amended to read as follows:
15 "§SlS-3 Discriminatory practices. It is a discriminatory
16 practice for an owner or any other person engaging in a real
17 estate transaction, or for a real estate broker or salesperson,
18 because of race, sex, including gender identity or expression,
19 sexual orientation, color, religion, marital status, familial
20 status, ancestry, disability, age, source of income, or human
21 immunodeficiency virus infection:
2009-0451 SB SMA-l.doc

Page 3 S.B. NO. ~"G.
1 (1 ) To refuse to engage in a real estate transaction with
2 a person;
3 (2) To discriminate against a person in the terms,
4 conditions, or privileges of a real estate transaction
5 or in the furnishing of facilities or services in
6 connection therewith;
7 (3) To refuse to receive or to fail to transmit a bona
8 fide offer to engage in a real estate transaction from
9 a person;
10 (4 ) To refuse to negotiate for a real estate transaction
11 with a person;
12 (5 ) To represent to a person that real property is not
13 available for inspection, sale, rental, or lease when
14 in fact it is available, or to fail to bring a
15 property listing to the person's attention, or to
16 refuse to permit the person to inspect real property,
17 or to steer a person seeking to engage in a real
18 estate transaction;
19 (6 ) To print, circulate, post, or mail, or cause to be
20 published a statement, advertisement, or sign, or to
21 use a form of application for a real estate
22 transaction, or to make a record or inquiry in
2009-0451 SB SMA-l.doc

1 connection with a prospective real estate transaction,
2 that indicates, directly or indirectly, an intent to
3 make a limitation, specification, or discrimination
4 with respect thereto;
5 (7 ) To offer, solicit, accept, use, or retain a listing of
6 real property with the understanding that a person may
7 be discriminated against in a real estate transaction
8 or in the furnishing of facilities or services in
9 connection therewith;
10 (8 ) To refuse to engage in a real estate transaction with
11 a person or to deny equal opportunity to use and enjoy
12 a housing accommodation due to a disability because
13 the person uses the services of a guide dog, signal
14 dog, or service animal; provided that reasonable
15 restrictions or prohibitions may be imposed regarding
16 excessive noise or other problems caused by those
17 animals. For the purposes of this paragraph:
18 IIBlind ll shall be as defined in section 235-1;
19 IIDeaf ll shall be as defined in section 235-1;
20 IIGuide dog ll means any dog individually trained by
21 a licensed guide dog trainer for guiding a blind
2009-0451 SB SMA-l.doc

Page 5 S.B. NO.
1 person by means of a harness attached to the dog and a
2 rigid handle grasped by the personj
3 "Reasonable restriction" shall not include any
4 restriction that allows any owner or person to refuse
5 to negotiate or refuse to engage in a real estate
6 transactionj provided that as used in this paragraph:
7 the "reasonableness" of a restriction shall be
8 examined by giving due consideration to the needs of a
9 reasonable prudent person in the same or similar
10 circumstances. Depending on the circumstances, a
11 "reasonable restriction" may require the owner of the
12 service animal, guide dog, or signal dog to comply
13 with one or more of the following:
14 (A) Observe applicable laws including leash laws and
15 pick-up lawsj
16 (B) Assume responsibility for damage caused by the
17 dogj or
18 ( C) Have the housing unit cleaned upon vacating by
19 fumigation, deodorizing, professional carpet
20 cleaning, or other method appropriate under the
21 circumstances.
2009-0451 SB SMA-l.doc

