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Earlier this month, an idiot submitted a letter to the editor of the Honolulu Advertiser, and they printed it here. All Islanders share in gifts of Creator Proponents of government preferences for natives of Hawai'i often challenge the people of Hawai'i with "Imagine Hawai'i without Hawaiians." So what would the people of Hawai'i — descendants of people who gave their lives building and protecting Hawai'i — find if they found no "Hawaiians"? A glorious sun, nurturing climate, striking mountains and an enchanting ocean. These are gifts from the Creator to all humanity. A wonderful spirit of cooperation and mutual respect called aloha spirit here (and neighborliness where I was born). That is a gift here (as it was in my birthplace) from varied immigrants whose harsh and unjust lives forced them to cooperate with, respect and mutually support one another, and to find a common means to communicate. Vibrant and vital art and culture of islands such as Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Tahiti, etc. Even today tourism depends more on the vitality and variety of these cultures than on the recent preachiness of proponents for natives of Hawai'i. Relief from the massive government and tax expenditures dedicated to a minority that by its own claim is characterized by below-average health, accomplishment and education, and above-average violence toward those they should love. The Bishop Estate tax exemption alone costs the people of Hawai'i more than twice the cost of raises that teachers deserve. In short, the people of Hawai'i would find the same Hawai'i blessed with the Creator's gifts and the aloha spirit of all Hawai'i's people. George L. Berish Honolulu Here was the response I submitted, It was initially unclear if George Berish, when writing about a Hawai'i with no Hawaiians (12/08/04), was referring to the result of ethnic genocide or a discovery of the islands without the aboriginal people. However, it was very easy to interpret his letter as supporting ethnic genocide when he referred to the absence of Hawaiians as a "relief from the massive government and tax expenditures . . . ." In addition to not writing complete sentences using a subject and predicate (as taught in public elementary schools), Berish fails to recognize that it is the commonalities among Hawaiian, Fijian, Samoan and Tahitian cultures that allow local tourism to implement elements of those cultures here in Hawai'i as parts of the collective Polynesian culture. In response to his Kamehameha Schools tax exemption comment; I wonder how much more it would cost the state to educate all students currently enrolled at Kamehameha. Suggesting that a single ethnic group is a burden to tax payers and encouraging readers to imagine the absence of that same entire group lacks aloha; the very thing Berish says would remain and claims to value. Ethnic extinction is not aloha and I hope Advertiser readers know that. Derek H. Kauanoe Honolulu My response was printed on December 15 and can be read here. Of course they edited it even though it was 199 words, one word less than the required minimum. The editor omitted the exact part I suspected s/he would. That part was actually my subtle attempt to insult Berish, which was, In addition to not writing complete sentences using a subject and predicate (as taught in public elementary schools), Berish also submitted his letter to the Star-Bulletin and it was printed on 12/12/04. I submitted my response that same day and it was printed as well. Mele Kalikimaka, I gotta go sleep! I hear reindeer on my roof. Post a comment in response: |
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