Archive for February, 2014

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Stand in Solidarity with Micronesians

Friday, February 28th, 2014

Please pass the word on the event below to stand in solidarity with Micronesians on this 60th anniversary of  “Bravo” and nuclear horror from U.S. 67 atomic & hydrogen bomb tests in the Marshall Islands.  Mahalo.

Jim

Dear Friends,
The event is confirmed!  This Saturday, March 1st, from 5 to 7 pm, in the sanctuary of the United Community Church, 1110 Kinoole St., Hilo, HI 96720 (Tel. 935-8416), (The Chinese-looking church on Mohouli St.).
This is the 60th anniversary of the Bravo test, the test of the H-Bomb on Bikini Atoll on March 1, 1954.  The strength was 1,000 times the strength of the A-bomb dropped on Hiroshima.  The fallout affected all of the Marshall Island, especially people living on Rongelap and Utrik atolls.  This event is organized by three pastors and two Councilmen.  Pastors of Rev. Roney Joel, recently come to Hilo to pastor the Hilo Marshallese UCC which worships at the United Community Church on Saunday afternoons at 3 pm, Rev. Glann Lokebol of the Marshallese Free Gospel Church, and myself.  The two Councilmen who are presently in East Hawaii are Councilman Biten Leer of Bikini. and Councilman Bajinjea Abija of Rongelap.  We will be joined by Rev. Maize Luke of the Marshallese Assembly of God Church.
The program so far: 1) begin with a short worship led by four pastors, 2) showing of DVD on Bravo and the 67 atomic and nuclear tests. 3) Sharing of personal stories by the two councilman, the story of Bikini atoll and the story of Rogelap atoll, 4) Marshallese hymn sung by the people.  We will have material in English for people to learn more about the history.  The sharing will probably be in Marshallese with some translation.
Please help to spread the word!  Let people know of this event!  The injustices of the H-bomb test done knowingly that human beings would be affected (and can be tested), have not been corrected.  Learn about this history and help us find a just solution.
Aloha and God bless,
Ron Fujiyoshi
for the group
Tels. (home) 959-9775; (cell) 345-9688

Posted in Hawaii Independence, Military, Public Events, Radiation, Social Justice, Take Action! | No Comments »

“Challenging Corporate Rule and Creating Democracy”

Wednesday, February 26th, 2014

Please pass the word on this important gathering.  Mahalo.
Jim Albertini

UH Hilo, UCB 100
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27
7pm Free

Barnstorming Event with David Cobb

“Challenging Corporate Rule and Creating Democracy”

 

Global HOPE, Occupy Hilo and the Green Party of Hawai’i announces that Move to Amend national spokesperson David Cobb, attorney and lifelong activist, will be speaking, on THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH, 2014, at UH HILO IN UCB100, at 7:00pm, in an effort to build connections, inspire activism, and reveal the origins of corporate power in America.

The Move to Amend Coalition is a national partnership of over 328,000 people and hundreds of organizations whose goal is to amend the U.S. Constitution to end corporate rule by building a multiracial, cross-class democracy movement. David’s presentations are part history lesson and part heart-felt call-to-action! “Challenging Corporate Rule & Creating Democracy” aims to help local folks understand how they can work to abolish corporate personhood and establish a government of, by, and for the people.

David Cobb is National Projects Director of Democracy Unlimited. He has sued corporate polluters, lobbied elected officials, run for political office himself, and has been arrested for non-violent civil disobedience. He truly believes we must use ALL the tools in the toolbox to effect the systemic social change we so desperately need.

In 2002 David ran for Attorney General of Texas, pledging to use the office to revoke the charters of corporations that repeatedly violate health, safety and environmental laws. Though he did not win the office, the Green Party of Texas grew dramatically during his campaign from four local chapters to twenty-six. In 2004, he ran for President of the United States on the Green Party ticket and successfully campaigned for the Ohio recount.

Sponsored by Global HOPE, Occupy Hilo, and the Green Party of Hawai’i

https://movetoamend.org/events/hilo-hi-barnstorming-event-david-cobb

https://www.facebook.com/events/516330925150402/

UH Hilo, UCB 100
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27,

Free – Public Welcome

-- 
Jim Albertini
P.O. Box 489
Ola'a (Kurtistown), Hawaii 96760
Phone 808-966-7622
email ja@interpac.net

Posted in Hawaii Independence, Public Events, Social Justice, Take Action!, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Stand Up & Speak Out Sat. March 1st

Wednesday, February 26th, 2014
Please pass the word on this important event. Mahalo.
Jim

Aloha Aina!