Page 6 S.B. NO.
1 The foregoing list is illustrative only, and neither
2 exhaustive nor mandatorYi
3 "Service animal" means any animal that is trained
4 to provide those life activities limited by the
5 disability of the personi
6 "Signal dog" means any dog that is trained to
7 alert a deaf person to intruders or soundsi
8 (9 ) To solicit or require as a condition of engaging in a
9 real estate transaction that the buyer, renter, or
10 lessee be tested for human immunodeficiency virus
11 infection, the causative agent of acquired
12 immunodeficiency syndromei
13 (10) To refuse to permit, at the expense of a person with a
14 disability, reasonable modifications to existing
15 premises occupied or to be occupied by the person if
16 modifications may be necessary to afford the person
17 full enjoyment of the premises. A real estate broker
18 or salesperson, where it is reasonable to do so, may
19 condition permission for a modification on the person
20 agreeing to restore the interior of the premises to
21 the condition that existed before the modification,
22 reasonable wear and tear exceptedi
2009-0451 SB SMA-l.doc
(11) To refuse to make reasonable accommodations in rules,
2 policies, practices, or services, when the
3 accommodations may be necessary to afford a person
4 with a disability equal opportunity to use and enjoy a
5 housing accommodation;
6 (12) In connection with the design and construction of
7 covered multifamily housing accommodations for first
8 occupancy after March 13, 1991, to fail to design and
9 construct housing accommodations in [SB€fi] a manner
10 that:
11 (A) The housing accommodations have at least one
12 accessible entrance, unless it is impractical to
13 do so because of the terrain or unusual
14 characteristics of the site; and
15 (B) with respect to housing accommodations with an
16 accessible building entrance:
17 (i) The public use and common use portions of
18 the housing accommodations are accessible to
19 and usable by disabled persons;
20 (ii) Doors allow passage by persons in
21 wheelchairs; and
2009-0451 SB SMA-l.doc
Page 8 S.B. NO.
1 (iii) All premises within covered multifamily
2 housing accommodations contain an accessible
3 route into and through the housing
4 accommodationsi light switches, electrical
5 outlets, thermostats, and other
6 environmental controls are in accessible
7 locationsi reinforcements in the bathroom
8 walls allow installation of grab barsi and
9 kitchens and bathrooms are accessible by
10 wheelchairi or
11 (13) To discriminate against or deny a person access to, or
12 membership or participation in any multiple listing
13 service, real estate broker's organization, or other
14 service, organization, or facility involved either
15 directly or indirectly in real estate transactions, or
16 to discriminate against any person in the terms or
17 conditions of [SBefi] access, membership, or
18 participation."
19 SECTION 4. Section 515-4, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
20 amended to read as follows:
21 1I§51S-4 Exemptions. (a) Section 515-3 does not apply:
2009-0451 SB SMA-1.doc

Page 9 S.B. NO.
1 (1) To the rental of a housing accommodation in a building
2 which contains housing accommodations for not more
3 than two families living independently of each other
4 if the lessor resides in one of the housing
5 accommodations; or
6 (2) To the rental of a room or up to four rooms in a
7 housing accommodation by an individual if the
8 individual resides therein.
9 (b) Nothing in section 515-3 shall be deemed to prohibit
10 refusal, because of sex, including gender identity or
11 expression, sexual orientation, or marital status, to rent or
12 lease housing accommodations:
13 (1) Owned or operated by a religious institution and used
14 for church purposes as that term is used in applying
15 exemptions for real property taxes; or
16 (2) Which are part of a religiously affiliated institution
17 of higher education housing program which is operated
18 on property that the institution owns or controls, or
19 which is operated for its students pursuant to Title
20 IX of the Higher Education Act of 1972.
2009-0451 SB SMA-1.doc

1 (c) Nothing in this chapter regarding familial status or
2 age shall apply to housing for older persons as defined by 42
3 United States Code section 3607(b) (2).
4 (d) Nothing in section 515-3 shall be deemed to prohibit a
5 person from determining the ability of a potential buyer or
6 renter to pay a purchase price or rent by:
7 (1) Verifying, in a commercially reasonable manner, the
8 source and amount of income of the potential buyer or
9 renter; or
10 (2) Evaluating, in a commercially reasonable manner, the
11 stability, security, and credit worthiness of the
12 potential buyer or renter or any source of income of
13 the potential buyer or renter.
14 (e) The prohibition against discrimination based on source
15 of income shall not prevent a person from refusing to consider
16 income derived from any criminal acti vi ty. "
17 SECTION 5. Section 515-5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
18 amended to read as follows:
19 n§515-5 Discriminatory financial practices. It is a
20 discriminatory practice for a person, a representative of [SBefi]
21 ~ person, or a real estate broker or salesperson, to whom an
22 inquiry or application is made for financial assistance in
2009-0451 SB SMA-l.doc

Page 11 S.B. NO.
1 connection with a real estate transaction or for the
2 construction, rehabilitation, repair, maintenance, or
3 improvement of real property, because of race, sex, including
4 gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, color,
5 religion, marital status, familial status, ancestry, disability,
6 age, source of income, or human immunodeficiency virus
7 infection:
8 (1 ) To discriminate against the applicant;
9 (2 ) To use a form of application for financial assistance
10 or to make or keep a record or inquiry in connection
11 with applications for financial assistance that
12 indicates, directly or indirectly, an intent to make a
13 limitation, specification, or discrimination unless
14 the records are required by federal law;
15 (3) To discriminate in the making or purchasing of loans
16 or the provision of other financial assistance for
17 purchasing, constructing, improving, repairing, or
18 maintaining a dwelling, or the making or purchasing of
19 loans or the provision of other financial assistance
20 secured by residential real estate; or
21 (4 ) To discriminate in the selling, brokering, or
22 appraising of residential real property."
2009-0451 SB SMA-l.doc

