Utah's Protect Hawaiian Lands Rally Pictures

[Photographer: Richard Wolfgramm]

[Photographer: Richard Wolfgramm]

[Photographer: Richard Wolfgramm]

[Photographer: Richard Wolfgramm]

[Photographer: Richard Wolfgramm]

View more pictures from the rally HERE

Protect Hawaiian Lands Gathering & Rally here in Utah

OPPOSE the Lingle Administration’s attempt to sell off Hawaiian lands. Hawai‘i Attorney General Mark Bennett issued an APPEAL to the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a previous State Supreme Court decision that banned the state from selling or transferring ceded lands until Native Hawaiian claims against the government were “settled.” This decision was based on Hawai’i State law and the 1993 Apology Resolution which recognizes that Native Hawaiians have unrelinquished claims to ceded lands. The Lingle administration now asserts that Native Hawaiians have “no claim” to the ceded lands. Lingle’s contempt for Native Hawaiian people, culture and history cannot go unanswered. In recent years, the U.S. Supreme Court has produced legal decisions that have been anti-Native resulting in policy changes that continue to hurt Native peoples, their lands, rights and culture. Lingle must WITHDRAW THE APPEAL.

Read more HERE

For more information about what is happening with Hawaiian Lands, please click HERE

PROTECT HAWAIIAN LANDS GATHERING & RALLY

WHERE: SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH

WHEN: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2009

WHERE: FEDERAL COURT HOUSES, 125 S. STATE STREET

TIME: 12noon-1PM

PLEASE COME AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT!!!

Please join a nation-wide event to support the protection of Hawaiian lands against development and sale by politicians in the State of Hawaii.

On the day that the U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments in an important Hawaiian land case (State of Hawaii v. Office of Hawaiian Affairs, et al.), the following events will be held in Salt Lake City, Utah to demonstrate our unified and peaceful resistance to the sale of public Hawaiian lands and to educate the general public about this important issue:

PULE-Traditional Prayer Gathering (a nation-wide, simultaneous event):
8:00am Pule Begins (coincide w/ 10am EST start of Supreme Court session) this can be done wherever you're at.

RALLY- Kū I Ka Pono / Stand Up for Justice:
Federal Court House Downtown SLC – 125 S. State St - Sidwalk
12 noon – 1:00pm Rally

PLEASE WEAR/BRING:
Red Shirt (Kū I Ka Pono if you have), white/muslin Kīhei, Hawaiian Flag, Signs* (dress warm)

OLI/MELE (chants/songs):
E Iho Ana, I Kū Mau Mau, Kū i ka pono, E hō mai ka 'ike, Nā 'aumākua

INFO: kawikaalfiche@gmail.com

*dress warm, bring umbrella, snacks, water

BE CAUTIOUS: The purpose of this rally is public attention and to educate the masses so that they to can stand with us. This is a peaceful and pono rally with positive energy and message. How ever please read the definition below.

pro⋅vo⋅ca⋅teur: /prəˌvɒk əˈtɜr, -ˈtʊər; [pruh-vok-uh-tur, -too r]- a person who provokes trouble, causes dissension, or the like; agitator.

If there is someone who "provokes" negativity, keep pono in mind. Aggression and provocation are not our purpose nor part of our message. And this is NOT an issue of race. Ceded (public) lands affect everyone.

Gentle but important reminder: Please keep signage to slogans such as "Aloha `Aina," "Don't Sell Hawaiian Lands," "Hawaiian Unity," and the like. We will have flyers with information about our purpose as well as historic information on Hawaii to hand out to media and interested passersby.

PROTOCOLS/ETIQUETTE FOR THE RALLY

* Please be on time (allow time for parking) meeting time is 12 noon

* Non-violent: We want recognition through unification and Loud Voices!

* Please do not damage any property (public, cars, etc)

*Mind your manners and kokua one another we will have kupuna and kumu hula there, please watch over them as if they were your grandparent

*Wear RED...t-shirts, kihei (not individual colors etc...)

*We can rally with aloha even in adversity.

