Comment from Jere Krischel
Time: June 8, 2009, 7:30 am

Really? This is what is worth covering at statehoodhawaii.org? How is it that these people always end up preaching to the choir, with no voice of opposition allowed to confront their concocted narratives? This seems like a perfect example of the echo chamber effect, where a quiet lie spoken by a few becomes a loud falsehood pretending to be truth.

Auwe! Goebbels would be proud!

Comment from arnie
Time: June 8, 2009, 11:36 am

A lot of falsehoods were spoken at Ho’opunipuni: the myth of statehood. Some in the audience iterated racist viewpoints that Hawaii should be Kanaka-Maoli only, other’s expressed misinterpretations of de-occupation or de-colonization, and many people still clung to the belief that the annexation and statehood process were without controversy.

The panel really addressed many of the stereotypes and misinformation that those on the extreme ends of this debate assert.

Professors from USC/Annenberg, UCLA and Berkeley were in attendance, and some expecting to challenge the assertion made by the panelists wanted to engage further.

The idea that this broadcast was preaching to the choir is just not true, many people attended because of this broadcast and many genuinely applauded the legal and international work that had been done.

Comment from Jere Krischel
Time: June 8, 2009, 3:25 pm

“Extreme ends of this debate”? There’s only one “extreme” end, and it’s the assertion that there is any cloud over statehood whatsoever!

And “legal and international work”? What work? Has a lawsuit been filed? Has a judgement been made?

There should have been a voice of reason on the panel, to calmly shoot down the baseless assertions made by those who believe that statehood or annexation was in any way, shape or form illegal or untoward. Instead, you had an audience more than happy to hear yet another victimhood narrative, regardless of the true history. All this does is create more misinformation, encourage more racial identity politics, and leads poor, uninformed people to believe that their problems are not their problem, but instead caused by outsiders who can be conveniently blamed.

Next time you guys have something going on in L.A., invite me, and I’ll help add some balance to the discussion.