Page 12 S.B. NO.
1 SECTION 6. Section 515-6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
2 amended by amending subsections (a) and (b) to read as follows:
3 "(a) Every provision in an oral agreement or a written
4 instrument relating to real property that purports to forbid or
5 restrict the conveyance, encumbrance, occupancy, or lease
6 thereof to individuals because of race, sex, including gender
7 identity or expression, sexual orientation, color, religion,
8 marital status, familial status, ancestry, disability, age,
9 source of income, or human immunodeficiency virus infection, is
10 void.
11 (b) Every condition, restriction, or prohibition,
12 including a right of entry or possibility of reverter, that
13 directly or indirectly limits the use or occupancy of real
14 property on the basis of race, sex, including gender identity or
15 expression, sexual orientation, color, religion, marital status,
16 familial status, ancestry, disability, age, source of income, or
17 human immunodeficiency virus infection is void, except a
18 limitation, on the basis of religion, on the use of real
19 property held by a religious institution or organization or by a
20 religious or charitable organization operated, supervised, or
21 controlled by a religious institution or organization, and used
22 for religious or chari table purposes."
2009-0451 SB SMA-l.doc

Page 13 S.B. NO. 4~~
1 SECTION 7. Section 515-7, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
2 amended to read as follows:
3 1I§515-7 Blockbusting. It is a discriminatory practice for
4 a person, representative of a person, or a real estate broker or
5 salesperson, for the purpose of inducing a real estate
6 transaction from which the person, representative, or real
7 estate broker or salesperson may benefit financially, because of
8 race, sex, including gender identity or expression, sexual
9 orientation, color, religion, marital status, familial status,
10 ancestry, disability, age, source of income, or human
11 immunodeficiency virus infection:
12 (1 ) To represent that a change has occurred or will or may
13 occur in the composition of the owners or occupants in
14 the block, neighborhood, or area in which the real
15 property is located; or
16 (2 ) To represent that this change will or may result in
17 the lowering of property values, an increase in
18 criminal or antisocial behavior, or a decline in the
19 quality of schools in the block, neighborhood, or area
20 in which the real property is located."
21 SECTION 8. Section 515-16, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
22 amended to read as follows:
2009-0451 SB SMA-l.doc
Page 14 S.B. NO.
1 "§515-16 Other discriminatory practices. It is a
2 discriminatory practice for a person, or for two or more persons
3 to conspire:
4 (1 ) To retaliate, threaten, or discriminate against a
5 person because of the exercise or enjoyment of any
6 right granted or protected by this chapter, or because
7 the person has opposed a discriminatory practice, or
8 because the person has made a charge, filed a
9 complaint, testified, assisted, or participated in an
10 investigation, proceeding, or hearing under this
11 chapteri
12 (2) To aid, abet, incite, or coerce a person to engage in
13 a discriminatory practicei
14 (3 ) To interfere with any person in the exercise or
15 enjoyment of any right granted or protected by this
16 chapter or with the performance of a duty or the
17 exercise of a power by the commissioni
18 (4 ) To obstruct or prevent a person from complying with
19 this chapter or an order issued thereunderi
20 (5) To intimidate or threaten any person engaging in
21 activities designed to make other persons aware of, or
2009-0451 SB SMA-l.doc

Page 15 S.B. NO.
1 encouraging [SB€fi] other persons to exercise rights
2 granted or protected by this chapteri or
3 (6 ) To threaten, intimidate or interfere with persons in
4 their enjoyment of a housing accommodation because of
5 the race, sex, color, religion, marital status,
6 familial status, ancestry, disability, age, source of
7 income, or human immunodeficiency virus infection of
8 [SB€fi] the persons, or of visitors or associates of
9 [SB€fi] the persons."
10 SECTION 9. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed
11 and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
12 SECTION 10. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
13
INTRODUCED BY:
2009-0451 SB SMA-I.doc
S.B. NO. C, S-'
Report Title:
Discrimination in Real Property Transactions; Source of Income
Description:
Prohibits discrimination in real property transactions based on
lawful source of income.
2009-0451 SB SMA-l.doc

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

2010-04-30T12:34:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-30T12:02:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-30T11:59:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-30T11:56:00.000-07:00

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

WOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

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

2010-04-12T13:01:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-04-12T12:47:00.000-07:00

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.

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

2010-04-11T13:56:00.000-07:00

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

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

2010-04-10T12:32:00.000-07:00

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.

