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+--- Thread: Councilwomen allegedly "illiterate" ?? (/showthread.php?tid=1087)
RE: Councilwomen allegedly "illiterate" ?? - Chunkster - 05-16-2007
The literacy issue doesn't matter so much to me as effectiveness. In the almost six months since she has been elected, Naeole has spent more time engaging in power struggles with her own staff and between the eastsiders and westsiders on the Council than she has spent introducing legislation to remedy the disgraceful lack of services and infrastructure in Puna. While being a "good person" is certainly desirable and refreshing to find in a politician, it takes more. All the aloha in the world won't fix our problems without organized, assertive, and intelligent leadership which has not been shown by Naeole up to this point.
She has not done anything to my knowledge which would justify her removal from office, which has been rumored, but she just hasn't shown much in the way of effective work on the council. We can only hope she grows into the job because she has another year and a half before the next election.
RE: Councilwomen allegedly "illiterate" ?? - holahan - 05-16-2007
aloha all,
i'm less worried about illiteracy than i am about greed, corruption and lying. if she is a concerned representative, and has other's help her interpret matters that she may not be able to "read," then so be it.
and in regards to her appearance, lets not judge a book by it's cover. i'll take the stretch-pant wearing local with a kind heart, over the well-dressed, rude malahini any day.
i have a dear hawai'ian homesteader friend on the island of moloka'i who cannot read. somehow, amazingly, he can travel through airports, order meals, whatever, all without reading. i believe it is his "aloha," that makes up for anything others believe he is lacking. he has next to nothing, but would still give you half of what he has.
in light of all the kukae in our government today, i'll take a true representative of the peoples of hawai'i, over some other person, who will lie, cheat and steal their way to power, as some of our elected officials seem to do. regardless of political party, we need representatives who actually represent their constituents.
just my humble opinion.
aloha and and smile!
:?)
RE: Councilwomen allegedly "illiterate" ?? - mella l - 05-16-2007
Aloha back at ya!
While I agree with what holahan says and the sentiment, one thing must be kept in mind. In the big leagues of politics some arm bending is needed to get the funding for all those necessary infrastructures.
It is a sad comment but to bring the Puna up from sub standard takes more than heart and soul, it takes tough negotiations, limitless endeavors of time, study and perseverance. Many do not want improvement as a way of limiting the attractiveness of the Puna to the outside world. There needs to be a happy medium for all and it takes lots of hard work. Best of luck and warm regards to Auntie, hopefully she will have all the support her constituency can provide in this journey for her and for the Puna!
Aloha,
Mella
mella l
RE: Councilwomen allegedly "illiterate" ?? - Carey - 05-16-2007
I agree with Mella, and want to add, if you see a need, and there are others that also see it, YOU can & should try to help. Anyone that can write, can write a grant. There is a lot of money that is available for many of the projects this county needs. If every one who has some time (it takes around 30 hours to write up a federal grant, less for most others - including having it reviewed before sending off. For info on the process of federal grants go to www.grants.gov) It is not brain surgery, mainly making sure that all of the criteria are met & everything is done to the letter. I was in a small team late last summer that drafted a grant for one of the charter schools. It was not a painful process & I got to understand alot of the needs here, and met a group of friends (Still waiting on the results of the grant proposal...hopefully will find out any day...). If you don't want to write, organize a community group (clean up of the area, tutor the school kids, help the elderly, what ever is your passion, there are probably some others that have it & others that would like help with it)
Carey
RE: Councilwomen allegedly "illiterate" ?? - holahan - 05-17-2007
aloha all,
well said mella and carey. i understand your point. perhaps a happy medium is the best solution. tough calls. its hard for many in hawai'i to "give in," as they see so many changes to the aina. but at least auntie's heart is in the right place.
tough choices, but your point is well taken.
aloha!
:?)
RE: Councilwomen allegedly "illiterate" ?? - jm minica - 05-17-2007
I think that Carey hit the nail on the head, in the sense that we are all responsible for what goes on in Puna(and the country for that matter), we all need to be involved in trying to improve where we live. To think that any politician at any level can fix all our problems by themselves is rediculous. If anyone has any problems with what their elected officials are doing(or not doing), let them know, write letters, send emails, include in those letters how you would like to help in changing these things. Since this topic is about Aunty Emily, she is one of the most accessible elected officials I've ever known. I see here everywhere, including every weekend at the market. She's always happy to chat with her constituants. Well, I think I have ranted long enough...
Aloha,
Mark
RE: Councilwomen allegedly "illiterate" ?? - LeeE - 05-22-2007
My wife and I enthusiastically voted for Aunty Emily.
We trust her to listen and be responsive to the people whom she represents.
It's the "mainstream" politicians I don't trust!
RE: Councilwomen allegedly "illiterate" ?? - wyatt - 05-22-2007
LeeE don't know you.
But based on your reply post to this subject I already think we would get along.
I have a wonderful person in my family that can't read; She is one of the most social and get things done persons I have ever met.
Every gift of life is not packaged the same.
If you can read this, remember that our gift is easy to us.
Those that survive, or excel outside the
norm are the real champs.
If the worst thing any politician ever did, was to wear stretch pant or be "illiterate", this country would better better off.
Aloha
Wyatt
RE: Councilwomen allegedly "illiterate" ?? - Chunkster - 05-23-2007
OK, I have to stick my nose back in because the love fest for Emily just has to be answered. Here we go again.
You don't have to be a mainstream politician or even literate to be effective. You just have to be able to keep a level head, introduce intelligent legislation (with the help of staff if necessary,) and get along with the other members of the body in which you serve. These things don't seem to be happening so far.
In less than six months in office, Naeole has had a poorly thought-out zoning change go down in flames due to community opposition, joined in what looked like a childish walkout of a council meeting, made an alliance with old-line good old boy council members from Hilo without bothering to count the votes aligned against it, and now is engaged in a public fight with her primary advisor which involves lawyers and possible legal charges. All the "Aloha" in the world can't make up for the lack of effectiveness that such antics lead to. I think a lot of people supported Naeole because they had romantic notions of and "old Hawaii" type person bringing some freshness to the Council without stopping to think about how the "old Hawaii" way of doing things is what got us in this mess in the first place.
Six months without a decent legislative iniative to remedy the problems of the most poorly served district in the county seem like too long to many of us. There is an active move on to find a solid candidate to oppose Naeole in the next election, but I still wish she could turn things around. There is a year and a half left in her term and we desperately need to get business done.
RE: Councilwomen allegedly "illiterate" ?? - Genxor - 05-24-2007
Lee,
Lets wait to see how this all washes out , but it seems as more tid-bits come to light, perhaps she is more "mainstream" than you once thought.
Holahan..... I dont know, "...Lie, cheat, and steal their way to power " seems to be closer to the truth than perhaps you realize.
I do hope for the sake of Puna, that you are following the story closely.