The Cost of War!

“The money should stagger you. Journalist James Risen, author of Pay Any Price: Greed, Power, and Endless War, a revelatory new book about the scammers, counterterrorism grifters, careerist bureaucrats, torture con artists, and on-the-make privatizers of our post-9/11 national security state, suggests that the best figure for money spent on Washington’s war on terror, including the Iraq and Afghan wars, is four trillion dollars. If you add in the bills still to come for the care of American soldiers damaged in that global war, the figure is undoubtedly significantly higher…

      “Given Washington’s bedrock assumptions about the Greater Middle East, we should have no problem kissing another four trillion taxpayer dollars goodbye in the years to come. Eight trillion? If that isn’t a record, what is?  Some “USA! USA!” chants might be in order.”

Tom Engelhardt http://www.tomdispatch.com/blog/175926/

      And yet the U.S. empire can’t afford to provide basic medical care, a safety net to feed the poor, house the homeless, create living wage jobs, protect the environment, rebuild failing infrastructure, teach the children, so what exactly is the bloated U.S. military/war budget defending?

Racism, Ferguson Police

Violence, & Hawai`i

The decision of a grand jury not to indict white Police Officer Darren Wilson for the shooting death of 18 year old, unarmed, African American Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO has sparked protests in more than 170 cities throughout the U.S., Hawaii and beyond.

“I don’t think we can take away anything from this decision not to indict other than that it is now officially open season on black folks when it comes to police violence.”

Vince Warren, executive director of the Center for Constitutional Rights

Racial profiling, disproportionate sentencing, and mass incarceration exist for people of color, throughout the U.S. and Hawaii. Hawaiians are reported to make up roughly 20% of the population but more than 60% of those imprisoned. How come?

Nov. 28^th – Happy Hawai`i Independence Day!

On Nov. 28, 1843 the British and French governments recognized the Independence of Hawai’i as a nation among the family of nations. It’s long past time to end the U.S. Occupation of Hawai’i –ongoing since the Bayonet Constitution of 1887, the illegal overthrow of Queen Lili’uokalani in 1893 by U.S. troops and business interests, the fake annexation of Hawai’i in 1898, and Hawai’i becoming a Fake State of the U.S. in 1959.

End Racism, War, & U.S. Occupation!

It’s Time for Justice, Peace & Saving the Planet!

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. 28, 2014 – 688th week) – Friday 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office

http://tinyurl.com/ol638rd

Hawai’i Friends of Sabeel, The Muslim Association of Hawai’i, The Hawai’i Coalition for Justice in Palestine – HCJP , Jewish Voice for Peace-Hawai’i, and UH departments and centers will be hosting three events with Palestinian-American human rights attorney and activist NOURA ERAKAT.

Details will follow regarding these events, but save the dates and watch for updates!

Fri., Nov. 28, at Calvary by the Sea, following an introduction by Jon Osorio, Erakat will deliver a talk entitled “Spotlight on Gaza: Contexts and Ethical Responses.” 6-7:30 p.m. Address: 5339 Kalanianaole Hwy, Honolulu, HI 96821 (accessible by the IL line of The Bus)

Sun., Nov. 30, at St. Andrews Church, Erakat will give a talk, “Spotlight on Gaza: Contexts and Ethical Responses.” 1-2:30 p.m. Corner of S. Beretania St. at Alakea/Queen Emma

Mon., Dec. 1, from 5-8 p.m. at the UHM Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies Halau, there will be a Panel, Pūpū and Performances. (Please note, you may park for $6 in the structure right next to the Center, which is on 2645 Dole St. Spots in the Center’s parking lot require the $6 tkt, too. Street parking is free though not readily available.)

Erakat will speak on “The Legal Anatomy of Israeli Settler-Colonialism,” and Andre Perez and ‘Ilima Long of Movement for Aloha No ka ʻĀina (MANA) will be in conversation with her and audience members about connections and differences that characterize settler colonialism and occupation in Palestine and Hawai’i.

Hawai’i Friends of Sabeel, The Muslim Association of Hawai’i, The Hawai’i Coalition for Justice in Palestine – HCJP , Jewish Voice for Peace-Hawai’i, and UH departments and centers will be hosting three events with Palestinian-American human rights attorney and activist NOURA ERAKAT.

Details will follow regarding these events, but save the dates and watch for updates!