GREAT SITE FEATURES MY BLOG AT BLOG AWARDS

2010-04-09T14:35:00.001-07:00

http://hp-ink-cartridges.org/blog_awards/index.php?id=21636

REPUBS OPPOSE EDUCATION IN SEX EDUCATION

2010-04-09T13:10:00.000-07:00

TEH EDUCATION INCLUDES INFORMATION IN REGARDS TO DRUGS AND NOT USING THEM< PROTECTION AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE< AND USING PROTECTION

REPUBS SEND THREATENING LETTER TO TEACHERS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS

FACT CHECKING SARAH PALINS LATEST RANT OF SARCASTIC VITRIOL

2010-04-09T12:56:00.001-07:00

FACT CHECKING TO FOLLOW

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

2010-04-08T19:36:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-08T15:57:00.000-07:00

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

Joan Conrow
Apr 7, 2010 |

Image: Caren Diamond

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

2010-04-08T14:43:00.000-07:00

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

IMPEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

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

2010-04-07T15:24:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-07T14:26:00.000-07:00

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.

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

2010-04-05T18:14:00.000-07:00

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

About that Hippocratic Oath....

2010-04-04T15:25:00.001-07:00

About that Hippocratic Oath....

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Obama health care supporters: Florida doctor tells Obama health care supporters to go elsewhere - OrlandoSentinel.com

2010-04-04T15:23:00.001-07:00

Obama health care supporters: Florida doctor tells Obama health care supporters to go elsewhere - OrlandoSentinel.com

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2010-04-04T15:06:00.001-07:00

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Posted using ShareThis

2010-04-04T15:04:00.001-07:00

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Hannemann appearance on Kaua‘i draws crowd

2010-03-29T15:01:00.000-07:00

Hannemann appearance on Kaua‘i draws crowd

I will not be voting for Hanneman. I do not live on Oahu I live on Kauai the outer islands have been ignored long enough. I will not vote for a conservative right leaning democrat that will not support civil rights for gays, and the homeless. Mufi has been an outspoken advocat AGAINST gay rights and has treated the homeless in hi9s own city as a less then human annoyance, like garbage littering the street. I will not be voiting for him. In my opinion he is not even center, and certainly not left of center. The republicans will LOVE Mufi as Governor. I have had enough of right leaning leaders thank you. My vote is for Neil Ambercrombie. If Mufi gets elected, trust me, I will be really annoying this guy to either get with the Democratic party platform of equity equality and compassion or go to the Republican party. I will not tolerate a theocratical hypocritical view of the world and the people of this state any longer I have lived through it and suffered through it for the last eight years. Lingles term as Governor can be describes as nothing short of Abusive to the people. We need a Governor who will appreciate and elevate the outer islands to equal standing on Oahu not treat us like second class citizens beholden to Oahu. NOPE. I say no to Mufi. And i doubt he can change my mind before the election.

3 new KIUC directors elected

2010-03-29T14:40:00.000-07:00

3 new KIUC directors elected

Its not so easy to run for elected office. People who make it look easy, have practiced, know the issues, been out in the community attending meetings and doing the background work on issues. If you are not used to public speaking, my suggestions are to take a course at KCC to learn how to do it better. I did. I got an A!

Also, make sure you attend meetings. A lot of peiple do not know what is really going on at board meetings and things while others have done their homework or can site statistics to discuss talking points this is important in any debate. Knowing both sides of an issue is imperative to make informed and intelligent decisions. Something that more of our elected officials should try and learn.

So if the forum was stressful, just go back to the drawing board and try again. If you had enough guts to run the first time and you dont make it thats quitting when you could be a great contributor to the issues and the organization. I never quit. And i hardly ever succeed. But one day I will. You don;t get anywhere by giving up because it was hard one time. You have to keep trying. Thats why we dont have more people coming out for elected offices, and when they do its hard, so they quit.

In regards to Par Kegan, I am very dissapointed he did not win. But I think not enough people knew who he was yet. That will change. Pat will continue to put himself out there, and I think that he will be successful in the end. Go Pat, keep trying.

Well i have said my piece on this. Hope KIUC can shake things up and turn things around on Kauai, and stand FIRM on environemental responsibility.

