Archive for May, 2019

West Hawaii Today editorial on military booting reporter from Pohakuloa meeting

Sunday, May 19th, 2019

Editorial by West Hawaii Today!

Our View: Military wrong to boot WHT

 
 

Where the military preaches caution, we see another example of a worrisome trend.

On Thursday evening in Hilo, the media was banned from a meeting outlining Army plans to manage historic resources at Pohakuloa Training Area and Kawaihae Military Reservation.


A West Hawaii Today reporter was kicked out of the Aupuni Center room where the general public was freely allowed in. When questioned as to why, the military said the participating parties may not feel comfortable expressing their opinions in the presence of the media.

At least 75 people were in attendance, including Jim Albertini, an activist who has frequently been at odds with the military operations around PTA.

The media is part of the public. It’s still, in fact, a voice for the people. The media landscape has changed over the years — the reach of Albertini’s critical opinions of the military online and via mass email is information sharing that wasn’t possible years ago. But traditional news is still the public’s Fourth Estate.

While it’s long been trendy to bash the media, today it’s more in vogue than ever. President Donald Trump made it one of his many targets prior to his election. We’ve all heard the disparaging titles, “fake news,” “enemy of the people,” etc.

It’s not the hyper partisan name-calling that’s most troublesome. Of his many traits, Trump can come off as a brash, toe-stomping reality television star where insults are part of his brand.

To be clear, Trump didn’t boot WHT from anything Thursday night. And the media in general is far from being without flaw or reproach. That’s not the point here.

But while we find the hyper-vilification of the media disturbing, what’s worrisome is how traces of those extreme examples can seep into the conscious of everyday Americans — seemingly without them being aware.

Here we see a red flag warning us of exactly that. PTA’s action Thursday appears to be just another recent example.

Since the 2016 election, we’ve come across normal, everyday people on the island who’ve never had direct interaction with the media yet they assumed it printed fake news. They learned it didn’t because they became involved in a story and the story verified and used the information the source provided. After the story ran, on more than one occasion, those sources told WHT they were surprised to see the truth printed.

We’ve dealt with Hawaii politicians who openly despise the president yet are still quick to use his words, “fake news,” when expressing disagreement about an article they felt didn’t portray them correctly. Or, perhaps more accurately stated, didn’t portray them in a flattering light.

We’ve heard state organizations suddenly use the same self-congratulatory language the White House uses when doing damage control. Those organizations on island have said they did “an outstanding job, a remarkable job” when discussing their actions after their missteps.

Some of it we can just chalk up to benign, vernacular quirks. They’ve been influenced even though they probably wouldn’t want to admit it.

But some of it, like booting the media from a public gathering, we cannot write off as simply silly. Kicking a reporter out of a public meeting is a serious issue. It cannot become the norm.

The United States military is a first-rate operation. If it says it wanted to err on the side of privacy and caution, we can take that at face value this time around, but still disagree with its decision. The information inside that meeting is meant for the public and WHT will get it and share it, regardless.

 

But the military also brands itself on being an institution of values, protecting democracy and the weak, as well as molding future leaders, not only for this country, but for the world. That’s a monumental task.

We hope its leaders understand how important it is to fulfill those requirements guided by their own true morals and mission — not tainted with yapping from above, whether they realize it or not.

 

Shame on PTA officials! Support free speech & free press Stop Bombing Pohakuloa

Saturday, May 18th, 2019
Borce, Loreto V Jr LTC USARMY IMCOM PACIFIC (US) <loreto.v.borce.mil@mail.mil>, Fleming, Gregory R CIV USARMY IMCOM PACIFIC (US) <gregory.r.fleming4.civ@mail.mil>, Donnelly, Michael O CIV (USA) <michael.o.donnelly.civ@mail.mil>, Taomia, Julie M CIV USARMY IMCOM PACIFIC (US) <julie.m.taomia.civ@mail.mil>

Dear PTA Commander Borce, Deputy Commander Flemming, Public Affairs Officer Donnelly, and Cultural affairs person Taomia,

The article in today’s Hawaii Tribune Herald & West Hawaii Today by reporter Nancy Cook-Lauer who was banned from the Thursday, May 16th meeting in Hilo displays just one example of shame you should all feel from the way the meeting was conducted.  But I sincerely believe you have little shame about your treatment of reporter Cook-Lauer and the general public who attended the meeting and other members of our community and media representatives who were discouraged from attending due to your harsh statements to exclude the public and the press.

