chirudumi:

unexpectedradiance:

anarchoclintonism:

rianjohnsonretirebinch:

It is Asian and Pacific Islander heritage month so please take a minute to read this. Samuel Kaleioka Kaeo, a Hawaiian professor has a warrant out for his arrest just for speaking Hawaiian in court. He is facing charges for protesting against the construction of a telescope on a sacred mountain in Haleakalā. Words cannot convey how disgusted I am with this trash country.  

“Punishing Native Hawaiians for speaking our native language invokes a disturbing era in Hawaii’s history when olelo Hawaii was prohibited in schools, a form of cultural suppression that substantially contributed to the near extinction of the Hawaiian language,” Crabbe said. “It is disappointing that the state government continues to place barriers on olelo Hawaii, 40 years after Hawaii’s constitution was amended to recognize the Hawaiian language as an official language of the state. We demand that the state Judiciary find an immediate solution to this issue.”

 Hawai’i is more than a picture perfect sunset. It’s more than a vacation spot away from work. Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiians) are still facing blatant racism and suppression in 2018. This is oppressive action against the protesters. This is bullshit white supremacy in action. I don’t know how to directly help, so I’m spreading the word. We must all practice Malama ‘Aina. http://m.hawaiinewsnow.com/hawaiinewsnow/db/330510/content/YTPnUXB5

Additional info, for anyone interested: 

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/37344278/arrest-warrant-issued-after-maui-professor-speaks-hawaiian-in-court

“After being asked to identify himself, Kaeo did so in Hawaiian — and that led the judge to rule him not present. ‘Since the court is unable to get a definitive determination for the record that the defendant seated in court is Mr. Samuel Kaeo, bailiff, make three calls for the defendant,’ Judge Blaine Kobay[a]shi said, in court.

[…] Kaeo had requested a Hawaiian translator during his trial, but the judge denied his request. Hawaiian and English are the state’s official languages.”

This is a pretty blatant demonstration of why Asian Americans have GOT to think hard about using the term Asian & Pacific Islander (API). Has it been supportive and important in some cases? Sure. But god, we really have to confront and address the kind of bullshit that (East) Asians pull on Pacific Islanders.

It’s also messed up that this telescope is named after late Senator Inouye  (DKIST – the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope). Really? Who has the gall to disrespect his legacy like that when he pushed for the 1988 Native Hawaiian Education Act and the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 2009? (Note: As a longtime New England baby, I don’t know much about Hawaiian politics. Anyone who knows better is free to call me out!) 

Look, there’s a long history of (East) Asian colonialism/imperialism, classism, violence, etc. that gets ignored when we simply get grouped under a “diasporic identity” with Pacific Islanders. Has there been overlap in the past and still now? Yes. But y’all, this is extra fucked up when Kaeo is Native Hawaiian and this is literally happening in Hawaii. 

Glad @rianjohnsonretirebinch posted this. How is this even legal? Last time I checked, there were TWO official languages and English is foreign to Hawaiʻi! This is the Faye Hanohano incident all over again and he’s more in his right to speak Hawaiian than we are to speak English!! If you can’t speak Hawaiian and live in Hawaiʻi, tough luck. Get a translator. Why am I not surprised that the judge is Japanese?

This goes far past API/Asian Americans, although that’s definitely important and something to think about in regards to the issues within the (Continental) United States since it’s far more widespread. This goes directly into LOCAL politics in Hawaiʻi and East Asian (but more specifically in this case, Japanese) Settler Colonialism. I don’t mean to be rude but Japanese AND Okinawan individuals, both in the diaspora and from the homelands have been active in pushing settler colonialism against Hawaiians. I suggest anybody who has the ability to get their hands on these, read ‘Ethnicity and Inequality in Hawaii by Jonathan Y. Okamura’ (https://www.amazon.com/Ethnicity-Inequality-Hawaii-American-History/dp/1592137563), ‘Asian Settler Colonialism: From Local Governance to the Habits of Everyday Life in Hawai`i by Candace Fujikane and Jonathan Y. Okamura’, ‘From a Native Daughter by Haunani Kay Trask’, which are available at the Hawaii State Library (and I’m sure at the UH/Community College libraries as well). 

I never followed Inouye closely but I hold mixed views towards him [as a Okinawan person whose family was interned in Japanese-American internment camps but also as a person from Hawaiʻi]. His name is being put on everything (recently our airport was changed to his name) and I think in terms of Hawaiians, it’s probably a mixed bag so I’m not sure if he would deem it “disrespectful” but I definitely need to do more reading on him to have a sure assumption/view.