Mother, calf spend day in harbor

2010-03-29T14:26:00.000-07:00

Mother, calf spend day in harbor

State resolution touts cockfighting as cultural activity

2010-03-29T14:22:00.000-07:00

State resolution touts cockfighting as cultural activity

Environmental groups sue KIUC

2010-03-29T14:18:00.000-07:00

Environmental groups sue KIUC

Raids target Christian militia in Midwest - CNN.com

2010-03-28T16:53:00.000-07:00

Raids target Christian militia in Midwest - CNN.com

'Devastating' layoffs loom in school districts statewide :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Education

2010-03-27T16:00:00.000-07:00

'Devastating' layoffs loom in school districts statewide :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Education

IN OTHER STATES THEY FIGHT ARE WE FIGHTING HARD ENOUGH? ARE PARENTS AND STUDENTS GETTING OUT INTO THE STREETS IN HAWAII OR ARE WE JUST GOING TO CONTINUE TO LET THEM ROLL ALL OVER US??

Democrats Find Their Mojo

2010-03-27T15:55:00.000-07:00

Democrats Find Their Mojo

Did Rep Mizuno say something wrong? NO I heard him.

2010-03-27T13:14:00.000-07:00

I was sitting in the very fromt seat of the March 10 meeting on Kauai. At no time did Representative Mizuno reference Linda Lingle, or single her out as the one who was giving contracts to freinds. He was speaking in general terms about the process and what happens sometimes with privatization.

I do not here what some poeple heard, this is the way I heard what he said. He did not say "Governor Linda Lingle is giving contracts to her freinds."

What he said was about process. "When privatization happens, its usually about taking care of your freinds.".

He did not say Linda Lingle was doing this. He was speaking in general terms.

How strange that she jumped on this statement, and missed everything else that was said in that meeting, including Cabanillas statements regarding public housing, which were more shocking thenn anything else in the whole meeting in my opinion.

Why dont you be shocked about important things, Lingle like shifting out housing residents who havent done anything wrong just becaue you think they have been there too long. Put them on the street to shift in the ones who are there now? Where do you poeple come up with this stuff.

Please do not make everybody go out and find out how many azssociates and campaign supporters of yours have copntracts with this state.

The question is not if Mizuno actually said these statements but if they are true. In my opinion I am sure your hands are not clean in this matter. If they were you would not be making such a fuss. Me thinks you doth protest too much.

Hawaii's Homeless - Starbulletin.com

2010-03-27T13:06:00.000-07:00

Hawaii's Homeless - Starbulletin.com

READ THIS EXCELLENT TREATMENT ON THE SUBJECT

The Furlough Friday Rap

2010-03-27T12:55:00.000-07:00

The Furlough Friday Rap

THanks to Damon Tuckers blog and POINOGRAPHY haha

Hawaii legislators considering 'safe zones' for homeless | honoluluadvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

2010-03-27T12:40:00.000-07:00

Hawaii legislators considering 'safe zones' for homeless | honoluluadvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

Well the state has plans to evict LAW ABIDING RESIDENTS, just because according to them "They have been there too long, and we need the other poeple to come in off the street so they need to go." This applies even if you have been following the rules and paying your rent its not just about evicting people who on'rt pay their rent. They are going to make an arbitrary number, make it retroactive and say that everyone who has been living in housing, say oh for 10 years or more has to leave. They dont care where you go, you just have to leave.

It was confirmed to me by a credible source that housing would be offered to wealthier tenants because "The poor will emulate the rich when the rich live in public housing". This is a world for word quote from a public elected official. Further, the elected official went on to say that we would evict, and also get out those poeple that have been living there "intergenerationally". IE, the children and grandchildren are living in the units with say the mother.

Well, this brilliant plan forgets one simple fact. Public housing is the last option before homelessness. The next stop is the beach. It is the only housing where credit checks cant be used currently to keep you out. Now they will be doping even that. Iys the last place where you can truly only pay 30 percent of whatever money you have coming to you which in a lot of cases is really only a couple of hundred dollars or less even, when people are on a fixed income. A lot of housing
residents are women fleeing domestic violence with all of their children, or elderly residents and disabled. I was told by this same official, that elderly and disabled "will be given an apartment becasue they can never contribute to society really so we will just give them an apartment and thats it". These cold, heartless statements you would think came from a Republican, right? Wrong they came from a Democrat. A democrat i had always considered a freind to our cause. Not any more. If this is how the so called democrats feel imagine how the republicans feel.

Im sure shipping everybody off in trains to concentration camps would suit them just fine. If this angers you now is the time to stand up and do something about it NOW. Dpnt just wait to be sitting on the beach with your family after you have done nothing wrong being herded into a shelter like cattle to await your fate.

