The Dougout

Last Friday was Admission Day for Hawaii. In recent years the only way someone living in Hawaii had any knowledge of this was that it provided state government employees with yet another paid holiday. Otherwise, there has been no official notice of the day including by Hawaii’s allegedly Republican governor.

Last year Malia Zimmerman, editor of Hawaii Reporter, wrote an article on this that was a lone voice in a wilderness of Hawaiian Political Correctness:

“It’s Hawaii’s birthday, observed as a state holiday Aug. 19, but no residents or visitors would know that. There is no parade, no fireworks, no birthday cake, no candles, no political speeches, no additional red, white and blue flags flying high, and definitely no acknowledgement by Hawaii’s political leaders that 46 years ago, Hawaii became America’s 50th state. There is just a sad, embarrassing silence.

“What once was a day of pride and parade has caved into the political correctness of a small percentage of native Hawaiians and other radicals who dislike the United States so much that they want Hawaii to become a sovereign nation unaffiliated with the rest of America.

“The actions -- or lack there of in support of America -- by Hawaii’s political leaders, is a great slap in the face to America’s founding fathers, to the visitors from the mainland U.S. and most of all to the vast majority of residents who are proud to be part of the United States.”

This year a few stalwart citizens and office holders tried to take Admissions Day back from the American-Freedom haters. Republican state senator Sam Slom announced this event on August 8th. He chose Iolani Palace as the venue for celebrating Hawaii becoming the 50th star on the American flag. I applaud Slom’s courage in having the event at the Palace. The Palace has been the scene of some of the most hate filled rhetoric to be uttered in public in the Aloha State. At an event marking the overthrow of the Monarchy in 1993, UH Professor Haunani-Kay Trask declared war on America at a major Sovereignty demonstration at the Palace before a crowd of 15,000:

"We are not Americans," she said. "Say it in your heart. Say it in your sleep. We will never forget what the Americans have done to us. Never, never, never. The Americans, my people, are our enemies."

Ken Conklin has the transcript of another Trask rant at the Palace from September 2, 2002 when, yet again, she spewed her venom to a large crowd of supporters:

“All you Hawaiians who think the United States is good think again. Take my class. Hawaiian Studies 390. Read the Blount Report. Read the report that shows what the haoles [white people] thought of us. They think the same thing today. That's where we get Rice and Conklin and Burgess. These are your ENEMIES Hawaiians, your ENEMIES. When Kamehameha was getting ready to go to war, he didn't sit there and think, "Oh gee I wonder if we should make nice. I wonder if I should go over to Kahekili and say hey, let's have a little pa'ina [party]." No.

“We need to think very, very clearly about who the enemy is. The enemy is the United States of America, and everybody who supports it. Rice. Conklin. Burgess.”

After the overthrow of the Monarchy Iolani Palace became the capital and housed state offices until 1969. After the building of the new capital building, the Palace was restored to its original condition circa 1893. It wasn’t until after the late 1960’s orgy of nihilism and America hatred that the Palace began to be used as a symbol by large numbers of Sovereignty activists.

During this whole period, at least until 1969, the American flag flew proudly from the Palace. This symbolism isn’t lost on the activists and the celebrants for statehood that this represents the political progress of change from monarchy to constitutional republic. However, it appears that many political commentators in Hawaii are completely clueless on this issue.

Yes, the confrontation at the Palace Friday was predictable, given that two participants, Slom and Conklin, have had “war” declared upon them by the activists. According to Richard Noah Hough at Hawaii Reporter the activists are also at “war” with high school bands:

A local high school band was on site, outside the steps of the palace, and to my surprise, so were unregistered protesters. Armed with microphone, bullhorns, and ample rage, needless to say the occasion did not go as I hoped but a part of me expected.

Yet, those protesting, even on the microphones with police present, made threats and even stated, "we are coming for you Gov. Linda Lingle, Sam Slom ... and all you in the Hawaii Legislature, we are coming for you!"

These “activists” are the enemies of democracy by their own statements. They would “come” for our elected representatives and replace them with whom? The biggest thug amongst them? Ken Conklin has more on what happened Friday including links and pictures as does this Honolulu Star-Bulletin article.

One of the problems with Hawaii is the number of people who will pander and grovel before the anti-democracy activists. For example, there is this Star-Bulletin article on the disgusting effects of flying the American flag from the Palace right after the attacks of 9/11/01:

Alice Guild, executive director of the Friends of Iolani Palace, has apologized for raising the American flag over the palace for a month in honor of the Sept. 11 attack victims.

"I am so, so sorry for the pain that has been caused," she wrote in a Nov. 8 open letter to the "Board, Staff, Volunteers of Iolani Palace and to those who were affected by the raising of the American flag at the palace on September 28th."

She wrote that she received hate mail and "'hurt mail' from people who were feeling a deep sense of pain and betrayal" after raising the U.S. flag over the former home of Hawaiian monarchs.

Her letter, however, has angered others who believe no apologies are ever warranted for flying Old Glory, especially on what is now a state building.

"To me it's just not right," said Gene Wallace, a docent at Iolani Palace. "To me it just boils down to one simple thing: You don't apologize for raising the American flag."

Not so Mr. Wallace, many “liberals” will apologize for the very air they breathe. Although the anti-democracy activists have stated that they are “coming” for Governor Lingle, they won’t have far to look. Last year our RINO governor was at a pro-segregation event advocating for a racially exclusive policy for the Kamehameha Schools and ripping the 50th star from the American flag.

Some have criticized the choice of the Palace as the venue this event. However, if that was the only objection, where were the other Statehood Day events? Except for Senator Slom and State Rep. Barbara Marumoto (R, Waialae-Kahala) I have not read of a single elected representative in the state of Hawaii participating in any Statehood Day event including the governor. This is a sad testament on the state of democracy and patriotism in Hawaii.

Update, 8/21: Both Malia Zimmerman and Don Newman provide eyewitness accounts of the day's event. There is also video footage available at KHNL online. The two eyewitness reports should be useful to Hawaii blogger Doug at Poinography who doesn't have Windows Media Player [Heh] and so hasn't been able to view the "fighting back" that he seems to think is justified.

Apparently, those who disagree with Doug's friends don't have a First Amendment right to peaceful assembly. When a howling mob prevents a high school band from playing at an annouced, public event and the governor, state attorney general and the cops hide under their desks while this is occurring, then our rights are diminished.