From Charlottesville to Mauna Kea

U.S. Racism on Display

     Recent events in Charlottesville, Virginia put on full display blatant racism, hate, bigotry and violence by white nationalists carrying Nazi and Confederate flags. One person was killed and many injured when a white nationalist rammed his vehicle at high speed into a crowd of counter protesters.  President Trump, like many whites, is in denial about the great racial divide in the U.S.

     Donald Trump on Tuesday in a press conference at N.Y. Trump Tower, appeared to backslide from previous scripted comments condemning racism, hate and violence. Even David Duke, the former Ku Klux Klan leader, thanked Trump for his “honesty and courage” in his most recent comments. In short, Duke is grateful that Trump failed to condemn white supremacist terrorism.

     Trump really appears to be going over the edge. He has brought us to the brink of nuclear war. There is growing tensions with China, Russia and Iran. U.S./North Korea tensions remain high but appear to be on hold for the moment. Trump is now threatening military action with Venezuela. What next? Meanwhile, he is cutting environmental regulations meant to curb climate disaster. He is gutting public education, and going backwards in many other areas – immigration policies, health care, prisons, human rights, etc.

Racism in Hawaii!

     Hawaii’s Tourist industry likes to portray Hawaii as a melting pot – stir fry of people and cultures with a special emphasis on flavor – using Hawaiian culture to “sell Hawaii.” But look deeper and hard facts emerge. Hawaii’s host people, the Kanaka Maoli, are number one in very disturbing areas: poverty, homelessness, most imprisoned, health problems, shortest life expectancy, etc.

The true history of Hawaii is kept hidden. Hawaii is really an independent nation – the Hawaiian Kingdom, not the 50th state of the U.S. There has been no lawful government in the Hawaiian islands since 1893, when the U.S. military invaded and began a prolonged illegal occupation that continues to this day. There is no treaty of annexation of Hawaii to the U.S. It’s all a fraud, a house of cards.

     A striking example of racism in Hawaii concerns Kanaka Maoli’s spiritual/religious/faith beliefs and particularly Hawaii’s sacred mountain – Mauna Kea. Today, the summit area of Mauna Kea is dominated by 13 telescopes and there is major conflict over the proposed building of a fourteenth –the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) 18 stories tall. Many Kanaka Maoli are saying respect our most sacred site. Sacred is sacred. TMT is Too Many Telescopes. Here’s the point. Buddhists don’t try and dictate to Christians what should go on in their churches and cathedrals. Christians don’t try to dictate to Buddhists what goes on in their temples. But how come, Christians, Buddhists, etc. are trying to dictate to Kanaka Maoli what takes place on their most sacred mountain? I dare say, it’s arrogance of the worst kind, it’s dollars put before the sacred, and at it’s core – racism. It’s time to make things pono (right), from the bottom up and the top down. Respect the sacred! No TMT.

Stand with Kapu Aloha – Nonviolence!

  1. Mourn all victims of violence. 2. Reject war as a solution. 3. Defend civil liberties.
    4. Oppose all discrimination, anti-Islamic, anti-Semitic, anti-Hawaiian, etc.
    5. Seek peace through peaceful means and work for justice in Hawai`i and around the world.

Contact: Malu ‘Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action
P.O. Box 489 Kurtistown, Hawai’i 96760 Phone (808) 966-7622. Email: ja@malu-aina.org

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Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet August 18, 2017– 830th week – Friday 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office