RIGHT WING EXTREMISTS,AND INDEPENDENT DOMESTIC TERRORISTS THREATEN CONGRESS WITH SHOOTINGS< BRICKS AND THREATENING PHONE CALLS. IS THIS IA THIRD WORLD COUNTRY? NOPE ITS AMERICA PEOPLE ACCORDING TO THE REPUBLICAN RADICAL RIGHT THEY WANT ARMED INSURRECTION AND A CIVIL WAR WATCH THESE VIDEOS NOW!! FRESH FROM CNN

2010-03-25T14:13:00.000-07:00

UNBELEIVABLE ARREST ALL AS DOMESTIC TERRORISTS THESE ARE RACISTS HATEMONGERS AND CRAZY LUNATICS TO SAY YOU ARE FOR LIFE YET YOU CAN ONLY SPEAK ABOUT DEATH YOU ARE FOUL LIARS AND YOUR RHETORIC IS MOOT DUE TO YOUR HYPOCRACY ANYONE WHO THREATENS A MEMBER OF CONGRESS LIKE THIS SHOULD BE ARRESTED JAILED AND TRIED IN A COURT OF LAW>

House GOP leader says bullet fired into office after health care vote - CNN.com

2010-03-25T14:01:00.000-07:00

House GOP leader says bullet fired into office after health care vote - CNN.com

I DISAGREE WITH CANTOR I BELEIVE THAT THIS DOES NEED TO BE BROUGHT OUT INTO THE OPEN<> IT DOES HAVE TO STOP> THE LEADERS OF THE TEA PARTY<> OH YEAH THROW RUSH INTO THAT MIX AS WELL> THEN GO AND GET KKK CLAN LEADERS<> NOT LAYING DOWN LIKE WHIPPED DOGS AND SAYING OH NO DONT SAY ANYTHING WHEN YOUR CONGRESSIONAL OFFICE GETS SHOT UP OR YOUR FAMILY MEMEBRS GET HURT OR GOD FORBID SOMEONE DIES THE RIGHT TO EBAR ARMS NDOES NOT INCLUDE THE RIGHT TO ARMED INSURRECTION> ARE THE OATHKEEPERS THERE TO STOP THIS OR HELP IT? THINK PEOPLE THESE PEOPLE ARE SERIOUS THEY DONT LIKE OBAMA THEY DONT WANT EQUALITY THEY HATE PEOPLE THEY HATE YOU> CANTOR IS WRONG HE IS JUST SCARED THATS ALL DONT BE SCARED EXPOSE THE COCKROAChES TO THE LIGHT OF DAY

Washington (CNN) -- Rep. Eric Cantor, the No. 2 Republican in the House of Representatives, said Thursday that a bullet had been fired through a window at his campaign office in Richmond, Virginia.

A Richmond police spokeswoman confirmed to CNN that a bullet was fired at the congressman's office. "We are investigating the circumstance surrounding it," spokeswoman Karla Peters said.

Cantor also said that he had received threatening messages but that he would not publicly release the messages out of concern that doing so would only incite further violence.

He also accused Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine and Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland -- a member of the Democratic House leadership -- of "fanning the flames" of violence by using threats that have been made against Democratic members "as political weapons."

"Enough is enough," Cantor said. "It has to stop."

Video: Health care fight turns ugly

Video: Health reform triggers hate

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Democratic National Committee spokesman Brad Woodhouse hit back against Cantor's claims.

"We disagree with the charge made by Rep. Cantor today that Democrats are using acts of violence for political gain," he said. "Let's be clear: Calling on Republican leaders who have contributed in part to this anger by wildly mischaracterizing the substance and motives of health reform to condemn these acts is entirely appropriate."

More than 10 Democrats have reported trouble since the weekend health care vote, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland, told reporters Wednesday.

Windows have been smashed at Democratic offices in at least three states, and federal agents are investigating whether a cut gas line at the home of a Virginia congressman's brother was related to the lawmaker's yes vote.

Democratic congressional leaders have demanded Republicans join them in condemning a spate of threats and vandalism that has followed Sunday's vote on a sweeping overhaul of the U.S. health care system.

The FBI is now looking into the threats, and at least 10 House Democrats have been given extra security.

The threats are especially vicious for Michigan's Bart Stupak, who switched his vote to seal the deal for the bill. He has released a threatening voice mail that he received.

"Stupak, you are a lowlife, baby-murdering scumbag, pile of steaming crap. You're a cowardly punk, Stupak, that's what you are. You and your family are scum," an unidentified caller said. "That's what you are, Stupak. You are a piece of crap."

"Go to hell, you piece of [expletive deleted]" another called said.

In Virginia, Albemarle County fire marshals and the FBI are looking into the slashing of a propane gas line outside the home of Rep. Tom Perriello's brother, the congressman's office said.

