12-18-2007, 06:54 AM
This sort of thing is disturbing, and I think it goes on a lot more than what we hear about in the news or even on this forum. IMO, it all comes down to ignorance and poverty. In most cases like this, the perpetrator does not even know the victim. They just make a judgement based on often-incorrect assumptions about the person's origin, intent, character, and effect on their territory. Those questionable assumptions often start with skin color. Poverty has a tendency to make some people angry, and they sometimes express their anger at the most convenient and easy target. Education, both formal and informal, could make things better, but unfortunately the public schools here are one of the most frequent venues for race bashing. That leaves us with informal, one on one, contact education as our best hope.
When Bear and I moved here, we did something simple that we have done for years before moving here. We walk around our neighborhood every day for exercise. We always wave and say hello to everyone we meet, and people almost always respond favorably. By doing this, we have met every neighbor within at least a mile of our house. We have become close friends with several and get smiles and waves from all but one. These people are of every conceivable race and color and mixture thereof.
Some of our Hawaiian and other "local" neighbors have told us things like, "We never knew haoles could be so nice," or "We never met haoles who showed respect for our aina and culture." Maybe we have changed some minds? Not sure. What I am sure of is that we are part of a neighborhood community where people look out for each other, regardless of race or who's been here the longest.
I was once told at a beach park near the airport in Hilo, "This beach is for locals." The guy's body language was sort of scary, but he didn't do anything. I was ready to leave anyway since the water wasn't very nice. Once at Kehena, Bear and I saw some guys hassling two women, calling them "haole lesbian bitches." They stopped when Bear walked over that way. These are just ignorant, unhappy people, and they probably abuse people of their own races, too. I call them "equal opportunity a**holes."
While I can see where Francesca is coming from, I have to add something. Those people at Pohoiki who do harmful things to people and their property are doing extreme damage to their "cause," that is if they are even smart enough to think in terms of the bigger picture. When this happens, it just reinforces the negative stereotypes the people on the other side of the rock, fist, or whatever may have.
How do you educate someone who does not want to be educated? Newcomers and visitors need to be educated about what their presence is doing to locals, and some locals need to learn that not all newcomers or haoles are out to destroy their way of life. But how do we do it?
Cheerfully enjoying my neighborhood, but a little worried about the bigger picture,
Jerry
When Bear and I moved here, we did something simple that we have done for years before moving here. We walk around our neighborhood every day for exercise. We always wave and say hello to everyone we meet, and people almost always respond favorably. By doing this, we have met every neighbor within at least a mile of our house. We have become close friends with several and get smiles and waves from all but one. These people are of every conceivable race and color and mixture thereof.
Some of our Hawaiian and other "local" neighbors have told us things like, "We never knew haoles could be so nice," or "We never met haoles who showed respect for our aina and culture." Maybe we have changed some minds? Not sure. What I am sure of is that we are part of a neighborhood community where people look out for each other, regardless of race or who's been here the longest.
I was once told at a beach park near the airport in Hilo, "This beach is for locals." The guy's body language was sort of scary, but he didn't do anything. I was ready to leave anyway since the water wasn't very nice. Once at Kehena, Bear and I saw some guys hassling two women, calling them "haole lesbian bitches." They stopped when Bear walked over that way. These are just ignorant, unhappy people, and they probably abuse people of their own races, too. I call them "equal opportunity a**holes."
While I can see where Francesca is coming from, I have to add something. Those people at Pohoiki who do harmful things to people and their property are doing extreme damage to their "cause," that is if they are even smart enough to think in terms of the bigger picture. When this happens, it just reinforces the negative stereotypes the people on the other side of the rock, fist, or whatever may have.
How do you educate someone who does not want to be educated? Newcomers and visitors need to be educated about what their presence is doing to locals, and some locals need to learn that not all newcomers or haoles are out to destroy their way of life. But how do we do it?
Cheerfully enjoying my neighborhood, but a little worried about the bigger picture,
Jerry