The TMT, OHA, and The General Election 11/6

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

On your ballot next week you will find a slate of candidates for OHA. All residents of Hawaii can vote for OHA Trustees. In some election cycles only 30% of the ballots are marked with a vote for OHA candidates. The running joke is, if your last name starts with the letter A, you'll win, because so many people vote for the first name on the list:
http://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/post/wh...candidates

In this election on Tuesday, November 6th there are three OHA candidates in favor of the TMT, or generally favorable:

OHA Trustee Candidates Who Support the TMT

OHA Oahu Resident Trustee Candidate:
Kalei Akaka (yes, supports TMT)

OHA At Large Trustee:
William Aila (yes, supports TMT)
Brendon Kaleiaina Lee (mostly supports TMT)

If 30% of voters indicate their choice on the OHA portion of the ballot, your single vote can potentially have the impact of three votes.

Remember, OHA was a supporter of the TMT until the Mauna Kea Access Road Blockade began. Then they changed their position in favor of a very vocal minority. Let's hope that after the election a new board at OHA is more representative of residents and Native Hawaiians.

72% of Native Hawaiians support the TMT
77% of Hawaii residents support the TMT
http://www.westhawaiitoday.com/2018/03/2...telescope/

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

More information on all of the OHA candidates and links to their positions:

http://www.punaweb.org/Forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=25529

[glinda]

For a more balanced understanding of the OHA races, and to actually learn about the candidates, civil beat.org just sent out a mailer (within the last few hours) about the issue specifically. The article it links to, Who’s Who On The Ballot For The Office Of Hawaiian Affairs is here:

https://www.civilbeat.org/2018/10/whos-who-on-the-ballot-for-the-office-of-hawaiian-affairs/?utm_source=Civil+Beat+Master+List&utm_campaign=e3c097631c-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_10_31_12_33&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_51c2dd3cf3-e3c097631c-401687765&mc_cid=e3c097631c&mc_eid=5814b86554

But hey, since we're posting our support, or lack thereof, I think Esther Kia'aina is a much better choice for the Oahu seat.

[dan d]

Thanks for that glinda.
When i first moved here 25 years ago. I thought i wasnt allowed to vote oha cause i wasnt hawaiian. Lol


HPP

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

For a more balanced understanding of the OHA races, and to actually learn about the candidates,

My quotes and links are all from Civil Beat, from the primary races, which is all they had available at the time I initially gathered the information. But if you want to believe YOUR Civil Beat is more balanced than MY Civil Beat, that’s fine. (Did you read my links?)

[knieft]

Thanks for the info, HotPE...

Cheers,
Kirt

[glinda]

I thought i wasnt allowed to vote oha cause i wasnt hawaiian.

Initially haole's weren't dan. Then came Rice v. Cayetano

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice_v._Cayetano

And still I (a life long haole) felt inclined to not intrude in what I see as matters belonging to the Hawaiian community alone. But more recently it is obvious that there is a hoale centric thrust to some of the candidates and it is incumbent upon us, specially those that believe in OHA and its mission, to balance that humbug out.

Just like with HOTPE, who I assume is a haole, thrusting his haole centric concerns into a Hawaiian issue race caused me to share my support for Esther Kia'aina. I think Esther is a much better candidate for a myriad of reasons. Way more than HOTPE's Trustee Candidates Who Support the TMT myopic view on things.

[lisa]

Myopic vision of the universe --- has my support!!! Thanks HOTPE, DanD, TomK, Geochem and other science supporting members of Punaweb!

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

glinda,
There was a debate Monday night with OHA candidates, with the people you feel are entitled to comment on the issue:

OHA candidates were invited to a moderated forum at the University of Hawaii Center for Hawaiian Studies Monday evening.
A question from the audience asked candidates their stance on telescope and why.
OHA Trustee At-Large Candidate Lei Ahu Isa said she opposes the project.
Her opponent, William Aila, tried to explain why he approved the permits for it as Chair of the Department of Land and Natural Resources. However, Aila kept getting interrupted by the audience yelling “auwe” and “hewa” and “ku kiai mauna!”
“Thank you for the commentary, I'm trying to get through my answer,” said Aila. “I've treated you with respect, I expect to be treated with respect."
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2018/10/31/...pe-ruling/

Listening with open minds and open hearts? Willing to consider whether someone has a valid point? Treating all candidates with respect and Aloha?

[PaulW]

What about people thrusting their Hawaiian-centric concerns into it, that's okay is it?
Racism is so 70s.