A Perriello aide told CNN that the line to a propane tank on the brother's gas grill had been severed after the brother's home address was posted online by a Tea Party activist. Lee Catlin, a spokesman for the fire marshal's office, said the incident "did not involve an immediate threat to occupants of the residence" but would disclose no details.

The county joined the investigation late Tuesday after a request from the FBI, Caitlin said. "Officials are taking the incident very seriously and conducting a vigorous investigation," he said.

On Sunday, Democratic Rep. Russ Carnahan of Missouri had a coffin placed on his lawn, said his spokeswoman, Sarah Howard. She said Tea Party protesters at his office in St. Louis had a coffin with them and later brought it to his house. The coffin was later removed, she said.

House Democratic Majority Whip James Clyburn, who is African-American, said he has received a fax in his office with a picture of a noose drawn on it and had threatening telephone calls at his home.

iReport: 'A very dangerous time for Obama,' Dem leaders

"We're giving aid and comfort to these people, and this stuff gets ratcheted up," Clyburn told CNN. "We in this Congress have got to come together in a bipartisan way and tamp this foolishness down. It doesn't make sense. That's not what a democracy is all about."

Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-New York, said a brick was thrown through a window at her Niagara Falls district office, and a message that referred to "snipers" was left at one of her campaign offices. In a written statement, she said GOP leaders have been "fanning the flames with coded rhetoric."

Slaughter said federal agents and local authorities were investigating the threat and vandalism at her offices.

The top Republican in the House, Minority Leader John Boehner, told reporters that he has urged opponents to demonstrate legally.

"I've made statements that I understand people are angry, but violence and threats are inappropriate and irresponsible," the Ohio congressman said. "If people are angry, they ought to register to vote and get involved in a campaign."

But Boehner, who compared the legislation's passage to "Armageddon," said Democrats had not complained to him that Republicans haven't been quick enough to condemn the threats and vandalism.

Democratic officials and liberal Web sites are also upset that Sarah Palin used an image of crosshairs in a Facebook post this week listing 20 vulnerable Democrats who voted for the legislation. She plans to target them this election year with money from her political action committee.

Palin's team is fighting claims that she is encouraging threats of violence. One House member mentioned her Facebook posting during a Wednesday meeting on safety concerns, a Democratic source told CNN's Dana Bash. Mention of the map brought audible groans to the room, the source said.

An adviser to Palin responded by pointing to several instances in which the former Alaska governor has urged supporters to focus their energies on civil debate and action at the ballot box, not extremist activities.

The white-hot rhetoric that dominated the last several months of debate on the historic health care bill culminated in unruly protests by the Tea Party movement at the Capitol over the weekend.

Three African-American House Democrats, including civil rights leader Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, reported protesters shouted racial slurs at them and spat at one of them, while Rep. Barney Frank, D-Massachusetts, an openly gay House member, had anti-gay slurs yelled at him.

Republican House members encouraged protesters outside and inside the House gallery, some of whom carried messages like "Vote no or else" or "If Brown won't stop it, a Browning will" -- a reference to newly elected Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown accompanied by a silhouette of a pistol.

Since the vote, an Alabama blogger has launched a "window war" against Democrats and has kept a tally of the recent incidents of damage.

And conservative talk show host Glenn Beck told his radio audience Monday that Democrats who supported the bill would be remembered as "an enemy of the republic" and "an enemy to the Constitution."

But he urged viewers of his Fox News television show Wednesday to avoid violence, because "radical" supporters of the Obama administration are counting on such attacks to discredit their opposition, he said.

"Not only is it completely nuts and wrong, it's exactly what they want," Beck said. He told viewers, "They are begging for it. You are being set up."

But in Kansas, Democrats in Wichita are seeking to raise money over a brick thrown through the window of the party headquarters.

"At first, we thought our office was just the object of a random act of bitter violence, but now we know that's not the case," the Sedgewick County Democratic Party's Web site said. "This attack was instigated, encouraged and directed by an ultra-right wing blogger and similar events occurred all over the country."

The Web site item asked for donations to "help us get back to work."

CNN's Deirdre Walsh, Dana Bash, Peter Hamby, Ed Hornick, Lesa Jansen and Tom Cohen contributed to this report.