Stop Bombing

Pohakuloa!

  Join the Protest at Pohakuloa!

Saturday, March 1, 2014 –

10AM-Noon

Pohakuloa Main Gate

Pot luck at Mauna Kea Park following the protest

Car Pools leave Hilo 9AM sharp from makai Hamakua side parking lot at Pauahi/Kamehameha Ave.

March 1st is known as “Nuclear-Free & Independent Pacific Day.”  It commemorates the 1954 tragic 15 megaton U.S. nuclear bomb test code named Bravo, at Bikini atoll in the Marshall Islands 60 years ago. The Bravo test was 1000 times more powerful than the U.S. bomb that destroyed the city of Hiroshima, Japan.

    Stop the military build up at Pohakuloa: Infantry Platoon Battle Course!   Urban Close Air Support Range! Aviation Bulls-Eye Range! It’s one thing after another and the military keeps saying — “No significant impact.”

      The entire 133,000-acres at the military Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) in the center of Hawaii Island should be considered a “Radiological Control Area.” For years, the Army said no Depleted Uranium (DU) radiation weapons had been used at Pohakuloa.  This was proved to be false.  The military now confirms DU has been used at PTA. How much and where it was used are still in dispute.  Less than 1% of PTA has been surveyed for DU. Citizen monitors on numerous occasions have detected radiation in civilian areas beyond the confines of PTA boundaries.

      Furthermore,  the independent nation of Hawaii is under continued illegal military occupation by the U.S. even since the Bayonet Constitution and Reciprocity Treaty of 1887, and the overthrow of Hawaii’s Queen Lili’uokalani in 1893. The illegal state of Hawaii has no clear title to the Crown and Government lands of the Hawaiian Kingdom in the area known as Pohakuloa, so the State of Hawaii and the U.S. military have no legal basis for building any ranges at Pohakuloa or conducting any activities there.  Therefore cease and desist from any further operations.

      A full EIS should be conducted to investigate thoroughly all of these matters raised.

 Stop the Bombing!   Shut Down PTA, Clean Up & Exit!

Return Crown & Government Lands to the Hawaiian Nation!

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

Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet (February 28, 2014 –649th week) – Friday 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office

Posted in Hawaii Independence, Military, Public Events, Radiation, Social Justice, Take Action!, Vigil leaflets | No Comments »

SB 2777, yet another State Preemption GMO Bill for Hawai’i

Monday, February 24th, 2014

Please read the below and send in your testimony for this bill =- thanks everyone
Jim Albertini


 
View this email in your browser

Aloha e Kakou,A new state preemption bill to override Count GMO bans needs your testimony in opposition this week. If you haven’t been following this story, Big Island Bill 113 and Kaua’i Bill 2491 would be made null and void if these State laws are passed.

Via Brad Parsons:
Bill SB 2777 scheduled for hearing next Thurs. 27th that would preempt County authority to regulate Agriculture use of land.

http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=2777&year=2014

Here is the key section in question in the bill (underscore is an addition, bracketed is a deletion, changes to the law):
SECTION 2.  Section 205-5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:    
(b)  Within agricultural districts, uses [compatible to the activities] described in section 205‑2 [as determined by the commission] shall be permitted[;] without further limitations or restrictions;
After reviewing SB2777, Atty. Paul Achitoff had the following to say about it:  
“This bill would appear to strip counties of the authority to restrict use of agricultural land, and therefore is another preemption bill.  It should be opposed.”
Here is an article fully explaining it, “Reading SB2777 – Another attempt to preempt and weaken local authority”
Calling on everyone to send in testimony OPPOSED TO SB2777 by following these simple steps:
2) If you haven’t already registered, create an account by clicking on REGISTER in the top right corner of the homepage
3) Follow the instruction and sign in to your account
4) Enter SB2777 into the search engine – you will be redirected to the comments page
5) Click SUBMIT TESTIMONY and follow instructions for accepting the small box at the bottom: Terms and Conditions and finally, press submit.
6) You will get a page that says “successfully submitted..
**While a few sentences or paragraph of comments opposed are welcome, you can just click on OPPOSE and SUBMIT and follow the instructions for final submission.**

