The Indoctrinated Generations

Over the years, I have truly enjoyed the Lahaina News. The articles are relevant to the Hawaii communities and betterment of all.

Once in a while, I read unintelligent, angry, misinformed individuals expound hate, rhetoric, misinformation and just dribble obviously brought about by a complete lack of proper education and balanced thought.

The April 28 Lahaina News published a letter from a Mr. Jake Pickering from Arcata, California. Jake is a radical ultra-leftist person that I believe is an “Indoctrinated One.”

Unfortunately, since the early 1960s, our schools have been infiltrated by Marxist, Socialist, Communist folks that have indoctrinated our youth… and Jake is one of the victims of the infiltration. He lacks worldwide education and expounds nothing but ignorant ranting and anger, because society doesn’t fit into the Marxist theory he has been taught.

Jake hates Republicans but fails to identify a single example about how government works. He doesn’t know… he’s been indoctrinated.

I believe we need to focus on positive thought and implementation of traditional education, such as reading, writing, math, geography, health and relevant matters, so that our youth can think not be taught “what” to think. I do not think our youth should be subjected to Jake’s lack of education, hateful rhetoric and indication that he wants government to control our youth.

RICHARD BODISCO, West Maui

DHHL funding is good news

Congratulations to the Legislature and to Hawaiian Home Land Beneficiaries on the waitlist and on the land! Mahalo to all of the homestead policy advocates, too!

The recent legislative and advocacy actions to fund $600 million to DHHL, as the state agency responsible to fulfill the duties of statehood, is good news.

The section of the bill that authorizes payments to people to remove themselves from the waitlist will very likely require congressional consent, as there is no HHCA provision that would allow the state to summarily disregard the birthrights of an HHCA beneficiary, even if paid money.

But the aspect to provide down payment or rental support to an HHCA beneficiary is well within the HHCA as it’s currently written. Great job to Rep Luke and others!

Most exciting is the majority of the $600 million to be spent implementing the HHCA, to get waitlist Hawaiians and their families a homestead land award, by installing power, roads and power to our lands! And indeed, purchasing additional lands for this purpose, too!

Let’s not repeat the reality of the 1995 appropriation of $600 million, where $150 million still remains in DHHL’s coffers unspent!

Less than 100 days to vote in the Democratic Primary for governor to get a sense of which of them will have the kuleana in 2023 to move these funds, to move land, to move the waitlist! Congrats to everyone. Mahalo to our legislators from all across the state!

True gratefulness from all across the islands and continent.

ROBIN PUANANI DANNER, Chair, Sovereign Council of Hawaiian Homestead Associations

Beauty from the ashes

One thing about the Bible is how the passages speak into life depending on what you are going through. Right now, cancer, my son moving away and getting married, and upcoming mediation with the county and developer are foremost in my mind.

At last, after a year, the county is addressing the Hawaii Supreme Court’s ruling regarding Kahoma Village. God’s timing is always perfect. Personally, I wanted to get right on it when the ruling came in June 2021. Meeting with the developer and Maui Planning Commission to find ways to right the wrongs committed seemed urgent at the time. But in retrospect, healing from breast cancer surgery and enjoying family was more important.

About a week ago, we took our son to the airport. Right around that time, the county contacted the attorneys to begin the mediation process. God is so good. Up until now, I could focus on helping my son move and prepare for married life. Since the first meeting with the Maui Planning Commission is scheduled for Aug. 9, that allows plenty of time to enjoy the wedding, bury my brother’s ashes, celebrate Father’s Day in Montana with my dad, and undergo another surgery. With all these things going on in my life, Psalm 55:22 was extra meaningful. “Give your burdens to the Lord, and He will take care of you.” I am holding on to that promise for everything going on.

With the county’s support of the developer, it will take an act of God to right the wrongs committed in this case. So, the conclusion of Psalm 55 is my hope. “I am trusting You, Lord God, to save me.” Continuing in scripture, Joshua 23:10 also jumped out at me, “for the Lord your God fights for you, just as He promised.”

Joshua 24 explains how the people agreed to commit to the Lord and follow His ways. As a reminder of their vows, Joshua took a huge stone and rolled it beneath a tree beside the Tabernacle. “This stone has heard everything the Lord said to us. It will be a witness to testify against you if you go back on your word to God.” I like that — memorials are wonderful for remembrances. As a part of the mediation, I want native vegetation planted on the perimeter of Kahoma Village visible from Front Street and the highway along with memorials commemorating the history of the site. In addition, they would be responsible to erect duplicate statues in a historical park to honor David Malo and the battle that took place between Kamehameha the Great and the high chief of Maui. Breadfruit groves graced the homestead of David Malo. Tamarind trees were a favorite of Queen Lili’uokalani. These could be a couple of the species planted in a park. As part of the agreement, a historical public park would be something advocated for.

The passages in Joshua conclude with burials and about the bones of Joseph brought from Egypt back to the Promised Land. Hawaiian culture also places significant importance on burials and ancestral bones. Buried on top of the hill overlooking his beloved Lahaina homestead, Malo hoped his bones would be safe. Although it is too late to protect the actual historical site where Malo lived and the battle took place, the county and developer have an opportunity to make up for the loss of park space in the community plan.

Developing a park on Kamehameha Schools/Bishop Estate property would allow for spectacular views of where Malo had lived, received his education, helped write Hawaii’s first constitution, and his final resting place.

Considering the destruction of Hurricane Lane’s wildfire on the Bishop Estate property, developing a park here would be ideal for public safety. These are the kinds of good things that could come from a dire situation.

By the grace of God, the various parties involved can come together in agreement to benefit the entire community. That is just like God, to bring beauty from the ashes in our life.

MICHELE LINCOLN, Lahaina