BY SYDNEY ROSS SINGER – Does the Aloha State actually have a bullying problem? If you are Caucasian and from the Mainland, you will certainly think so.
It doesn’t matter how long you live here, or if you were even born here. If you are white, locals will still call you a “haole”, a derogatory term that is Hawaii’s equivalent of using the “N-word”.
And the prejudice goes beyond name calling. White people are often treated with scorn. “Go back to where you came from”, seems to be the message. “You don’t belong here.” Sometimes it results in violence.
White children in our schools are harassed, intimidated, and physically abused. The last school day of the year in Hawaii, for example, is traditionally called “kill a haole day”.
Racism is as ugly in Hawaii as anywhere else, and is the cause of much of the bullying of school children and adults alike. Unless this underlying racist cause of bullying is addressed, efforts to stop bullying are doomed to fail.
To overcome racism we must be inclusive and tolerant of differences. The diversity of cultures and peoples must be embrace and celebrated to find synergy in our differences. We must realize that we are all “one”, with no group more important than any other.
Achieving this “melting pot” in Hawaii will be difficult. Language and cultural barriers are keeping people apart, making Hawaii more a patchwork of different cultures than an integrated whole.
If these different cultures were living together, say, in New York, then they would all be called New Yorkers. They would share an identity despite their differences. But you can’t do that in Hawaii, since no matter how long you live here you will never be a “Hawaiian”. That term is reserved for native Hawaiian people. Everyone else is just a “resident”.
Being native or not is an issue in Hawaii, and is a racial issue by definition. And while many native Hawaiians live with aloha, there are some who are resentful of what they see as foreign occupation of their islands.
If Hawaiians have first claim to these islands, then locals with Hawaiian blood have second claim, and immigrants, or aliens, have little or no claim. The stage is thus set for prejudice, racism, and bullying.
Of course, when alien people and cultures move in, they bring along alien plants and animals, too. Hawaii’s diversity of species from all around the world is a direct product of human immigration.
It is no surprise, then, that prejudice against immigrant cultures will result in prejudice against immigrant species.
The Hawaii government’s environmental policy gives preference to “native” species and has the agenda of “restoring native ecosystems”. While this native species supremacism is a national agenda, it has a powerful impact in Hawaii where it parallels political nativism and encourages racial prejudice.
According to this policy, species introduced to Hawaii after western contact are “alien”, and “don’t belong here”. Species introduced to Hawaii by native Hawaiians are “native”, and do belong here. The current focus of environmental management is to get rid of immigrant species to return the islands to their pre-contact “native” condition.
To those who desire and appreciate these immigrant species, this feels like environmental bullying.
Of course, this reinforces the racism problem. The more the government institutionalizes native supremacism in political and environmental agendas, the more it justifies and encourages a “we belong here and you don’t” attitude.
This is the recipe for hate, intolerance, and bullying.
For Hawaii to live up to its Aloha Spirit rhetoric, racial bullying must stop being tolerated. The school anti-bullying program must address racial prejudice. And there needs to be sensitivity classes to teach compassion and respect for others.
We must realize that what counts most about people is not where they are from, but what they have to offer. Remember, “Aloha” means compassion, love, peace, affection, and mercy.
I am so glad I stumbled across this thread. Like others on this thread, I have been completely alone with my traumatic childhood experiences suffered in the state of "Aloha." To this day psychological scars remain from the over-the-top bullying I endured — and for what? For being a helpless, skinny little girl fresh off the boat from Europe! I guess I "disrespected" the locals by not looking local, for being vulnerable, unable to protect myself, having proper grammar and refusing to speak pidgin, and especially for minding my own freaking business. I can totally relate to the lady near the top of the thread who is also scarred, and who observed that this goes on pervasively in the schools, during the formative years, and not as much in the adult world. I think she and many others also might remember the sick "game" of "Search Take," which I and others endured on an almost daily basis where one thug or another would physically extort your lunch money. What I've mentioned is is the tip of the iceberg of what transpired in my life, and someday I hope to write about it at greater length. Oh…it's also completely real that school authorities will not necessarily come to your aid when your head has been stomped for having the audacity to refuse giving someone your lunch money, or otherwise daring in one way or another to stand up to the cowardly thugs. The school authorities claimed they were "too scared of backlash from the Hawaiian mafia" to do anything about it. Fortunately, I am a grown woman who's working to reclaim her power, including speaking out against the pervasive bullying that *still* exists in this state. I wouldn't wish the "Hawaiian experience" on my worst enemies..