Action Item #2 – SB 2521 GMO Labeling
You will recall that SB 2521 is waiting to be scheduled for a last hearing/decision making in the CPN/WAM Committees in the Senate. http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=2521  
We recently learned that the Chair of the CPN Committee, Senator Roz Baker is repeating the following erroneous point in an email to a Maui activist as to why she hasn’t schedule a GMO Labeling bill:
“…the Hawaii State Legislature does not have the authority to require labeling of GMO products that come into the State…” —
Senator Rosalyn H. BakerChair,
Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection6th District — South and West Maui
808-586-6070 (voice)808-586-6071 (fax)
Ms. Baker and her source are disingenuously wrong about this.  As you may know, Connecticut and Maine have passed GMO Labeling bills and Vermont and New Hampshire are considering doing the same, in addition to the West Coast states that attempted it on the ballot.  
“Contrary to claims made by companies like Monsanto, states do have a constitutional right to label food. In fact, the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act explicitly allows states to add language to labels so long as the federal government doesn’t require language on the same subject – a right that has consistently held up in federal court.” —http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-111publ353/pdf/PLAW-111publ353.pdf
Additional legal sources that explain why states have been and can require GMO Labeling:
1.) Achitoff Memo on Constitutionality of State GMO Labeling
2.) Emord & Associates Memo on Vermont Bill H.112; Relating to State GMO Labeling
3.) Univ. of Vermont Law Clinic; Constitutionality of GE Labeling Legislation in Vermont
4.) Hawaii AG 2013 Memo to Senator Roz Baker on GMO Labeling
ACTION
Calling on everyone in Hawaii to use the following form letter to let Senator Baker know that we know her position on GMO Labeling is erroneous and we want her to schedule SB 2521 for a hearing/decision making before CPN/WAM:
————
Subject:  State GMO labeling laws are Constitutional, Schedule SB 2521
Letter:  Dear Senators,  
Food industry lobbyists have a “one-pager” of talking points that state GMO labeling laws violate the First Amendment, and that any state that passes a GMO labeling law will be sued.  Nevertheless states have already begun passing GMO labeling laws (Connecticut & Maine) and not been sued.  
The food industry is wrong on this, but they continue to make these claims in an effort to scare lawmakers like yourself into rejecting GMO (genetically modified organisms) labeling bills.  
The fact is, according to recognized legal experts the food industry is way off base. After extensive research and analysis, the following legal experts have independently concluded that state GMO labeling laws do not violate the First Amendment.  
You can read their analysis here:
1.) Achitoff Memo on Constitutionality of State GMO Labeling
2.) Emord & Associates Memo; Relating to State GMO Labeling
3.) Univ. of Vermont Law Clinic; Constitutionality of State GE Labeling Legislation
Seventy-six percent (76%) of Hawaii residents want GMOs labeled.  I ask that you support the will of the people by bringing SB 2521 to a hearing/decision making in CPN/WAM, support GMO labeling, and not cave into baseless threats by food industry lobbyists.  
Name
Address
—————
GMO News Items
1.) “Perfect Timing: Jon Stewart ‘The Daily Show’ films GMO segment in Kona” features BAB’s and others to appear on-air soonhttp://hawaiitribune-herald.com/news/local-news/perfect-timing-daily-show-films-gmo-segment-kona
2.) “Labeling for GMO food garners broad support,” Honolulu StarAdvertiser
4.) “Legal Experts Reject Food Industry Claims That GMO Labeling Laws Are Unconstitutional”
5.) “Toxic waste dumping into quarry by Monsanto continues to poison British village”
6.) Hawaii Island: “Council OKs home rule resolution” http://westhawaiitoday.com/news/local-news/council-oks-home-rule-resolution
7.) Josephine County, Oregon has succeeded in putting a GMO BAN on their May Ballot

Mahalo nui,
-the team at GMO Free Hawai’i Island
gmofreehawaiiisland.org
Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/GMOFreeHawaiiIsland
Facebook group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/GMOFHI/

Posted in Farm, GMO, Public Events, Social Justice, Take Action! | No Comments »

The DAILY SHOW with JON STEWART – ON the HAWAI’I GMO BATTLE!!!

Saturday, February 22nd, 2014

– See more at: http://m.hawaiitribune-herald.com/news/local-news/perfect-timing-daily-show-films-gmo-segment-kona#sthash.lcdlLqmL.X9Va5XNE.dpuf

Posted in Farm, GMO, Social Justice | No Comments »

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