What is Blowing in the Wind at Pohakuloa?
Disorderly Conduct?
For a phone call to inform teachers and parents that their school children may have been exposed to Depleted Uranium (DU) oxide dust at the April 20th Military Pohakuloa Earth Day event? Since when is trying to protect children’s health and safety Disorderly Conduct?
A Disorderly Conduct complaint has been filed with police against peace activist, Jim Albertini, by Connections Public Charter School in Hilo. The complaint stems from Albertini calling the school on Friday, May 12th seeking email addresses for teachers who took their students to the April 20, 2017 Earth Day events at the 133,000-acre military Pohakuloa Training Area. Albertini said he wanted 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 taking place at Pohakuloa on April 20. Hilo Police officer C Sugimoto informed Albertini that the Connections School Principal filed the complaint because “my phone call caused the school to feel ‘alarmed.’”
Albertini said his organization, Malu ‘Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action, conducted radiation monitoring with an Inspector Plus monitor for several hours outside the Pohakuloa main gate on April 20. They recorded 8 readings in the 60s Counts Per Minute (CPM) and the highest reading of 74 CPM at 10:49AM. Normal background is in the 5-20 CPM range. The winds on the morning of April 20 at Pohakuloa were from the south, coming off the bombing range toward the base compound and main gate area where the Earth Day events were taking place. The winds increased as the morning went on.
In his phone call and follow up email to Connections and other schools who had students join Pohakuloa Earth Day events, Albertini urged teachers and parents to view a short video https://vimeo.com/19153948?ref=fb-share&1 where Hawaii Dr. Lorrin Pang, MD explains in simple terms the health dangers of inhaling Depleted Uranium oxide dust. Dr. Pang has spent 24 years in the Army Medical Corps and is listed in America’s Best Doctors. Albertini offered to try and arrange a meeting of teachers, and parents of the children who attended Pohakuloa earth Day events with Dr. Pang if there was interest. An article in West Hawaii Today on April 21 by Laura Ruminski noted that besides Connections PCS, Kaumana Elementary, St. Joe’s, Honoka’a High School and possibly other schools had students who attended the April 20 Pohakuloa Earth Day events.
Albertini said his efforts are to share concern for the health and safety of school children. He said that learning about the dangers of inhaling DU oxide dust particles may be “alarming,” but it hardly merits a “Disorderly Conduct” criminal complaint against the messenger. Albertini said he would be glad to do Ho’oponopono with Connections school principal and teachers if they would be willing. Albertini said “I believe strongly in the principles of Kapu Aloha and non-violence 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.”
Are DU Oxide Particles Blowing in the DUst off Pohakuloa?
What kind of world are we creating for future generations? Is the U.S. military exploiting children by hosting an “Earth Day” event while bombing the earth?
- 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 May 19, 2017– 817th week – Friday 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office
