May 16, 2017 Follow Up press release on Disorderly Conduct Complaint filed against Peace Activist Jim Albertini
May 16, 2017 Press Release after Jim Albertini met with Hilo Police Officer C. Sugimoto 10:30 AM at the Hilo Police Station.
Follow Up press release on Disorderly Conduct Complaint for phone call filed against peace Activist Jim Albertini
Jim Albertini reported that “Officer Sugimoto first read me my rights and I signed a consent form to be questioned. Officer Sugimoto then told me that I was being investigated on a possible “Disorderly Conduct” complaint filed by Connections Public Charter School (PCS) Principal John Thatcher and the school secretary, Candy Alverado.” The complaint stems from Albertini calling the Connections school on Friday, May 12th seeking email addresses for teachers who took their students to the April 20, 2017 Earth Day events at Pohakuloa. Albertini said Officer Sugimoto informed him that the disorderly conduct complaint “was filed because my phone call caused the school to feel “alarmed.”” Albertini said he “did call the school and spoke with secretary Candy Alverado, not principal Thatcher, and explained his concern to get information to teachers and parents of students about the dangers of inhaling Depleted Uranium (DU) oxide dust particles possibly being dispersed by heavy artillery live fire which was taking place at Pohakuloa on April 20th.” Albertini said “Ms. Alverado was very pleasant and gave me the email addresses of two teachers plus the bus driver who went to Pohakuloa Earth Day events.” Albertini said “the following morning, on Saturday, May 13th I sent an email to the three Connections employees.” (See the email below.)
Albertini said “I hope the Connections two teachers and bus driver shared the email with the school principal and secretary, as well as the parents whose children visited Pohakuloa. The email includes more than 3 times background radiation readings, up to 74 counts per minute, our organization recorded outside the Pohakuloa main gate on April 20th and a link to a short video by Hawaii Dr. Lorrin Pang, MD explaining the dangers of inhaling Depleted Uranium dust.” Albertini also said in the email that he “offered to try and arrange a meeting between the teachers, parents and Dr. Pang if so desired for further information on the health dangers of inhaling DU oxide particles.”
Albertini said “my phone call and email to Connections, and other schools, who took students to Pohakuloa Earth Day events was to share concern for the health and safety of the children.” Albertini said “I acknowledge that learning about the dangers of inhaling Depleted Uranium oxide dust particles may be “alarming” but it hardly merits a “Disorderly Conduct” complaint against the messenger whose concern is the health and safety of people, especially the hundreds of students at Pohakuloa Earth Day events while heavy live fire was taking place.” Albertini said an April 21st article in West Hawaii Today mentioned students from St. Joseph School, Kaumana Elementary, and Honoka’a High School also attending Pohakuloa Earth Day events on April 20th. Perhaps there were other schools as well. The military said over 300 attended.
Albertini said “I would be glad to do ho’oponopono with Connections Principal Thatcher and Secretary Alverado if they would be willing. I believe strongly in the principles of Kapu Aloha and nonviolence where the means we use must be in line with the end that we seek. If we truly want peace, we must be firmly committed to using peaceful means and treat all people with aloha and respect.
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May 15, 2017 Press Release: Complaint filed against Peace activist Jim Albertini
further contact: Jim Albertini 966-7622 email ja@malu-aina.org.
Peace activist Jim Albertini said “I have been informed by Hawaii County Police officer Sugimoto at 12:30 PM today (May 15, 2017) that a complaint has been filed against me. I have been asked to come to the Hilo police station on Tuesday, May 16, 2017 at 9AM to be read my rights and be questioned.” Albertini said “I intend to be at the front desk Hilo police station at 9AM Tuesday and I invite others, including the news media, to join me. All that I know is that it’s a complaint involving Connections Public Charter School. Whether it’s a complaint filed by the school itself or an employee, I have no idea. The email below which I sent to 3 employees of the school is a follow up to a phone call I made to the school on Friday, May 12th. Why a police complaint would be filed against me I have no idea. Come and find out with me 9AM Tuesday, May 16th. Before I talked by phone with officer Sugimoto, I also called St. Joeseph’s School, Kaumana Elementary School and Honoka’a High School who were mentioned as having students attend the Pohakuloa Earth Day event in an April 21, 2017 article in West Hawaii Today by Laura Ruminski. I have emailed principals at Kaumana Elementary School and Honoka’a and I am waiting for a call back from St. Joe’s to get an email address for the principal there. Mahalo.”