*We are calling on all Kane (men) 30's and 40's (to serve as guards and protectors to the group, to keep our group in a peaceful focus, to watch over the kupuna, to make sure we are safe from traffic, to keep order, etc…)

--
na Kawika Alfiche
http://www.myspace.com/kawikaalfiche
http://www.keikialii.com - Halau Hula
http://www.apop.net - Kaululehua Hawaiian Cultural Center
http://www.Kaleocafe.com - Our Cafe
http://www.hawaiitunes.com - CD download
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/kawika - CD purchase

"A`ohe pau ka 'ike i ka hälau ho`okahi." All knowledge is not taught in the same school. One can learn from many sources.

Speak out against SB16--"gang free zones" Bill

Please take a moment to read up on what the "gang free zones" bill is about and how it has the potential to give law enforcement more power to racially profile our ethnic communities!

Please make your voice heard by emailing Governor Huntsman and telling him not to sign the bill!!!

Inspiring Young People-- 7th Grade Bloggers

No matter what one may think about President Obama one cannot deny how historic this occasion is in our history, in our lives, and the lives of future generations.

I was really moved to read some of the writings of young 7th graders from the Harlem Village Academies who blogged about the Presidential Inauguration.


[7th graders from the Harlem Village Academies watching the Presidential Inauguration Address]

Here a couple that really stood out...

Spoken like a poet, Obama's words touched me. Obama said, "Time and time again, these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked until their hands were raw, so that we might live a better life." My grandmother cooks and cleans so that her kids and grandkids come home to a safe, healthy home. She works and works, and she never gives up. She doesn't know how to read or write, but she's the smartest person I know. She learns from her experiences and from the experiences of others. She works to make everyone that crosses her path happy. She works to make America a better country. This has been her job for sixty-nine years, and it will be her job until the day she dies.
--Cariahnna Cintron

I picture my great, great grandma picking cotton out of the cotton field thinking about what the future is going to be like. All our great, great grandparents are watching in heaven looking down on how much we have changed. I feel kind of emotional now because when Barack finishes his terms and makes a lot of changes, I hope this encourages other African Americans to run for office. Seeing Barack Obama become president is giving me hope that maybe one day I can be something big.
--Aazja Lindsay

This man is an inspiration. I just wish I could talk like him. I admired how he said, "If you are willing to unclench your fist, America has an extended hand for you." I admired this particularly because I am Muslim. He compared some Muslim souls to clenched fists. Thanks Barack Hussein Obama for giving me more spirit and guiding me to set my goals higher.
--Mamadou Doumbouya

Read more of their blogs HERE...

Listening to these young people makes me more hopeful for the future!!!

Very inspiring!!!

President Barack Obama

It's about time we have a President who is compassionate and brilliant!!!


[picture taken from Dooce.com]



If you missed President Obama's Inaugural Address you can watch it below or click HERE for the text version.

Planet Tonga Website Credentialed to Cover Presidential Inaugural Events...

I am a huge OBAMA supporter and so you can imagine my excitement when I received this in my Planet Tonga email...

To Anapesi Kaili, Planet Tonga Website:

Thank you for your request for press credentials to cover the official events sponsored by the Presidential Inaugural Committee 2009 (PIC). This letter is your official notification that the Planet Tonga Website has been selected by the 2009 Presidential Inauguration Committee to cover events at the upcoming Presidential Inaugural events.

Please find all the necessary information attached.

We look forward to seeing you!

Thank you,

Media Credentialing Department
Presidential Inaugural Committee 2009

What an amazing opportunity!!!

Get involved in the Process...

Education reform is very dear to my heart and I believe we have the opportunity to really make a difference during this Obama administration.

Obama is currently in the process of choosing his U.S. Secretary of Education and hopefully we can help impact his decision.

Dr. Linda Darling Hammond would be a great candidate for this position. I don't necessarily agree with all her views, but I really like how she examines educational issues from multiple perspectives. For example, here is her take on charter schools, which is a pretty fair critique that addresses the positives and also the challenges of Charter schools:

"I'm an advocate for good schools, and I think some charter schools allow us to do some things to create those schools. Some charters don't. The movement is very diverse. I don't think the issue is charter versus non-charter, it's how do we get schools to change in ways that are going to be more supportive to kids? I'd like to see regular public school districts taking charge of the issue the way charters are."