The meeting was suppose to be a consultation with the community about effects of training at Pohakuloa. It was anything but.  It was quite clear from your body language, smirks, obvious insincerity and even arrogance that could not be disguised by military camouflage, that the meeting was a fraud.  It was written all over your faces that the meeting was a mere legal formality that you hated, that you didn’t want to attend  and couldn’t wait to be over.  Real consultation begins by military officials listening to the community and responding to community concerns in community run meetings.  That process has yet to begin and needs to begin ASAP.

You should all be ashamed of yourselves.  Are you not suppose to be defending freedom and the right of the people to free speech and a free press?  Please make this letter an official part of the “Consultation” record as our organization Malu ‘Aina is listed as one of the consulting parties.

Jim Albertini
Malu 'Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action
P.O. Box 489
Kurtistown, Hawaii 96760
Phone 808-966-7622
email ja@malu-aina.org
visit us on the web at www.malu-aina.org
sign up on our website to automatically receive our posts

Below is a comment about the meeting I posted on Facebook after the meeting the 
night of May 16, 2019

Great turnout in Hilo tonight on Pohakuloa meetihg with base officials.

The PTA Deputy commander , Greg Flemming, who chaired the meeting did his best to control and spin everything in the military ‘s favor, but people weren’t buying it. PTA commander Lt. Col. Loreto Borce, and Civilian cultural manager Julie Taomia also participated. In the background was PTA Sargent Major and the Public relations person Mike Donnelly. Flemming tried to claim at the start of the meeting that he didn’t want to be filmed but several people challenged him as a public official chairing the meeting. He was forced to back off his request. Many people in the audience spoke out passionately to stop the bombing and the need to protect cultural and religious sites at PTA. A highlight of the evening was the presence and voice of Hawaii Academy of Arts and Science (HAAS) charter school from Pahoa. Many of the students have been to Kaho’olawe on several occasions and their experience has showed them the importance of working to stop the bombing and cleaning up Pohakuloa. The meeting was a legal requirement of the military. They tried to exclude the public but people would not have it. They demanded entry. It is not clear whether Nancy Cook-Lauer, a reporter from West Hawaii Today was allowed in. I saw a discussion taking place with officials but didn’t see what happened. I feel energized by the passion of those present speaking out to protect Pohakuloa and stop the bombing. Imua!



 

Reporter told to leave meeting about Army management plans for historic resources at PTA and Kawaihae Military Reservation

https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2019/05/18/hawaii-news/reporter-told-to-leave-meeting-about-army-management-plans-for-historic-resources-at-pta-and-kawaihae-military-reservation/?HTH=e185be4b5f635093864ba610ae4e1b84d03d0bb3

Brief report on Sen. Kai Kahele & Rep. Chris Todd’s Town hall meeting at UHH Wed. May 15th

Thursday, May 16th, 2019

Brief report on Sen. Kai Kahele & Rep. Chris Todd’s Town hall meeting at UHH Wed. May 15th

Kai Kahele & Chris Todd’s Town hall meeting was boring, BORING!!!!!!!!
They went on and on and on for over an hour and a half reporting on money the
Leg appropriated. from 5:30-till after7pm The meeting was going to end
at 7:30. Finally about 7:05 I spoke up “PLEASE LET THE PEOPLE SPEAK.”
So there was 25 min of Q&A with some of their plants in the audience
leading the way. But I did zing them pretty good about failing to speak
up about the military Special Ops intrusion into out parks, coastal
waters and shorelines, Kai bringing in the three F-22 Raptor planes
(False Gods of metal) at Hilo airport for tours and worship ceremonies,
and not being there to uphold our right of free speech. And then
especially the PTA water well issue — no testing results after nearly 6
years. Kai arrived at the meeting together with Greg Flemming, Deputy
PTA commander. They knew they were going to be put on the hot seat
because I talked to his staff. So Kai gave his pro military, Proud
American military spiel, noting his dad had worked at PTA for 34 years as head of public works, and left
Flemming take the heat on no water test results. Flemming said the
military wants the results too (Yeah right! Ignorance is bliss) Anyway I think the issue
got out. I handed out leaflets to all there –about 75. Some young
Hawaiian students from Keaukaha were good against the rocket launch
site. The only
other public official present was Sue Leeloy. I had plenty of signs but
no one to hold them. I held signs outside and handed out leaflets to
people as they arrived. (See below)

Pohakuloa Water Well Contamination?

