07-03-2015, 04:44 PM
Opihikao, I understand how you have to walk a tightrope with family on both sides and respect that you seek balance. What I don't understand is why the protesters are picking the TMT as their focus when we all know that there are much worse entities out there materially harming Hawaiians. Those entities are OHA and DHHL. When people die of old age on the waiting list for land allotments and insider contractors get work at two to three times the going rate even for unionized Hawaii, it really becomes absurd to try to block a project that will inject money, skills, and knowledge into the Hawaiian and Island communities. Until OHA and DHHL are reformed or replaced, things will not get better for Hawaiians. For the sake of argument, let's suppose (God forbid) that the protesters get their way, and the TMT goes elsewhere. The result would be the drying up of what little outside investment this island could ever expect to get. Nobody wants to invest in a place where a tiny group of radicals can undo a seven year process of permits, hearings, and court challenges by breaking the law with impunity.
As for the goal of sovereignty, this whole fiasco has set that cause back immeasurably. Due to the failure of responsible, level-headed Hawaiian leaders to oppose the protesters, these radicals are now perceived as the leaders of the Hawaiian national movement. I know it is a cultural thing for Hawaiians NOT to be confrontational with one another in front of an audience. I totally get that. This is an instance, however, where that deeply held value is extremely counterproductive. The arena in which sovereignty will be decided is the arena of a Western republic where open debate will heavily influence the outcome. This might be the time to engage in some open criticism and damage control over the elements who seem to have no respect for that repulic or its laws. Sadly, if you allow yourselves to be defined by your most radical and inflexible faction, the support of the non-Hawaiian majority of this state for some form of Hawaiian nation will eventually be lost. I don't see it happening or succeeding without such support.
And finally, I don't think it is racist or biased to raise these issues. I ask my friends tough questions on a regular basis to try to help them out. I sincerely hope you see this in that light.
As for the goal of sovereignty, this whole fiasco has set that cause back immeasurably. Due to the failure of responsible, level-headed Hawaiian leaders to oppose the protesters, these radicals are now perceived as the leaders of the Hawaiian national movement. I know it is a cultural thing for Hawaiians NOT to be confrontational with one another in front of an audience. I totally get that. This is an instance, however, where that deeply held value is extremely counterproductive. The arena in which sovereignty will be decided is the arena of a Western republic where open debate will heavily influence the outcome. This might be the time to engage in some open criticism and damage control over the elements who seem to have no respect for that repulic or its laws. Sadly, if you allow yourselves to be defined by your most radical and inflexible faction, the support of the non-Hawaiian majority of this state for some form of Hawaiian nation will eventually be lost. I don't see it happening or succeeding without such support.
And finally, I don't think it is racist or biased to raise these issues. I ask my friends tough questions on a regular basis to try to help them out. I sincerely hope you see this in that light.