"Competition does not always breed quality. All you have to do is sit up one night and try to find a station on cable TV. The same thing is true in schools. The studies about charter schools across the country have shown that in many states the charter schools are doing less well than the regular public schools. So they're not a whole lot of competition in some ways. On the other hand I do think that creating good school models does show people that it is possible to break out of the mold. So the provision of high-quality modeling for schooling, whether charter or non-charter, is a good thing and in a sense may be what the proponents of competition have in mind."

Read more here

Please take a moment to read over the petition and also her bio and then consider signing the petition.


Take a stand and make your voice heard...

"Appoint Linda Darling-Hammond Secretary of Education" hosted on the web by PetitionOnline.com, the free online petitionservice. Click here to sign the petition.

It’s been a long time coming…

As you all know, I have been a huge Obama supporter from the very beginning, when I first heard him speak at the DNC in 2004, when he posed the question: Do we participate in a politics of cynicism or do we participate in a politics of hope? I have always been conflicted about America’s two dominating party politics because I didn’t feel that either one of them fully represented the complexities of my life (and those around me) and the values we espouse based on culture, experience, spirituality and the list goes on.

Yet, somehow his words really moved me, it made me think much deeper about the role of politics in our lived realities, especially as Pacific Islanders, who seem to always be excluded from these political discussions. His words resonated with issues that I had been grappling with in my work among Pacific Islander young people, and when he said we need to “eradicate the slander that says a black youth with a book is acting white” I was quite surprised that a politician was actually aware of and would raise this issue that is often referred to in the Tongan community as being “fie palangi” and how this construct has been used to silence, divide, essentialize, marginalize, and restrict the creativity and intellect of many of our young people. I chose at that time to slowly move toward a politics of hope, but approaching it with a critical eye!

I must admit that throughout this presidential campaign, I have doubted whether or not it could actually really happen, that we as American citizens (regardless of race, class and gender) would come together to vote for an African American to be President of the United States. My doubts were not because I felt President Obama wasn’t ready (because clearly to me he was the best candidate) but rather I was unsure if America was ready. I mean let’s just keep it real—to willingly trust White America would be an act of historical stupidity—yet at the same time to ignore how far we have come would be to disrespect and dishonor the sacrifices of many who have come before us and have given their lives so that we can be closer to actualizing our own dreams and on a more personal note, it’s their sacrifices which have made it possible for me to be here blogging about these very issues.

Putting my doubts aside, I chose to be hopeful and this past Tuesday, it became a reality as Senator Obama became President-elect Obama! Do I think this means that America is now post-racial (as many would like to think)? Absolutely Not! Do I think that this election serves as a paradigm shift in America? Not Yet! Do I see a shift in consciousness? Possibly!

This election, in my opinion is about America finally growing up and rejecting the politics of fear! It is about young people yearning to hold America accountable to its promises and ideals (which for centuries have only benefitted a privileged few)! This election is a reminder that grassroots efforts is where change always starts and that community organizers totally rocked the country (in your face McCain, Palin, Guilanni and others who mocked community organizers)!

This election is not just an African American victory, it is an American victory! It is a reminder to all politicians (democrats, republicans, independents, etc.) that American politics needs to generate a new kind of language and policies that reflects the uniqueness of this moment in our history and the possibilities this election can and must create. It is a reminder that we as citizens must do some serious grassroots politics if we want to continue to foster this momentum of change that is sweeping through our country!

I strongly believe that how President Obama governs will be determined on how we as citizens take up our own responsibilities and hold Washington accountable to its promises. As the late Roosevelt reportedly told those who were in charge of the Labor Movement, “I agree with you, now go out and make me do it!”

I believe this is the attitude that we must embrace, especially in this time in our history!

I leave you with the music and lyrics of one of my all time favorite music artist-- Sam Cooke!

...It's been a long time coming But I know a change is gonna come...



