Hawaiians
Interesting column by Rochelle delaCruz in the Nov. 11 Tribune-Herald, “Moving here doesn’t make you Hawaiian.”
I work in the visitor industry and come into direct contact with many visitors from all over the world, many from the United States. In my touring programs, I begin with a few minutes properly pronouncing Hawaiian words, discussing the settlement of Polynesians to these islands more than a thousand years ago and, most importantly, some trivial facts about the islands.
Many visitors do have the wrong information or receive misinformation about Hawaii in general, and the word “Hawaiian” can be misleading to some.
Unlike Arizonians, Floridians, Texans, etc., Hawaiians are an indigenous race of people. Similarly, if one is born in or moved to Arizona, it does not make that person a Native American.
Rick LaMontagne
Hilo
Good parade
I really liked the Veterans Day parade. I think it was a great success.
I was with Civil Air Patrol, passing out pamphlets (Hello to anyone who got one!).
Anyway, it was a great event for our men and women who fight for our freedom.
Ruben Betts
Keaau
Traitor Trump
Few people have been more critical of our foreign, economic and social policy in America since World War II than myself. Yet, I still believe in democracy. I do so simply because all other governments throughout the millennia have proven even worse — have allowed less freedom, prosperity and hope than democracy has.
Our democracy is now under grave threat, and those who might think that’s a good thing — that they might find themselves in a better position if America, in its present corrupt condition, falls — are dangerous dreamers.
If we fall, other powerful societies will rush in to fill the void, and none of them even remotely have the good of the American people at heart. Of that we can be assured.
It’s time for Americans to finally get off the sidelines and do all that’s in our power to rid ourselves of a president clearly in league with one of those societies that doesn’t have our interests at heart — namely, Russia.
Trump’s treacherous abandonment of the Kurds is just more evidence, if any was needed, that he’s acting in the interests of Vladimir Putin rather than those of the American people, and any population that sits still while an actual traitor leads their government doesn’t deserve a democracy and cannot keep one long.
Harley Brent Hightower
Hilo