Connections Public Charter School — To: Kathleen Wines, Kathleen Booth, and Carol Trousdale,
Aloha Kathleen, Kathleen and Carol,
I received your email addresses from Candy at Connections PCS when I called the school on May 12, 2017. I asked her if any Connections PCS classes attended the Pohakuloa Earth Day events on April 20th. She told me that a Connections 1st and 4th grade class attended.. Our organization was outside the PTA gate on April 20th when I saw a Connections School bus enter the base. Our concern is for the health and safety of people, especially the children, from exposure to military toxins, including the inhalation of Depleted Uranium (DU) oxide dust particles. Below are excerpts from a press release we issued before the PTA Earth Day event about our concerns and a copy of the leaflet we attempted to hand out to those entering for the event
On April 20th we conducted radiation monitoring with an Inspector + monitor for several hours outside the PTA main gate and had 8 readings in the 60s CPM (counts per minute) and the highest reading of 74 CPM at 10:49AM. Normal background range is 5-20 CPM. The winds on the morning of April 20th at Pohakuloa were coming from the south, off the bombing impact range toward the base compound and main gate area and increased as the morning went on.. Live fire was taking place, including what sounded like high explosive howitzer fire.
As teachers and employees responsible for school children, please view and let the parents know about this short video https://vimeo.com/19153948?ref=fb-share&1 where Hawaii’s Dr. Lorrin Pang. MD explains in simple terms the health dangers of inhaling depleted uranium dust. I would be glad to try and arrange a meeting with Dr. Pang, you and the parents of the children who attended the PTA Earth Day event. Please share this email with the parents and contact me if you and parents would like to meet with Dr. Pang.
Mahalo for your assistance in this matter.
Jim Albertini, president of Malu ‘Aina
Press Release for immediate release Monday, April 17, 2017
Re: Picket line planned at Pohakuloa Earth Day, Thursday, April 20, 2017
further contact: Jim Albertini 966-7622 email ja@malu-aina.org
Albertini said, “Our organization advises that pregnant women and young children should not set foot on Pohakuloa due to the risk of inhaling DU oxide dust. According to Hawaii resident, Dr. Lorrin Pang, MD with 25 years in the Army Medical Corps and listed in who’s who best doctors, inhaled DU oxide is “the most deadly form of radiation.” The fact is that proper air monitoring has not been done to determine the full extent of DU oxide contamination at Pohakuloa.
Pohakuloa DU Threat
The front page, Sunday, April 16, 2017 Hawaii Tribune-Herald headline about “No DU Threat” is a classic example of Fake News. The truth is that inhalation of Depleted Uranium (DU) oxide dust particles are “the most deadly form of radiation.” This is according to Hawaii resident, Dr. Lorrin Pang, MD, 25 years retired from the Army medical Corps and listed in the who’s who best doctors.
Let’s be clear. DU metal on the ground at Pohakuloa does not pose a serious health threat. But if that metal has been hit with high explosives it burns and turns the metal into DU oxide dust particles which can be carried long distances in the wind. If anyone inhails DU oxide particles those particles can remain in your body for decades causing a wide range of problems including cancer, and genetic damage to future generations.
DU was first used by the military at Pohakuloa in the early 1960s fired into the 50,000 plus acre impact area. That impact area has been subjected to decades of high explosives firing ever since. The military disclosed in an Environmental study in the early 2000s that over 14 million live-rounds are fired annually at Pohakuloa. A current figure is not available. I suspect it is even higher now.
There are dozens of various DU weapons in the US arsenal since the 1960s used by the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. Modern DU weapons are known as “penetrators.” They are made of solid DU metal. When fired, the DU metal begins to burn and when it hits a hard target –tank, armored vehicle, etc. it slices right through the armor, like a hot knief through butter, and explodes at 3000degrees. There is no documentation that DU penetrators have been fired at Pohakuloa but for decades there was no documentation that Davy Crockett DU spotting rounds were used either. But given the fact that all sorts of weapons have been used at Pohakuloa, it seems reasonable to conclude that DU penetrators, along with other DU spotting rounds, etc may have been used. That’s why it is extremely important that independent comprehensive testing and monitoring be done to determine the full extent of DU contamination and what’s coming off PTA blowing in the wind. If the military has nothing to hide they would welcome such an independent study to assure the confidence of the community. But the military has been stonewalling efforts by the community.
In the Sunday April 16, 2017 Hawaii Tribune-Herald lengthy article, there wasn’t a single mention of the threat posed by inhalation of DU oxide dust particles. How come? Is it to keep troops, residents, and the tourist industry in the dark? Don’t we all have a right to know?
Are we Inhaling DU Oxide Dust?
- 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 April 21, 2017– 813th week – Friday 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office
