Annette Koh

Islands of Peace - Casualties of War

Thursday April 25th, 6 - 8 p.m.
Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies

A pan-Pacific discussion on the impacts of militarism and tourism on the islands of Jeju, Hawai’i, Guam.

Speakers:

• Jeong Young-hee, Chairwoman of the Women Villagers’ Committee to Stop the Naval Base in Gangjeong, South Korea
• ‘Ilima Long, M.A. student in Hawaiian Studies & HauMĀNA member
• Ken Gofigan Kuper, M.A. student in Pacific Island studies from Guam

Heavy pupus and refreshments provided with support from the Graduate Student Organization.

Co-sponsors are Oceania Rising, HauMĀNA, Hawaiʻi Peace and Justice, Center for Korean Studies, and Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies

Photo by Rachael Berman 

While this particular panel highlights an intra-national struggle between Jeju island residents and the South Korean government, it is situated in a larger, on-going Pacific Rim conversation about the U.S. military presence. Because of scheduling conflicts, this particular event does not feature scholar-activists from Okinawa, but several UH Manoa graduate students have been active in the anti-militarization movement in Okinawa and in pan-Pacific efforts here in Honolulu. The following descriptions are taken from a panel entitled “Weaving Native Voices: Okinawan Resistance to Militarization.”

Rinda Yamashiro Kayatani draws on her research that investigates how women’s anti-U.S. military base movement groups that emerged after 1995 understand the politics of military presence in their everyday lives. 

Megumi Chibana locates Okinawa’s anti-militarization movement into a broader global setting and argues that the concept of indigeneity has influenced Okinawa’s anti-military activism. Using decolonizing methodologies, Chibana examines how Okinawan indigeneity lays the groundwork of their resistance to militarization

Ushii Chinin pays close attention to a women’s group called “Kamadou gwa tachi no tsudoi,” which she is a core member of, to demonstrate their influential contribution to the Okinawa society. Although being stereotyped as “radicals,” Kamadou gwa tachi no tsudoi’s argument was successfully adopted as a public opinion. chinin will examine the trajectory of the group and explain how and why this group has such a critical influence to the broader movement.

Earned Income Tax Credit, Minimum Wage Increase, and Housing Relief for the Working Poor in Hawaii at Honolulu Civil Beat

Drew Astolfi of Faith Action for Community Equity on the proposed minimum wage bills:

I’ve left this petition up so I could let you know when the backroom negotiations begin, and they are starting this coming week.  The negotiations are between the state House and Senate, so this weekend is almost our last chance to influence this discussion.  

We are definitely going to get a substantial increase - at least the $8.75 that we originally asked for (and thanks to the Governor for heeding the call on this issue - his early support made a big difference).   The Senate bill is a higher amount - $9.25 an hour which would make Hawaii the highest state minimum in the US.  That does seem reasonable since we are the highest cost of living state in the US.  (Thanks to Senator Hee for getting a high number into the negotiation).

The House bill has a blank amount for the tip credit - this is the amount below minimum wage that employers can pay tipped workers.  State law currently allows 25 cents in a “tip credit”.  Since the tips don’t involve the employer - they are based on quality of service - employers shouldn’t get to take that money back from the worker in the form of a lower wage.   

Image of bulbul on Oahu’s North Shore from Bill Hubick.

A pair of bulbuls have moved into the tree right outside our living room. Loud little buggers. 

So I lived, very briefly, in one of the high rises in Kakaako Mauka. (Baller apartment by the way!)

For my housing policy class this summer, I looked at if density can really achieve affordable housing, specifically high-rises created through density bonuses like what is proposed for 691 Pohukaina.

A question that came up in class was if island living can survive in a neighborhood of condominiums. Not if it’s just a vertical gated community.

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KITV story: Kakaako advocates rally against residential development
The height limit right now along Ala Moana Boulevard is 200 feet. 
Witnessing another Waikiki being created here is the greatest fear.
“You ask people, especially local people, why don’t you go to Waikiki?” added Iwami. “It’s because there’s no access to the beach, there’s no parking.”
If passed, the law would override a master plan adopted last year by the Hawaii Community Development Authority, a plan many of these same people fought for 5 years to keep Kakaako-makai high-rise free.

We’re headed to the Convoy of Hope this morning. Some statistics from the Hawai’i Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice’s recent report, “The State of Poverty in Hawaii”: 

• Hawai`i has the third highest homelessness rate among the states, with an increase of 11 percent between 2010 and 2011. Of these homeless individuals, 42 percent are children.
• Hawai`i’s housing costs are the highest in the nation. Our median rent is 50 percent more than the national rate, and 75 percent of our low-income households spend more than half of their income on rent.
• Two-thirds of single adult families with one or two children are below the self-sufficiency level, while 18.5 percent of two-adult families with two children also fall below it.
• Between 2008 and 2010, the need for benefits spiked, with a 13 percent increase in families receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and a 17 percent increase in the amount of time on assistance; the number of people receiving state medical assistance jumped 22 percent; and applications to federally qualified health centers increased 62 percent.
• A “thrifty food plan,” as defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, costs 61 percent more in Hawai`i than on the mainland. Enrollment in SNAP (formerly known as food stamps) has increased by 39 percent since 2007, while 15 percent of our households don’t always know how they’ll get their next meal.

The poor and the homeless have few advocates. Especially the homeless. (See 2012 Honolulu elections in which taking away people’s belongings is considered a major success in humane homeless management.) But even the Scroogiest “are there no workhouses?” among us hesitate in our condemnation of those shiftless, improvident poor when faced with a poor, homeless kid.

Children’s rights advocate Marian Wright Edelman and her husband Peter Edelman are coming to Hawaii as part of the Artists for Appleseed event on August 24. Original MSNBC video clip that I couldn’t get to work via newwavefeminism:

The MHP show talking with Children’s Rights Activist Marian Wright Edelman about the plight of poor children in the country. 

“What I learned through sharing fruit. Sun-ripened sweetness can make even the shy brave enough to reach out to her neighbors.”

Vote for me at Shareable’s storytelling contest pretty please?