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Blue Scholars - Hi 808 - OFFICIAL VIDEO (HD)

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 02:36:03 -0700

"what i've been telling people lately is 'oof!' is what america did to hawaii. by pimping its resources and using it as a strategic military pacific outpost, and just the destruction to the people and their land in the name of development. that permeates hawaii." - geo

seattle-based hip hop duo blue scholars' latest music video, "hi 808." shot entirely in hawaii, mc geo's childhood home. i was stoked to see that some of the parts were shot right in my neighborhood.

Native Hawaiian protesters end march, burn 50th star on U.S. flag in protest | HonoluluAdvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 03:52:14 -0700

the protesters joining in on the native hawaiian rally swelled to more than 300 people when they reached the convention center today.

they lined the sidewalk shouting and blowing conch shells as passing motorists honked their horns.

some protesters then carried the effigy of a 12-foot-tall Uncle sam to the water-giver statue outside the convention center and knocked off its hat that carried colonial feathers representing countries that fell under the imperialism of the u.s. there was no hawaii colonial feather. they then pulled out a u.s. flag from the hat and cut off the 50th star, setting it on fire.

the march was put on by the hawaiian independence action alliance, which represents numerous native hawaiian factions with varying political perspectives. but they do agree that they want self-determination and independence for hawaiians. they also do not recognize the legality of the state of hawaii.

Hawaii has come long way in 50 years | HonoluluAdvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 03:51:08 -0700

fifty years ago today, president dwight eisenhower set pen to official paper to welcome hawai'i as an official member of the united states.

in hawai'i, the news--long presumed--was relayed to gov. william quinn by hawai'i secretary edward johnson.

within minutes, associate justice masaji marumoto of the hawai'i supreme court administered oaths of office to quinn and lt. gov. james kealoha before a packed house in the executive chambers of 'iolani palace.

thus began a week of grand public displays of pride and patriotism, even as those quietly opposed to statehood mourned the passing of the last vestiges of hawaiian independence.

civil defense sirens wailed. a gun-saluting battery from headquarters, fleet marine force, pacific fired a 50-gun salute at 'iolani palace. thousands attended an elaborate fireworks show at ala moana beach park. cars crowded honolulu streets, their horns blaring.

today's 50th anniversary activities are all but certain to have a significantly different tone.

in keeping with the 50th anniversary of statehood commission's stated intent of "commemorating" rather than "celebrating" the milestone, the state's largest official marking of the day will be a conference aimed at looking ahead to hawai'i's next 50 years.

hawaiian activists will also be busy today. the hawaiian independence action alliance and the institute for the advancement of hawaiian affairs have organized a march and rally for hawaiian independence, scheduled to take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Few will celebrate 50 years of statehood | HonoluluAdvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 00:03:22 -0700

honolulu advertiser columnist lee catalua: "few will celebrate 50 years of statehood":

that sound you don't hear is the celebration of the 50th anniversary of statehood. oh sure, they're having a conference at the convention center today, but it sounds suspiciously like one of those sustainability conferences they have every six months. a highlight of the all-day event is a job fair. that pretty much sums up where we find ourselves at this moment in time.

anniversaries are good times for the media to sell advertising, kids to compete in poster contests and reyn's to make a special shirt. for the rest of us just trying to get by, there is a feeling of ambivalence. anybody throwing a big statehood party in their garage tonight? anybody soaping "happy statehood" signs on their car windows? anybody going to remember this day as a shining moment 50 years from now? uh, no.

the images of 1959 and the stories that have endured make you realize how personal statehood was to the people of hawai'i. they fought for it. they celebrated in the streets. it was about things like pride, identity and equality. those things seem almost quaint now. the celebration seems something the state is obligated to put on, not something bursting forth from the hearts of the people. the people are busy. the people have lots of other things to worry about.

