KA LEO KAIĀULU - LETTERS

Ka Leo Kaiāulu

OHA reserves the right to edit all letters for length, defamatory and libelous material, and other objectionable content, and reserves the right not to print any submission. All letters must be typed, signed and not exceed 200 words. Letters cannot be published unless they include a telephone contact for verification. Send letters to Ka Wai Ola, 711 Kapi'olani Blvd., Ste. 500, Honolulu, HI 96813, or email kwo@oha.org.

Mahalo

I wanted to thank all of you, my husband Craig, families, my friends and those who donated to my brother Kaleo Hauanio and family for their two boys, Koa and Nalu, to receive specialized medical treatment at the Amen Clinic in California. For those of you who called and asked, “you going make a ho'olaule'a?” but donated anyway, and to those I don't know of, thank you all, from the bottom of my heart! An update of the boys' conditions will be shared sometime in the future. God bless all of you!

Gladys Brigham
OHA Hilo Office

TMT benefits all

There have been articles recently about the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) board evaluating Mauna Kea as a possible site. There is always controversy over development on the mountain – but what if, this time, we on the Big Island substantially benefited from it? What if we were able to use this opportunity to prepare ourselves, and our children, for the future?

What if the TMT coming here meant disadvantaged Hawaiian (and other race) students can attend Hawai'i Community College and the University of Hawai'i at Hilo for free?

What if we develop a pathway for local people to fill jobs during the extensive construction and operation of the telescope?

What if we collect all the funds attributable to astronomy and have that money administered by a group of wise people who are chosen specifically to allocate it to the education of this island's keiki?

What if these credible people fund education programs about the Hawaiian culture and Hawaiian language, and about traditional ways of sustainability, the sciences, job skills and other subjects that prepare our children for a new world where we, living on the island of Hawai'i, might have to survive on what exists here on our island?

And what if this organization exists far into the future and benefits many generations to come? It would be the best of the future and the best of the past. What if?

Richard Ha
Hamakua Springs Country Farms, president
Pepe'ekeo, Hawai'i Island

Hō'ike pilikia

I just read the line, “Local Republicans would like Native Hawaiians to consider that Sen. McCain represents Arizona – home to a large Native Indian population and has experience as chairman of the U.S. Senate Indian Affairs Committee,” on page 13 of the October issue.

Apparently local Republicans do not want readers to know that McCain promised Arizona “Indians” he would defend their rights and beliefs as senator, but upon election, immediately set about introducing and supporting bills to disenfranchise Native Americans.

For example, McCain introduced a bill to convert a Tonto Apache sacred site into a copper mine, and supported bills to divert headwaters from Fort Apache cornfields to golf courses and water parks in Maricopa County and quite notoriously supported the construction of a telescope on Mount Graham, one of the four sacred mountains to all southwestern tribes.

Worst of all, McCain supported bills granting states rights over Native American sovereignty, which means that tribes formerly impoverished paying white lawyers to defend their water, land, mineral and cultural rights in federal courts are now bankrupted paying white lawyers to defend their rights in state courts.

With McCain as president, OHA revenue would be frittered away like Kamehameha Schools, i.e., paying settlements and lawyer fees to white lawyers who file suit just to get rich.

Arizona Indians would not elect McCain “chief,” never mind “commander in chief!”

Rico Leffanta
Honolulu

'Hawaiian' convention?

I'm a kanaka from Moku o Keawe and attended the recent Native Hawaiian Convention to learn how I can help to heal my community. The conference was good, but I objected to the Council of Native Hawaiian Advancement's choice to invite Billy Kenoi, a candidate for mayor for Hawai'i County, to speak. 

The mayoral election this year is very important because two Native Hawaiian kāne representing two different forms of government are competing for the highest seat in Hawai'i County, where traffic, drugs, large-scale developments and over-population are negatively impacting our community.

For some reason, Kenoi was invited to speak at the convention but not candidate Angel Pilago. This seemed odd because Pilago has a long history of fighting for Hawaiian issues, is active in the community and lives the culture. Kenoi is an attorney who has never fought for Hawaiian issues, nor does he understand the key issues that affect kanaka, and he represents everything that is detrimental to Native Hawaiians. He supports large-scale development, dependence on imported foods, big-box stores and top-heavy government. If elected, he'll be another token Hawaiian who will always place native issues second to special interests.

Pilago has a proven track record of fighting for Native Hawaiian rights so he should've been the one to speak. Now I'm skeptical of motivations behind the conference. Next year CNHA should select a true Hawaiian representative to speak, or I won't attend the “Native Hawaiian” Convention.

Melvin Kealamoku
Moku o Keawe

Pa'ahao assault

To treat the sexual assault of a Hawaiian wahine inmate at Otter Creek Correctional Center by a male corrections officer as a misdemeanor exemplifies the mentality of those who run that private prison: those imprisoned are worthless and should be denied the basic human rights afforded them by the U.S. Constitution.

Instead of psychological counseling after the assault, the inmate was put in confinement where she had no one to console or counsel her; no one to listen to her stories of the nightmares she suffered. She did not tell her family for months. Her calls were heavily monitored and often disconnected.

The inmate would have had to be brain dead to refuse a transfer back to Hawai'i; she is not. However, the Department of Public Safety appeared never to think of the mental and physical health of the inmate who is apparently just a number.

The state spends more than $50 million annually to house about 2,000 state prisoners at privately run prisons on the U.S. continent. Perhaps in these rough economic times we should be seriously considering how much $50 million circulating in the state really means. The construction industry certainly could use the boost that building a prison in Hawai'i would create.

Lela Hubbard
'Aiea, O'ahu

E kala mai

In our October issue, a photo identified another person as Afoa Moega Lutu, a candidate for governor in American Sāmoa. Lutu's photo runs here, courtesy of afoavelega08.com.

In our election insert, the name of state Sen. J. Kalani English was misspelled.
KWO regrets the errors.

Notice to Readers Ka Wai Ola o OHA will accept for consideration news releases and letters to the editor on topics of relevance and interest to OHA and Hawaiians, as well as special events and reunion notices. Ka Wai Ola o OHA reserves the right to edit all material for length and content, or not to publish as available space or other considerations may require. Ka Wai Ola o OHA does not accept unsolicited manuscripts. Deadline for submissions is the 15th day of every month. Late submissions are considered only on a space-available basis.