Fri., Nov. 28, at Calvary by the Sea, following an introduction by Jon Osorio, Erakat will deliver a talk entitled “Spotlight on Gaza: Contexts and Ethical Responses.” 6-7:30 p.m. Address: 5339 Kalanianaole Hwy, Honolulu, HI 96821 (accessible by the IL line of The Bus)

Sun., Nov. 30, at St. Andrews Church, Erakat will give a talk, “Spotlight on Gaza: Contexts and Ethical Responses.” 1-2:30 p.m. Corner of S. Beretania St. at Alakea/Queen Emma

Mon., Dec. 1, from 5-8 p.m. at the UHM Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies Halau, there will be a Panel, Pūpū and Performances. (Please note, you may park for $6 in the structure right next to the Center, which is on 2645 Dole St. Spots in the Center’s parking lot require the $6 tkt, too. Street parking is free though not readily available.)

Erakat will speak on “The Legal Anatomy of Israeli Settler-Colonialism,” and Andre Perez and ‘Ilima Long of Movement for Aloha No ka ʻĀina (MANA) will be in conversation with her and audience members about connections and differences that characterize settler colonialism and occupation in Palestine and Hawai’i.

This panel will be accompanied by pūpū (including potluck contributions made from THE GAZA KITCHEN recipes!), and followed by music, Hawai’i poetry, and readings from the forthcoming BIOGRAPHY issue, “Life in Occupied Palestine.” https://www.facebook.com/biographypalestine?ref=br_tf

This visit is generously funded by Hawai’i Friends of Sabeel and the Muslim Association of Hawaii. Co-sponsors: HCJP; MANA; Jewish Voice for Peace-Hawai’i; World Can’t Wait; Revolution Books; St. Clement’s Episcopal Church; Food (+); Hawai’i Institute for Human Rights; Hawai’i Faculty for Justice in Palestine (H-FJP); the UHM School of Hawaiian Knowledge; the UHM Center for Biographical Research; the UHM Departments of American Studies, Anthropology, English, Ethnic Studies, Political Science, and Women’s Studies; and the Chaminade History Department.

NOURA ERAKAT is a human rights attorney and activist. She is an Assistant Professor at George Mason University and a Co-Founder/Editor of Jadaliyya e-zine. Most recently, she was a Freedman Teaching Fellow at Temple Law School and has taught International Human Rights Law and the Middle East at Georgetown University since 2009. She served as Legal Counsel for a Congressional Subcommittee in the House of Representatives, chaired by Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich. Noura’s scholarly interests include humanitarian law, human rights law, refugee law, and national security law. Her scholarly publications include: “U.S. vs. ICRC-Customary International Humanitarian Law and Universal Jurisdiction” in the Denver Journal of International Law & Policy, “New Imminence in the Time of Obama: The Impact of Targeted Killings on the Law of Self-Defense” in the Arizona Law Review, and “Overlapping Refugee Legal Regimes: Closing the Protection Gap During Secondary Forced Displacement,” forthcoming in the Oxford Journal of International Refugee Law . Noura’s media appearances include MSNBC, Fox News, PBS NewsHour, BBC World Service, NPR, Democracy Now, and Al Jazeera. She has published in The Nation, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Review of Books, Huffington Post, IntlLawGrrls, The Hill, and Foreign Policy, among others. Noura is the co-editor of Aborted State? The UN Initiative and New Palestinian Junctures, an anthology related to the 2011 and 2012 Palestine bids for statehood at the UN.

ABOUT the HAWAI’I COALITION FOR JUSTICE IN PALESTINE:
HCJP is a coalition of community members, activists, students and academics joining together to work towards justice in Palestine. HCJP has been formed to join in solidarity with Palestinians and the international community in opposing Israel’s illegal and unjust acts. We oppose the use of our tax dollars–over $3 billion per year–being used to support ethnic cleansing, colonization, blockades, and occupation by Israel in Palestine. This panel will be accompanied by pūpū (including potluck contributions made from THE GAZA KITCHEN recipes!), and followed by music, Hawai’i poetry, and readings from the forthcoming BIOGRAPHY issue, “Life in Occupied Palestine.” https://www.facebook.com/biographypalestine?ref=br_tf

END the

ENDLESS

WARS!

No More Troops! No More Bombs!

Promote Peace, Justice &

A Livable Planet!

U.S. Intervention is the problem not the solution! U.S. Intervention created ISIS!

