03-14-2010, 07:31 AM
"Even her bill to ban firecrackers was late to committee and therefore didn’t even get voted on."
I actually just read the article in the paper about this bill. I am curious: Excepting Chinese NYear, what is 'culturally' relevant to Hawaii that is not the same for 'western life'? Or more to the point, as she was quoted in HTH: ""My perspective is that if we took away fireworks, we would lose our identity as a state because of the cultural impact," Hanohano said.
"Do we want to live a western life, or do we want to perpetuate our culture? Somebody needs to tell the stories."
I was raised in Southern California; as a kid -- fireworks and fire crackers were very much a part of my 'western life' on both New Year's Eve and Independence Day. As an adult in the same locale fireworks were then 'public displays' but for the same holidays. And a quick FYI, July 4th is a most definite, and cultural 'western life' holiday as it is the celebration of America's Independence. There IS a STORY to be told there! I just think sometimes the kinds of bias that is reflected in such statements is counter productive. If she wanted to highlight that it has been a long standing cultural tradition to observe Chinese New Year or even the Asian aspects of the Calendar New Year then great...but as all of us with gun shy dogs and sensitive ears and lungs understand July 4th is as active here as any other fireworks day. Actually, truth be known, I have not actually heard fireworks on Chinese NYear. Not in the nearly 20 years we have lived here.
“A penny saved is a government oversight.”
I actually just read the article in the paper about this bill. I am curious: Excepting Chinese NYear, what is 'culturally' relevant to Hawaii that is not the same for 'western life'? Or more to the point, as she was quoted in HTH: ""My perspective is that if we took away fireworks, we would lose our identity as a state because of the cultural impact," Hanohano said.
"Do we want to live a western life, or do we want to perpetuate our culture? Somebody needs to tell the stories."
I was raised in Southern California; as a kid -- fireworks and fire crackers were very much a part of my 'western life' on both New Year's Eve and Independence Day. As an adult in the same locale fireworks were then 'public displays' but for the same holidays. And a quick FYI, July 4th is a most definite, and cultural 'western life' holiday as it is the celebration of America's Independence. There IS a STORY to be told there! I just think sometimes the kinds of bias that is reflected in such statements is counter productive. If she wanted to highlight that it has been a long standing cultural tradition to observe Chinese New Year or even the Asian aspects of the Calendar New Year then great...but as all of us with gun shy dogs and sensitive ears and lungs understand July 4th is as active here as any other fireworks day. Actually, truth be known, I have not actually heard fireworks on Chinese NYear. Not in the nearly 20 years we have lived here.
“A penny saved is a government oversight.”
"Q might have done the right thing for the wrong reason, perhaps we need a good kick in our complacency to get us ready for what's ahead" -- Captain Picard, to Guinan (Q Who?)