Punohu's Politics, Environment and Culture Blog

Taking an extended hiatus

Fundraiser planned for Donovan’s funeral

Kukui‘ula Not Defferred-A Roundup Of Council Decorum

Dismantling the Mufi Hype

Kuku'iula 90 year reduction -Paanau low income hostage

Princeville Ag Gated Home in 25 Acre Tree Farm

Kaua'iCounty manager proposal killed-question will not be on the ballot this election cycle

Outing Myself- Pumpkin Crunch and the Kauai Beer Summit:The Backstory

Dear Mayor Carvalho, VETO the "TVR DUE PROCESS" Bill-a letter

SIGN THE PETITION TO VETO THE KAUAI TVR "DUE PROCESS BILL"http://vetotvrbill.WebStarts.com

ANNE PUNOHU'S FIRST OFFICIAL ENDORSEMENTS FOR COUNTY COUNCIL

Of TVR's, Farm Worker Housing, and other strange tales of Kaua'i

Palama 1

Mel Rapozo : Blog Just say NO to the TVR bill-TODAY AT COUNTY COUNCIL

Another Public Housing Whitewash Article, and I will be calling up Shaun on Monday!

Video: Watch the Shirley Sherrod Speech in Full | NAACP

URGENT NEWS FLASH: KUMU ILLEI BENIAMINA PASSED AWAY THIS MORNING HERE ON KAUAI AT APPROX> 10 AM.

Kamehameha admits another non-native Hawaiian student - Hawaii News - Staradvertiser.com

Akaka Bill amended to address State administration’s concerns

The governor's full civil-unions veto statement - Hawaii News - Staradvertiser.com

Kaua‘i lawmakers react

KAUAI INOA RULE AS THE MOI OF PAPA HEE NALU NSSA crowns

A retelling The Wailua Vigil-My Thoughts (From a Participant)

clip of Kawananakoa's controversial speech

Death by stoning imminent for Iranian woman, attorney says - CNN.com

The Heirs Of Hawaii: The Ruling House is Kauai - Maoliworld

HEWA Waimanalo homeless await rumored sweep - Hawaii News - Staradvertiser.com

Web site for public comment on UN Declaration | Indian Country Today | Content

Houselss, Homeless, Potato, Potah-to-Conference reeks of rotten eggs

Kingdom of Atooi: A New Synopsis, and a new name, Kamawailualanimoku

Insights on PBS Hawaii - Neighbor Island Mayors - June 24, 2010

Kaua'is TVR : Ag vs Vacation Rental "supplement". No Excuse for not being able to produce off the land.

Public input sought on strawberry guava plan

I do not endorse Mufi Hanneman for Governor

Civil unions' fate unknown - Hawaii News - Staradvertiser.com

Justice 'gave life to Hawaiian law' - Hawaii News - Staradvertiser.com

President Obama & the First Lady Hold LGBT Pride Reception

Faith group seeks new path as stone is moved - Hawaii News - Staradvertiser.com

stone is moved

More Photos

Democratic chief takes Mufi to the woodshed « Volcanic Ash

An Investigation: Who is the Ali'i Mo'i of the Mokupuni Of Kaua'i?

Just sayin' -- There's more to Hawaii than just Oahu

Lawmakers visit homeless to seek input on solutions | honoluluadvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

Some Hawaii homeless abuse state benefits, lawmakers say | honoluluadvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

Got WIndmills post, and my history with the "Olelo Hawai'i or the Hawaiian language

Hawaii cuts result in 10% fewer families taking preschool aid | honoluluadvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

KIUC indicted for endangered species law violations

Hawaii school board considers closing Haleiwa Elementary | honoluluadvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

Wailua path project delayed amid Hawaiian protest

My take on the Political Congressional Debates and the Democratic Party

Hawaii homelessness still rising in wake of recession's job cuts | honoluluadvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

Letters for Tuesday, May 4, 2010

EXTREMELY STRONG LANGUAGE ADVISORY NOT SUITABLE FOR MINORS TO WATCH YOU HAVE NO RIGHTS - George Carlin

The Battle for America Montage

HOUSING DISCRIMINATION METING NO MENTION OF OUR COALITION-LETTER TO THE GI

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

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

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

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

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

Large scale Commercial Ag worker issues-My thoughts.

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

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

GREAT SITE FEATURES MY BLOG AT BLOG AWARDS

REPUBS OPPOSE EDUCATION IN SEX EDUCATION

FACT CHECKING SARAH PALINS LATEST RANT OF SARCASTIC VITRIOL

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

Cut to the bones » Honolulu Weekly

Cut to the bones

“Serious deficiencies”

A failure of the state

A change in philosophy?

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

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

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

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

About that Hippocratic Oath....

Obama health care supporters: Florida doctor tells Obama health care supporters to go elsewhere - OrlandoSentinel.com

Palama ¹