Malu 'Aina

Election Results in

Hawaii & U.S.

      I am writing these reflections on the morning following the Nov. 4^th elections. I write from the standpoint of a long time non-violent activist for justice, peace and the environment and a small scale organic farmer. One’s standpoint in life determines one’s viewpoint, so here are my views.

     For me the brightest spot of the day was the victory of the Maui GMO moratorium initiative that was successful despite $8 million dollars being pumped in to defeat the initiative by Chemical giants Monsanto and Dow. It shows the power of a grassroots broad based effort against corporate power and money.

     GMOs, and their big Ag sponsors, are the new plantations seeking to dominate Hawaii and the world. In every way, GMOs violate the basic principle of aloha ‘aina –love for the land and the precautionary principle. GMOs are directly tied to the toxic chemicals produced by their corporate owners whose main concern is short term profit despite long term consequences. Poisoning of air, water and land, and people, plants, and animals are secondary concerns to the corporate bottom line.

      No doubt, these same chemical companies will now spend millions more to fight the Maui GMO Moratorium law in court. The battle is not over but a significant victory has been achieved by the Maui vote.

     In other election matters locally, some good candidates won. Others lost. In the U.S., the Republicans now control the House and Senate. U.S. imperial wars will continue full throttle which is one thing Republicans and Democrats agree on. From October 26 through November 2, 2014, Hawaiian Civic Clubs from across the Hawaiian Islands and the United States met at its annual convention. Resolution 14-28, acknowledging the continuity of the Hawaiian Kingdom. was passed on November 1, 2014. This is an important vote of Hawaiian sovereignty toward restoring the independent nation instead of being corralled into a U.S. Indian tribe reservation.

      The moral of the story on all elections and issues is this. Positive change doesn’t come from the top down. It comes from the bottom up. It takes grassroots organizing to clarify vision and unite people for the common good. We have our work cut out for peace, justice and preserving the earth. We need to unite our issues realizing that an injury to one is an injury to all. Don’t be discouraged by setbacks along the way and never, NEVER, give up!

The People United Will Never Be Defeated!

Aloha ‘Aina Now & Forever!

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 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  http://www.malu-aina.org

Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet (Nov. 7, 2014 – 685th week) – Friday 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office

Aloha Kakou..people of Hilo, please join us tomorrow, Tuesday in front of Kamehameha Statue at 4:30 p.m. as we hold “pro” or positive signs fronting the statue and near the Mo’oheau Bandstand. Bring your signs for Mauna kea, Aloha Aina, food Sovereignty, Pohakuloa, etc. and your spirit of Aloha for our Hawai’i…Aloha – a firm commitment to PONO! (mahalo Luana for that definition) We need you all to help us to spread the message…Mauna Kea Shawls welcome! Hope to see you there..let’s get our message out there! Far from over, we are in this, we are not defeated because we believe in the good things coming!

Reaping the Whirlwind!

“For they sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. (Hosea 8:7)

     What we do to the land, the water and air, we do to ourselves. We reap what we sow. Modern day industrial capitalism seeks short term profit with little or no thought to long term consequences. It is finally catching up with us on a global scale. The evidence is crystal clear: climate change with more frequent and intense storms, droughts, wild fires, rising sea levels, global warming, and corporate driven resource wars and pollution of the planet at unprecedented levels.

     As I write, Hurricane Ana is bearing down on the Hawaiian Islands. The second tropical storm/hurricane in 3 months. A lava flow is threatening residential communities in the Puna District of Hawaii Island where geothermal energy production has been taking place in utter disregard for the sacred nature of Hawaiian religious beliefs in Pele, the goddess of the Volcano. And Hawaiians are standing in protest of the desecration of their sacred temple – Mauna Kea by TMT – too many telescopes.

     One of the least recognized and talked about aspects of “Reaping the Whirlwind” has to do with militarism and war. The U.S. military is the largest single consumer of oil on the planet and the largest emitter of CO2. The U.S. military is the greatest polluter the world has ever known. Examples include vast pollution from chemical, biological, and nuclear weapon production and testing, and the present day use of Depleted Uranium (DU) munitions in warfare. Case in point – modern day Iraq and DU use in Hawaii.

     Iraqi doctors call the use of DU munitions in Iraq by U.S. and British military, “Genocide.” In an Oct. 14, 2014 article by reporter Dahr Jamail in Truthout, it’s stated that

“Contamination from depleted uranium (DU) munitions is causing sharp rises in congenital birth defects, cancer cases and other illnesses throughout much of Iraq, according to numerous Iraqi doctors. .Iraqi doctors and prominent scientists believe that DU contamination is also connected to the emergence of diseases that were not previously seen in Iraq, such as new illnesses in the kidney, lungs and liver, as well as total immune system collapse. DU contamination may also be connected to the steep rise in leukemia, renal and anemia cases, especially among children, being reported throughout (Iraq). There has also been a dramatic jump in miscarriages and premature births among Iraqi women, particularly in areas where heavy US military operations occurred, such as Fallujah during 2004, and Basra during the 1991 US war on Iraq. It is estimated that the United States used 350 tons of DU munitions in Iraq during the 1991 war, and 1,200 tons during its 2003 invasion and subsequent occupation.” (See the complete article here http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/26703-iraqi-doctors-call-depleted-uranium-use-genocide)

What about DU use in Hawaii?

     The U.S. military has confirmed that DU munitions have been fired at the Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) on Hawaii island and Schofield Barracks on Oahu and possibly other sites. The full extent of DU use remains unknown. The U.S. continues to bomb military sites in Hawaii known to be contaminated with DU – up to 14.8 million live-rounds annually at PTA alone. Without comprehensive testing, monitoring, and study of possible effects, the answers to citizen questions remain blowing in the wind.

Stop the Bombing!  Stop the Wars!  Respect the Sacred!

“We can’t keep on desecrating.”

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 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  http://www.malu-aina.org

Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet (Oct. 17, 2014 – 682^nd week) – Friday 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office

This week Thursday- GMO Debate at UH Hilo

GMO ISSUES: Pro and Con Panel Discussion by Four Experts

UHH – SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY BLDG

Science & Tech Bldg. ROOM 108, UHH Campus, Hilo

May29, 2014 4:30pm

Free presentation sponsored by AAUW and UHH Women’s Center.

Pro presenters:

Richard Ha, Hamakua Springs Country Farms/ Hawaii Board Agriculture

Dr. Russel Nagata

County Administrator, UH Manoa, College Tropical Agriculture Human Resources

Con presenters

Councilwoman MargaretWille, Chair County Agriculture/ Sustainability Committee

Dr. Hector Valenzuela, UH Manoa Professor, College of Tropical Agriculture

  Community members who have questions or concerns about this topic are encouraged to attend. There will be an opportunity to have questions answered.
—
Jim Albertini Malu ‘Aina Center For Non-violent Education & Action

SAT 5/24 6:30-8:30 pm UH Hilo STB108 Dr. Lorin Pang of Maui, informs us about the health effects and other issues around genetic engineering and genetically engineered food and farming. His focus will also be on pesticides, and how pesticides affect the human body at the cellular level, and the unintended consequences of mixing different pesticides together. When mixed, as is done more often than not in the farm fields, they combine to create brand new untested chemicals that wreak havoc on the human body’s ability defend from the toxins.
https://www.facebook.com/events/614509675305904