John F. Kennedy wrote in Profiles In Courage, "In whatever area of life one may meet the challenge of courage, whatever may be the sacrifices he faces if he follows his conscience -- the loss of friends, his fortune, his contentment, even the esteem of his fellow men -- each man must decide for himself the course he will follow."
On Feb. 22, when Hawaii's own Dr. Panos Prevedouros chose to be the lone dissenting vote on the Honolulu Fixed Guideway Technology Selection Panel's 4-1 vote for steel wheel rail, he taught us an unexpected lesson in individual courage: never give up, always believe, and most of all, be loyal to your cause. For that, Dr. Prevedouros is a hero.
Across America's history, from sea to shining sea, there have been many outrageous lapses in judgment and seasons of prolonged injustice perpetuated by either an ignorant, deceived majority or an arrogant set of leaders bent on establishing a self-serving agenda. Separate but Equal. Grandfather Clause. Three-Fifths Compromise. The list of historic intolerables roll off the tongue easily.
But what makes America such a great nation is the fact that always, no matter what the injustice has been, there has stood men and women who were willing to break ranks and stand on their conscience. History shows that time and truth are on the side of those willing to be the courageous minority, and that America, though often flawed, always corrects herself in time.
From the moment their mandate was declared, most of us already knew in our hearts that the Honolulu Fixed Guideway Technology Selection Panel would choose steel wheel rail.
But Dr. Prevedouros gave all of us a gift when he prevented that vote from being unanimous, when he inserted the voice of the minority into that Panel's vote, when he voted by conscience and did what he believed to be right.
Thirty years from now, when time, reality, and economics reveals the Honolulu rail to be precisely what Dr. Prevedouros and thousands of others said it would be -- a colossal failure, benefiting only those who built it and those employed by it -- history will be kinder to the men and women of 2008, because the vote to install it was not unanimous.
But here's the bittersweet, ironic truth: 30 years from now, those from our generation who wholeheartedly supported the rail will conveniently forget their decision and will vehemently deny any affiliation with that colossal failure, because while victory has a thousand fathers … defeat is an orphan.
Stay healthy, Hawaii -- I want to live to hear Dr. Prevedouros say "I told you so" one fine day on Feb. 22, 2038.
Daniel Paul de Gracia II, MA is a political scientist specializing in international relations and a former candidate for State Representative who now works for Rep. Rida Cabinilla, D-Ewa. He lives in Waipahu. His comments do not necessarily reflect the policy or opinions of the Office of Rep. Cabanilla. Reach him at mailto:daniel.p.degracia@gmail.com
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