A Change Is Gonna Come
Sam Cooke (1964)

I was born by the river in a little tent
And just like the river, I've been running ever since
It's been a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come

It's been too hard living, but I'm afraid to die
I don't know what's up there beyond the sky
It's been a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come

I go to the movie, and I go downtown
Somebody keep telling me "Don't hang around"
It's been a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come

Then I go to my brother and I say, "Brother, help me please"
But he winds up knocking me back down on my knees

There've been times that I've thought I couldn't last for long
But now I think I'm able to carry on
It's been a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come

President Barack Obama!!!

The 44th President of the United States of America President Barack Obama!!!

Vote! Vote! Vote!

Don't forget to VOTE today!!!

If you don't know your voting location go to www.voteforchange.com or call 1-877-874-6226

Check back later tonight as my cousin Richard and I do some live blogging about the final day of the Presidential election!!!

ONE MORE DAY...

Tomorrow is the day!

Get out and VOTE!

Check out my cousin Richard's blog about how to stop voter suppression and make sure your vote is protected!

VOTE FOR CHANGE!!!

OBAMA's CLOSING ARGUMENT!!!

Choose HOPE over fear!!!

VOTE OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT!!!

and the hate continues...

The misconceptions on the campaign trail continue to foster fear and hate about Obama...



It's quite sad that these types of racist sentiments does not surprise me, in fact, I kind of expected comments like this during this historical election considering the history of America and the things white America refuses to come to terms with or chooses to forget...however, it's still very disturbing to hear.

This constant irrational white fear that if Obama becomes President he is going to ”tear off his mask" and admit he is a "terrorist" and and hire rapper Ludicris to “paint the White House black” while giving free "handouts" to all black people is just so ridiculous!!!

The truth of the matter is that white America's biggest fear is that people of color will one day be in power, educate others about the real history of America and finally seek revenge for what white people have always known deep down in their psyche (even as they pretend to suffer from historical amnesia), which is the fact that white supremacist America has yet to be held accountable for centuries of ongoing ethnic genocide, racial exploitation and abuse! No wonder they continue to live in fear!

Vote OBAMA for President!!!

Enough already with the divisive politics that have continued to separate us and polarize us into opposing extreme corners. Let us come together and create a new path for the future. We don't need to agree on every issue but certainly, we can agree that we can do better as a nation, as a people, and as individuals!

Check out the video below and VOTE OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT!!!

General Colin Powell Endorses Barack Obama for President!!!

I am not at all surprised that General Colin Powell has endorsed Senator Obama, the only candidate that makes sense for President at this time in our history!!!

OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT!!!



Here’s the actual photo General Colin Powell mentioned in the above video...



Read more about the New Yorker photo essay here!

More humor from Barack Obama...

Barack Obama At the Alfred E. Smith Dinner

You have to watch this...its hilarious!!!

OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT!!!

More HATE on the campaign trail....

It's pretty fair to say that the Obama and the McCain rallies and campaign trails offer us a brief glimpse of how each candidate will lead the country...which is why I don't even have the strength to comment on all the craziness that is happening on the campaign trail!!!

The awesome Rachel Maddow reports on the venomous hate that has almost taken over the McCain campaign...

Michelle Obama... our next First Lady!

Video of Michelle Obama on Larry King: Reacts to Ayers and “That One”

I love it that she keeps it real and focuses on the issues!!! Love this woman!!!

OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT!!!

OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT



Behind the scenes at the Democratic National Convention

This week in Racist America...

and another one...

… [Greg] Howard wrote an acronym with an explanation on a dry-erase board in his seventh-grade social-studies class at Marianna Middle School. It said, “C.H.A.N.G.E. - Come Help A (N-word) Get Elected.”

Howard, who has been working with the school district for 17 years, has been suspended without pay for 10 days. Although he won’t be teaching at the middle school, Moore said Howard will be a teacher at the district’s Adult Education Program.

“We feel like the punishment is sufficient,” Moore said. “We did not feel he had to be fired.”

read more

so much for Mariana Middle School's so-called "Tradition of Excellence"...