Last week, on the weekend of Statehood day, we saw a play called "The Statehood Project" DH's cigar smoking buddy, Harry Wong III, was the co-director of this. Tiare Picard, of the group known as Fat Ulu, was one of the editors of the book it was based on. She works in my office.
The fact that it took me more than a week to think about this means it really made an impression on me. I had to think about the fact that not everyone was/is happy that Hawaii is a state, and puzzled over what it would be like if we had just remained a territory. I came to the conclusion that we would be in the bad limbo of territories like Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
Hawaii would still have the military presence and all that means - both good and bad. Good for our economy (many of Ted's students are military dependents - 85 to 90% of them). Bad: the bases occupy prime real estate. We would still pay taxes, but we would not be represented in the Senate and House. Statehood meant that my parents could choose those representatives. (BTW, the 2010 Census is an important one for all states so that we get our share of representation in Congress, and our part of Federal funding. At least that's what they keep telling us at work.)
The actual day, August 21, 1959 - 50 years ago - did not mean much to me. I don't remember it. DH was selling newspapers on the street that day. On a regular day, selling 50 papers was a lot. That day he sold 200. And it was his birthday.
Our son grew up in a world where we had always been a state, but he has so much more opportunity because we are one. Those who worked so hard on statehood aren't alive to see all that Hawaii is.
Those of you who mourn the Hawaii before statehood, I would like to hear your views.
The fact that it took me more than a week to think about this means it really made an impression on me. I had to think about the fact that not everyone was/is happy that Hawaii is a state, and puzzled over what it would be like if we had just remained a territory. I came to the conclusion that we would be in the bad limbo of territories like Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
Hawaii would still have the military presence and all that means - both good and bad. Good for our economy (many of Ted's students are military dependents - 85 to 90% of them). Bad: the bases occupy prime real estate. We would still pay taxes, but we would not be represented in the Senate and House. Statehood meant that my parents could choose those representatives. (BTW, the 2010 Census is an important one for all states so that we get our share of representation in Congress, and our part of Federal funding. At least that's what they keep telling us at work.)
The actual day, August 21, 1959 - 50 years ago - did not mean much to me. I don't remember it. DH was selling newspapers on the street that day. On a regular day, selling 50 papers was a lot. That day he sold 200. And it was his birthday.
Our son grew up in a world where we had always been a state, but he has so much more opportunity because we are one. Those who worked so hard on statehood aren't alive to see all that Hawaii is.
Those of you who mourn the Hawaii before statehood, I would like to hear your views.
on September 16, 2009, 10:07 pm
So much as the US would require redress of other countries (Marcos for ruining the Philippines, for example), so should the Hawaiian Nation receive redress for the wrongs committed against a peaceful and prosperous nation with the explicit compliance of the United States!
Then the US decided to look the other way and acquire Hawaii; finally implementing their perceived justice by bestowing statehood on our former kingdom. The natives are now "better off" under the care of their conquerors. So trite.
The whole beef is that it was WRONG! The US polices the rest of the nations of the world, demanding that they do RIGHT by US standards, but the US has this elephant lurking in their closet: the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom, which they have yet to recognize properly.
It's not so much as not wanting statehood; but wanting the US to right the wrongs perpetrated by its officials and citizens over a century ago. This before the US goes out and tries to tell another country how they should "act."
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on September 16, 2009, 11:21 pm
I tried to explain much of what you covered - but not all - to the mostly East Coast women on the EBB we share.
If you are so inclined, and have the time, I recommend that you see "The Statehood Project". In addition to what I wrote above, I came away from it with the realization that it means different things to different people. After all, my people and I are mere "settlers" here.
I agree with much of what you wrote, but WHO is the U.S.? The U.S. is US. You and me and the rest of the people for whom all of that is a non-issue. For them, there is no elephant, it may be a flea IF it comes under their radar. Think about this: our sons - both of them - have never known a time when Hawaii was NOT a state. That is true of most people living here now.
My question is this: facing forward, to the future, what is realistically achievable?
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