     Malu ‘Aina, along with many others, have long stood against the escalation of war and the growth of the military industrial war complex. Today the U.S. is bombing in Iraq, Syria, and several other countries. War is all about death and destruction, and corporate profits for the few at the expense of the many. War is about increased surveillance and an erosion of civil liberties at home. War does not promote peace, justice, and a livable planet. It does not promote democracy, diplomacy, and lasting security. It does not promote jobs that serve the common good, and our ability to better care for one another and our environment. Instead, war diverts tax dollars away from education, jobs that serve human needs, universal health care, addressing climate change and a host of other domestic and international issues. For all these reasons, and more, we must demand an END TO ENDLESS WARS NOW! Enough War already!

It’s time to Wage Peace!

Stand up!  Speak Up!  Silence

is Consent!

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  On the web at malu-aina.org

Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet (Nov. 21, 2014 – 687th week) – Friday 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office

FYI Please mark your calendar and help pass the word on this important “Clean Elections forum” Thursday, Nov. 20th 6:30PM at UH Hilo UCB 100.  See below.
Mahalo.
Jim Albertini

——– Original Message ——–

Dear Jim–Here’s the press release we are sending out.  Thanks for helping with this by forwarding it to your email list!  We want to get a lot of people out for this!  And also:  Thank you for all that you DO!  Aloha, noelie
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Global H.O.P.E. (Hawaii Organization for Peace and the Environment) <globalhopehawaii@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Nov 6, 2014 at 2:52 PM
Subject: PRESS RELEASE: Clean Elections Panel 11/20 @UH Hilo- Get big money out of Hawaii elections
To: noelie@hawaii.edu

Get big money out of Hawaii Elections- Panel at UH Hilo- 11/20 6:30pm View this email in your browser

Press Release November 6, 2014 For Immediate Release Media contact: Noelie Rodriguez – hm. 963-6966; o. 934-2635; noelie@hawaii.edu PANEL TO SPEAK ON CLEAN ELECTIONS AND TRANSPARENCY: LIMITING OUTSIDE MONEY IN ELECTIONS Thursday, November 20 6:30PM UH HILO UCB100 Free and open to the public A panel will discuss Clean Elections and Transparency in a forum on Thursday November 20 at 6:30PM in UCB 100 on the University of Hawaii Hilo (UHH) campus.  The featured speaker will be Carmille Lim the Director of Hawai’i Common Cause.  Also speaking will be Susan Dursin from The League of Women Voters and Chris Yuen, attorney, former board member of The Hawaii Elections Project.In 2008, UHH students played a leading role in the Legislature to pass the  Big Island Clean Elections Pilot Program passed, which allowed Council candidates who qualified to campaign with public funding instead of depending on campaign contributions from special interest donors.  The Pilot ran successfully in the 2010 and 2012 County Council races but has since ended.  (The public program was funded by the $3 voluntary check off on our tax forms, which does not reduce an individual’s filed personal income tax.) Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United ruling, big, special-interest money has been flooding into political campaigns.  According to the Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission, in 2012, over $4 million was spent on Hawaii campaigns by independent groups. In the 2014 election , a single “independent” group, funded almost entirely by Monsanto and Dow Chemical spent $8 million on a ballot initiative campaign. Nationwide, many Americans believe that the influx of special interest money in elections threatens the integrity of our democracy.   As an antidote to big money funding their bid for office, with Clean Elections, candidates have the option of running on public funding so that they will be more likely to be answerable to their constituents rather than to their rich campaign donors. The 2014 Legislature failed to continue the funding of the Big Island Clean Elections Pilot Program and ultimately killed a bill which promoted a statewide Clean Elections program.  However, in 2013, the Legislature passed a bill which would require stronger disclosures for independent groups seeking to influence our elections. The forum will discuss how the 2015 legislature can continue to combat the corrosive effects of outside money in Hawaii’s elections. The event is sponsored by Common Cause Hawaii, Global HOPE, and the nationwide student group, Democracy Matters. The panel discussion is free and the public is encouraged to attend.  Parking on the UHH campus is free in the evening. For more information phone Noelie Rodriguez, 934-2635 or 963-6966. ### Caption for the attached photo: In April 2013  over 80 students  from HawCC and UHH joined with members of the community to march from their campus to the State Building to rally in support of the public funded Clean Elections reform.