What stew of military toxins are possibly in the military Pohakuloa shallow water well drilled by UH Professor Don Thomas 5 years ago? Why hasn’t the water test data ever been released?

Professor Don Thomas was asked at an public forum what toxins are in the Pohakuloa shallow water well. No response!

The military officials at Pohakuloa were asked on Feb. 6, 2019 what toxins are in the Pohakuloa shallow water well. No response!

Both Senator Kahele and Representative Todd’s staff were asked on Feb. 20, 2019 by phone and follow up emails for release of the test data of the shallow water well drilled at PTA. To date —- No response! No data has been released. Please note that both Senator Kahele and Representative Todd are on the Legislative Water committees.

Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) is a 133,000-acre live-fire training base that has been shelled and bombed for 75 years by the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines and other countries as well. The last publicly released figure on the number of live-rounds fired annually at PTA was 14.8 million in 2004. PTA is now contaminated by a vast stew of military toxins – lead, Depleted Uranium radiation, perchlorate from rockets and munitions, PFAS, etc. etc. etc. Below are a few links to military toxins contaminating water supplies. And please remember, whatever we do mauka, eventually comes makai. Winds blow all around out island. Water runs down hill. People have a right to know what’s in the water. How long do we have to wait to get answers?

Military has poisoned everything’ – pollution casts shadow over New Mexico’s booming dairy industry https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/feb/20/new-mexico-contamination-dairy-industry-pollution

The U.S. Military Is Poisoning Germany https://popularresistance.org/the-u-s-military-is-poisoning-germany/

Jim Albertini

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

For more information and to receive our posts go to   http://www.malu-aina.org/

 

Stop a U.S. War on Iran!

Tuesday, May 14th, 2019

Stop a U.S. War on Iran!   

US Bombers & War Ships ring Iran as IRS & Lawyers encircle Trump!

Watch for staged events to “justify” a U.S. attack to distract –- pointing to external enemies as the “real threat!”

How dare they put their country so close to U.S. bases!

     “Iran and Venezuela are both in the gun sights of U.S. imperialism. Sound the alarm and take action to stop these reckless and disastrous wars before they   begin.  Military personnel should prepare to refuse illegal orders to commit aggression against nations who are no threat to the U.S.”                                    Gerry Condon, President, US Veterans for Peace

U.S. Special Forces School Publishes New Guide for Overthrowing Foreign Governments (Newsweek 5/8/19)

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

For more information and to receive our posts go to   http://www.malu-aina.org/

May 17, 2019 Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet — week 921 – Fridays 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office

Pohakuloa Water Well Contamination?

Tuesday, May 14th, 2019

Please come in solidarity to the Sen. Kahele & Rep. Todd public forum on Wed. May 15th at UH Hilo 5:30PM UCB 100 to help hand out this leaflet.  Please come 15 min. early.  Mahalo. Jim

Pohakuloa Water Well Contamination?

What stew of military toxins are possibly in the military Pohakuloa shallow water well drilled by UH Professor Don Thomas 5 years ago? Why hasn’t the water test data ever been released?

Professor Don Thomas was asked at a public forum what toxins are in the Pohakuloa shallow water well. No response!

The military officials at Pohakuloa were asked on Feb. 6, 2019 what toxins are in the Pohakuloa shallow water well. No response!

Both Senator Kahele and Representative Todd’s staff were asked on Feb. 20, 2019 by phone and follow up emails for release of the test data of the shallow water well drilled at PTA. To date —- No response! No data has been released. Please note that both Senator Kahele and Representative Todd are on the Legislative Water committees.

Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) is a 133,000-acre live-fire training base that has been shelled and bombed for 75 years by the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines and other countries as well. The last publicly released figure on the number of live-rounds fired annually at PTA was 14.8 million in 2004. PTA is now contaminated by a vast stew of military toxins – lead, Depleted Uranium radiation, perchlorate from rockets and munitions, PFAS, etc. etc. etc. Below are a few links to military toxins contaminating water supplies. And please remember, whatever we do mauka, eventually comes makai. Winds blow all around out island. Water runs down hill. People have a right to know what’s in the water. How long do we have to wait to get answers?

Military has poisoned everything’ – pollution casts shadow over New Mexico’s booming dairy industry https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/feb/20/new-mexico-contamination-dairy-industry-pollution

The U.S. Military Is Poisoning Germany https://popularresistance.org/the-u-s-military-is-poisoning-germany/

Jim Albertini

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

For more information and to receive our posts go to   http://www.malu-aina.org/