as far as civic celebrations go, this one has been a non-starter. too many thorny issues to wade through, too many painful historical truths to confront. on the one end is the "you ought to be grateful!" anti-sovereignty rant. on the other is the "they ought to be ashamed!" anti-statehood camp. most people fall somewhere in the middle; perhaps aware of the issues but too stinkin' busy trying to keep the household running to think about how things might have been.

gov. linda lingle and the statehood commission are playing this one low-key, and that's the right note for right now. no parade, no gala ball, just some sedate television spots and old black-and-white pictures. no one is in the party mood.

and while the media has done the soft-focus "looking back" pieces, the statehood conference is emphasizing "looking forward." no one wants to say, "hey, look at where we are after 50 years." the answer to that one is painfully obvious. we're in trouble.

maybe 50 years from now, all our problems will have been solved and hawai'i will be more in a mood to celebrate. when the media does those "100 years of statehood" timelines, there will be a note for 2009 that says, "marked 50 years of statehood, quietly and apprehensively."

Iolani Palace to remain quiet as Hawaii observes 50th | HonoluluAdvertiser.com | The Honolulu Advertiser

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 00:02:20 -0700

sandra reyes strolled across the empty grounds of 'iolani palace this week and fully understood why state officials are not marking 50 years of hawai'i statehood today with any kind of celebration.

"i can see why they would be afraid," said reyes. "you have to understand the history of hawai'i."

some native hawaiian groups asked that 'iolani palace--the seat of hawaiian royalty and the center of hawai'i's statehood celebration 50 years ago--be draped in black today as a way to mark the continuing struggles of native hawaiians.

others wanted to celebrate statehood today with patriotic songs and pro-american demonstrations on the palace grounds that would certainly anger hawaiians--as they did at an "admission day" celebration at 'iolani palace three years ago that deteriorated into threats and shouting matches.

palace officials and state sheriff's deputies, however, are prepared for the possibility of protests around 'iolani Palace today and--perhaps--yet another attempt to occupy the palace grounds, as groups have done in the past.

state sen. sam slom, r-8th (kahala, hawai'i kai), helped organize the 2006 pro-statehood demonstration at 'iolani palace and believes that the statehood commission should have marked 50 years of statehood by letting people peaceably assemble on the palace grounds and exercise their rights of free speech--no matter what position they have on statehood.

"we're not celebrating because we're afraid," slom said. "celebrating 50 years of being a state, to me, means giving the right of everyone in our community--protesters and others--to raise these issues and fully vet them publicly, knowing they are fully protected by the freest country in the world and the rights and guarantees that no one else in the world enjoys. to not openly celebrate does a disservice to the people before statehood and to all the people in the 50 years since statehood."

but donald cataluna, a trustee of the state office of hawaiian affairs and a member of the statehood commission, fought against any statehood event at 'iolani palace, which he believes could have led to bloodshed and unwanted nationwide attention for hawai'i.

at least 30 hawaiian sovereignty groups represent 30,000 native hawaiians, cataluna said.

"and many, many hawaiians--many hawaiians--would be very, very upset," cataluna said. "it would not be a good idea to have an event at the site of the overthrow of their queen. it would be a horrible mess there. i had visions of blood spilling and i didn't want that."

Editor's Note 8-19-2009 & Honolulu Weekly

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 00:01:42 -0700

honolulu weekly's editor, ragnar carlson:

as we noted last week, it's been a quiet summer on the statehood front. maybe people aren't quite as excited about the semi-centennial as many news and media organizations predicted: it seems like broadcast and print outlets have been hyping 50th anniversary stuff since the second half of 2008, no doubt expecting a lot of energy from all sides of the statehood-sovereignty spectrum.

this week, as hawaii marks 50 years as a full-fledged member of the american union, congress is slowing moving toward legislative action that would constitute the most significant transfer of political autonomy since 1959. the akaka bill, if enacted, would allow hawaiians a chance at self-determination-though not sovereignty-for the first time since at least the late 19th century, and maybe much longer, depending on how you count.