I think racisim is passed down and taught by parents and peers to children from generation to generation. It is a disease that mostly afflicts the uneducated and lower classes of people of this world. I am a well traveled American that has experienced hatred in my travels and it has yet to change my views upon the world. I see racisim as more of something that goes along with someone that has little or no education or better yet,"common sense". I have many friends of different races and I have many friends that call themselves "Hawaiian". The reality about the "islands" people call "Hawaii" is that there is not many full blooded Hawaiians left in this world. Today, most so called Hawaiians are of other races that immigrated to Hawaii. They are just as much a foreigner to Hawaii as the whites that they hate. Ironic isn't it?
I'm not sure who you know, but everyone I know in Hawaii only calls themselves "Hawaiian" if they are of native Hawaiian ancestry. Everyone else is a "Hawaii resident" or a "local." I'm 100% Asian and I never call myself "Hawaiian."
Hey Steve,
Even the so-called native Hawaiians are not pure blood. They have a Japanese grandfather or a Filipino mom in almost every generation. The point I was trying to make in my post is that racism is something that is passed from generation to generation from either family or peers or both. Look at white supremest. Most of those crazy characters have some other race mixed in them and yet they believe they are "pure" when in fact they hate the people that is in their own ancestry. The bottom line there is a few bad apples around us at all times. If he/she is one of our friends, we have an obligation to talk some sense into that person. Easier said than done I will admit.
Hawaii might be the most racist state against whites. But being Asian and having lived in several states including Hawaii, I would say Hawaii is easily the least racist state against Asians. From people automatically assuming all Asians are foreign, to all the dumb stereotypes people have, to job discrimination in the form of the Bamboo Ceiling and height discrimination that disproportionately hurts Asians who are shorter on average than other Americans.. I've never felt more welcomed than in my time living in Hawaii. And no, I don't hate white people or treat them differently because of their race.
Sydney, you wrote:
It doesn't matter how long you live here, or if you were even born here. If you are white, locals will still call you a “haole”, a derogatory term that is Hawaii's equivalent of using the "N-word".
If "haole" is as bad as "nigger" why do you spell the former but not the latter?
Blessings to you, your family, and loved ones. Ke Akua takes care of all of us!
Andrew Denny
Ahupua'a Lawa'i, Kaua'i Island
Kingdom of Hawai'i
Ok I call BS by saying how many bombs white people dropped. Last time I checked I did'nt even know how to obtain one, let alone fly high enough to drop it and i'm white. Your classifying the deeds of previous people, including other and mixed races of folks that did that. I guess we could also say the Japanese bombed pearl harbor, so it's OK to persecute Japanese folks. Grow the F*&% Up. It's good and it's evil…the two have no boundaries as far as race, religion or creed. Get it straight, the adversary could care less what your skin color is. As far as bullying, I have learned if you have access to your bully, clean there clock. The next bully, clean his clock. twice as bad and so on..eventually word gets around that Ole Haole gonna whip it. If your being bullied stand up, if you have someone steal your lunch, spit in it, take aggressive action and eventually it stops. It's a entitlement thing that 90% of the locals do not deserve, they are not true blood anyways. However Bullying, rudeness, etc will never end. Not in Hawaii, Not on mainland, people are easily controlled by the adversary
My grand daughter was born in Hawaii. She has Hawaiian family as well as non Hawaiian family in the Islands. I love the Hawaiian people and culture but was shocked at the extreme bigotry of the locals . These people are only part Hawaiian at best , most are mixed Chinese ,Japanese , Philipino Samoan & European variation. Yet they all hate white people and I'm told they don't even accept Hawaiians who where born on main land when they find that out. I'm glad that my Grand daughter and daughter no longer live in Hawaii, as I fear for there safety in Hawaii they are beautiful red hair angels. I still love the Hawaiian people and culture but those bigot are not real Hawaiian Just mixed race bigots no different then me. The name HAULE to me is no different then using the "N" word . I'll never go back to Hawaii . God bless You and those you love. ALOHA, Aloha aloha . P.S. if I ever win lottery I'want to buy my Granddaughters Hawaiian family a home in MAUI but I'll never visit then. Love to all Aloha.
