Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays & A Happy New Year Dec. 27. 2019 Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet

2019 Into 2020

We Must Do MORE!

jimmy
 
     In the last few weeks, during this Holy Season of Peace on Earth and Good Will to All, the U.S. Congress passed overwhelmingly the largest military budget in history – $738 BILLION. The vote was 377 to 48 in the House, and 86 to 8 in the Senate. Ed Case, Mazzie Hirono, and Brian Schatz from Hawaii voted YES. Only Tulsi Gabbard voted NO. The U.S. has an obsession with weapons, is bent on military supremacy, and is disregarding arms control treaties and the urgent need for climate action.

      More than 50 years ago, in a lead up to his assassination on April 4, 1968, the Rev. Martin Luther King was mobilizing a Poor Peoples Campaign against what he called the giant triplets of evil: Racism, Militarism, and Capitalism. He labeled these triplets of evil “enemies of the poor.” Today, in Hawaii, and across the US, there is mass homelessness and incarceration disproportionately representing Native Hawaiian and people of color.  There is a declining standard of living for many while those in the top .1% billionaire class have record income and wealth growth. More local people are forced to move out of Hawaii while more people with wealth are moving in. The number of tourists visiting Hawaii is now more than 10 million – ten times the population of Hawaii. Hawaii imports 90% of the food it consumes. The world is facing an increasing risk of nuclear war and climate catastrophe that now threatens civilization itself. Things are seriously out of balance to put it mildly.

      We have some difficult days ahead. But one of the most hopeful signs in Hawaii is the Mauna movement to protect Hawaii’s most sacred temple – Mauna Kea. The movement is challenging racism, militarism, and capitalism. It’s focus is Aloha Aina, Sacred before Dollars, and nonviolence –Kapu Aloha. It is a microcosm of the global movement that is needed to protect the earth from Climate Catastrophe and Nuclear War, and build a more just and peaceful world.

Happy New Year!

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.

Malu ‘Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action

P.O. Box 489 Ola’a (Kurtistown), Hawaii 96760 Phone (808) 966-7622 Email ja@malu-aina.org

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

Dec. 27, 2019 Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet – week 952 – Fridays 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office

***************************************************************************************************

Annual Christmas Appeal    

Dear Friends,                                                                                                                                                                                                  December 2019       

       Once a year we write to ask for your help to sustain the work of Malu ‘Aina for justice, peace and a living planet.  This year is extra special.  It marks the 40th anniversary of our founding, and the name Malu ‘Aina given by Bernard Punikai’a of Hale Mohalu and Kalaupapa.  For 40 years we have survived as an all volunteer organization and have been very grateful for your donations of support that have made that possible.  From the start we decided not to seek foundation money, corporate money, or government grants to maintain our independence and critical voice on important issues.

      A donation of 21 acres of land from a friend was the seed to start Malu ‘Aina.  Our vision was to start small and stay small, to be a kipuka of resistance, a base rooted in the principle of nonviolence, to learn and share sustainability skills to grow food, build simple structures, live off the grid, and organize for justice, peace and protecting the earth.  We started living in tents, catching rain water and clearing old sugar cane land by hand to plant fruits and vegetables.

      Over time we have built several small structures, still live off the electric grid and use rainwater catchment, planted more than 100 fruit trees and a wide variety of food crops to feed people.  We have served as an emergency food pantry for over 30 years, helping thousands, conducted 948 consecutive weeks and counting of a Hilo Peace vigil at the downtown Post office/Federal Building , writing a new leaflet each week for distribution on the street corner and via the internet, and available on our website www.malu-aina.org.  We continue efforts to stop the bombing and demilitarize Pohakuloa and all Hawaii, and to protect Sacred Mauna Kea from further desecration.  Protecting Mauna Kea is a direct connection to protecting the planet from climate catastrophe.  It all starts with respecting native people’s cultural and religious beliefs and practices.  It means protecting the Sacred.  Sacred before dollars!

     After 40 years, Malu ‘Aina is in transition to a new generation of leadership.  Hopefully, with your continued financial support and solidarity, and the volunteer helping hands of many, the vision of Malu ‘Aina will be carried forward for generations to come.  What is most important is the spirit and mission — to stand in the spirit of nonviolence — Kapu Aloha, and work for a Hawaii and world rooted in justice, peace, and protecting the sacred – mauka to makai –from the mountains to the sea.  Mahalo to all of you for your financial support and helping hands of solidarity in this journey of 40 years and beyond.

With gratitude and aloha,

Jim Albertini

dove

Donations are tax deductible if checks are made to Center for Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box 489 ‘Ola’a (Kurtistown), Hawaii 96760.  A Pay Pal account (Donate button) has also been set up on our webpage www.malu-aina.org as another convenient way to make donations.  On the website, please click “Subscribe” to receive the Malu ‘Aina weekly peace leaflet and other posts or send me an email ja@malu-aina.org. with a request.  You can also reach us by phone (808) 966-7622.  Mahalo.