and yet in conversations, i've always been struck by how few of us understand the akaka bill. maybe it's all the rancor over the bill from passionate advocates on all sides, maybe it's just a lack of paying close attention. it might even be the informal title we've been using to discuss the legislation: this is once case in which the bill's official name-the native hawaiian government reorganization act-puts things more plainly. in any event, the confusion extends beyond the potential long-range issues raised by the bill-too many of us simply don't know what the bill would actually do.

congress is considering paving the way for a new hawaiian nation, federally recognized and semi-autonomous. it's hard to imagine how anyone who cares about this place could remain neutral.

for what it's worth, i support the akaka bill. i'm also sympathetic to those who oppose it, both on assimilationist grounds and on revolutionary ones, though i don't think either the cohesiveness of our society or the ongoing effort by some hawaiians to achieve full independence from the united states will be negatively affected by passage of the akaka bill.

ultimately, i'm convinced that the creation of a native hawaiian nation will be a step forward for hawaii as a whole. as concerns native hawaiians, this is first and foremost a question of justice. but the experiences of similar communties in the pacific and in north america suggest that some form of hawaiian autonomy will be positive for hawaiians and non-natives alike.

in north america, native communities have begun to move beyond casinos: through economic innovation, the once-shattered choctaw nation in mississippi has become the largest employer in what was previously one of america's most impoverished counties. that's not to say it will be easy to get there. the process will almost certainly be painful at times. but if we give it a chance, there is precedent to suggest that a hawaiian nation can make hawaii a stronger, richer, most prosperous community for everyone.

i can't speak for the two beautiful young people on the cover this week, but i have spent quite a bit of time over the past few days looking at their expressions in christen vidanovic's extraordinary photograph. what's interesting is that they knew what we were up to-those two don't look sad because someone told them to imagine their hamsters dying. christen and production manager manny pangilinan coaxed various poses and looks out of them, but the kids knew we were doing a story about hawaii and the united states and the future.

hard to shake the feeling that they're calling you out a little bit, isn't it?

http://lowerclassbrat.stumbleupon.com/review/35424723/

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 04:13:43 -0700

e hawai`i e ku`u one hānau e
ku`u home kulaīwi nei
`oli nō au i nā pono lani ou
e hawai`i, aloha ē

e hau`oli e nā `ōpio o hawai`i nei
`oli ē! `oli ē!
mai nā aheahe makani e pā mai nei
mau ke aloha, no hawai`i

e hau`oli e nā `ōpio o hawai`i nei
`oli ē! `oli ē!
mai nā aheahe makani e pā mai nei
mau ke aloha, no hawai`i

http://lowerclassbrat.stumbleupon.com/review/28906611/

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 01:27:30 -0800

2008

kabul

gori, georgia

gaza city

new york city

mumbai

eldorado, united states

beijing

afghanistan

athens

gaza strip

mianyang, people's republic of china

ottawa

orenburg, russia

jerusalem

manaus, brazil

kabul

mianzhu city, people's republic of china

gaza strip

kathmandu, nepal

guantanamo bay

israel

seoul

gaza strip

moscow

sichuan, people's republic of china

chicago

ashdod, israel

pyongyang

srinagar, india

taipei

baghdad

washington

bilin, west bank

athens

mumbai

goma, democratic republic of the congo

kathmandu, nepal

mecca

stockton, united states of america

georgia

israel

united states of america

tokyo

beijing

sadr city

lhasa, people's republic of china

garmser, afghanistan

tbilisi, georgia

nilin, west bank

mumbai

fayzabad, afghanistan

dzhaba, ukraine

netivot, israel

beichuan, people's republic of china

lhasa, people's republic of china

rafah, gaza strip

mosul

lahore, pakistan

colonie, united states of america

http://blogs.denverpost.com/captured?pp_album=main&pp_cat=default&pp_image=timelife004.jpg

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 21:23:30 -0800

a former slave who escaped to become a union soldier during the american civil war, 1863

http://lowerclassbrat.stumbleupon.com/review/28472452/

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 12:09:44 -0800

"the passion for destruction is also a creative passion."

- mikhail bakunin