Just be ready to scrap. Watch out for the cheap shot, sucker punch known as "fos crack". Most of stink eye locals are pussies when you stand up to them. All this bully stuff is a test. I do not know a single person who has never lost a fight.
It's Hawaii, throw down if that is what the situation demands.
Unfortunately the racism causes plenty of disrespect. Most places respect is given until it is lost. Hawaii is the opposite.
If you are not from here you may not know how much the locals fight amongst themselves. Now add crystal-meth(ICE) to the situation.
Teach your children how to defend themselves with prejudice. Helps to be a little tough here. Now you are prepared for the negative(add traffic,cost of living,centipedes and scorpions). Time for ALOHA,good vibes, sunshine,warm water and choke nice,decent,good people who care about family and community. Trick is hanging loose while keeping on your toes.
I was in school in intermediate (middle) school in the mid 1960s when I heard there was a "Kill Jap Day",
AND one day while I was sitting on the grass near the bus stop with a Japanese friend, when two guys
from Waimanalo "false cracked" him. "False crack" was the name we used for someone just punching
someone without provocation; and usually with an intent. My friend took the hit, but did not move nor get
up (you see what I mean). The two instigators eventally left when we did not resond to the attack.
After we got on the bus, Eugene who was part of that group came to my friend to find out it my friend
was OK and to apologize.
Now days, the false cracks are verbal (bullying) and is escalated beyond a "false crack" Get off of this
False cracks can kill
.
Kids bully kids everywhere. That's one thing, but administrators allowing severe beatings by children with no punishment for the bullies ever? That's ridiculous. Why would people say that school administrators are allowing and participating in violent brutal attacks of children on children? What is their motivation to say such things? A friend of mine told me personally of a seriously racist encounter on Kauai with some clown attacking two tourists. Hawaiians are a bunch of drunk welfare mooches.
Whereever people get a free ride, their characters drop into the basement. It's just a truth about all humans, same for whites, blacks, mexicans and hawaiians. You get a free ride, and you turn into an envious, drug taking, child-having, uneducated loser. Here's a hint for you morons: White colonialism didn't benefit ALL whites morons. You're 25% of the population. Either get breeding and take over or zip it. And get ready to eject all the asians, because they're running your lives as much as anyone, but you're just too inebriated to see it.
Of course parents allow their children to harass white children – it's the best way to make whites leave the islands, makes perfect sense. But good luck making the JHapanese, go, hawaiians. They won't play with you like the whites do. They'll just take over your islands, and then you'll see the Chinese show up, and game over. The Japanese are going to need HI anyway, since they've already irradiated their own islands with that garbage nuclear power.
Kids bully kids everywhere. That's one thing, but administrators allowing severe beatings by children with no punishment for the bullies ever? That's ridiculous. Why would people say that school administrators are allowing and participating in violent brutal attacks of children on children? What is their motivation to say such things? Adults aren't safe either. A friend of mine told me personally of a seriously racist encounter on Kauai with some clown attacking two tourists. Hawaiians are a bunch of drunk welfare mooches.
Whereever people get a free ride, their characters drop into the basement. It's just a truth about all humans, same for whites, blacks, mexicans and hawaiians. You get a free ride, and you turn into an envious, drug taking, over-breeding, uneducated, unclean loser. Here's a hint for you whiners: White colonialism didn't benefit ALL whites, just the rich. You're 25% of the population. Either get breeding and take over or zip it. And get ready to eject all the asians, because they're running your lives as much as anyone, but you're just too inebriated to see it. Portuguese are racist? THat's the funniest thing of all, coming from a country that caused genocide across the new world, and is now a joker of a burnt out country on the edge of Europe with barely any land. These people are racist? Talk about small minds.
Of course hawaiian parents allow their children to harass white children – it's the best way to make whites leave the islands, makes perfect sense. But good luck making the Japanese, go. They won't play with you like the whites do.
Can you imagine what the Japanese would have done to native Hawaiians if they had taken over in WWII?
Wait until the Chinese show up, and game over. The Japanese are going to need HI anyway, since they've already irradiated their own islands with that garbage nuclear power.
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