BY MALIA ZIMMERMAN – State Representative Faye Hanohano, a Democrat from Puna who chairs the House Committee on Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs, tearfully apologized on the floor of the House of Representatives on March 1 for racial slurs she made to state exhibition experts from the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts earlier that week.
The House Majority press office also issued a written statement on Hanohano’s behalf saying she was sorry if she offended anyone when she told the art specialists as they hung paintings her staff selected that she did not want art produced by “Haoles, Japs or Pakes.” (Caucasians, Japanese and Chinese).
Hanohano promised to rebuild the relationship with the State Foundation for Culture and the Arts. But when it came time to apologize to the very state employees she insulted, Hanohano’s letter was just 16 words:
“I humbly apologize for any comments I made that you may have found to be offensive.”
She didn’t elaborate and she did not apologize for threatening to cut funding to the department for the “Art in Public Places” program, which places about 5,800 pieces of art per year produced by local artists in state owned buildings, including the state capitol.
Hanohano, who is native Hawaiian, wanted native Hawaiian art in her office, but her staff had already selected artwork to match what was displayed in her office without realizing her preference. Hanohano in turn lashed out at the exhibition experts who had worked diligently with her staff to ensure she had the artwork she wanted.
Eva Laird Smith, Director of the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, stood up for her employees and asked House Speaker Joe Souki to have Hanohano apologize publicly and in writing.
The House Speaker said he did not condone the offensive language and behavior and asked Hanohano to send a letter of apology to the State Foundation on Culture and Arts Exhibit team specialists. He also extended an apology to the members of the Exhibit team.
Hanohano’s letter to the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, received March 5, surprised those who read it because of Hanohano’s brevity and seeming insincerity.
Michael W. Perry, a popular radio personality who co-hosts KSSK Radio’s Perry and Price Morning Show, said he didn’t see Hanohano’s one sentence statement as an apology. He received several dozen calls over the last few weeks from listeners who were offended by Hanohano’s remarks and weren’t satisfied with public statements and actions.
In explaining her actions, Hanohano called herself “an honest and straight speaking woman whom descends from long line of proud leaders and warriors from Puna of Hawaii Island.” And she pledged to “serve my people and the people of the State of Hawaii to the best of my ability, integrity and for the honor of my kupuna (elders).”
But Perry said her apology was more like a “non-apology” and he also noted that although Hanohano is the one who made the racial slurs and threats, she pledged to put her entire office staff through training with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
“My office has already reached out to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to assist us in obtaining additional training for all of our staff. We are committed to taking immediate steps to ensure that an incident like this never happens again,” Hanohano said.
Perry joked that if he or his co-host Larry Price had said anything like she did on the air they would be working at K-Mart doing announcements for shoppers, and not on the state’s number one morning radio show. Some callers to KSSK have said they were so offended by her racist rant they want Hanohano to resign.
I thought it was a non-apology as well, it is what it is.
"you may have found offensive" doesn't apologize for the thought or the idea. To me it clearly turns the tables here.
"my people" makes a distinction between native Hawaiians and the rest of the citizens of Hawaii. But everybody here makes that distinction every day.
Maybe we should embrace honesty rather than sweeping this stuff under the rug and pretending that everybody is on the same level here in Hawaii and that there's no such thing as reverse discrimination here.
-David
PS: thank you for writing about the issue.
-David
Rep. Hanohano,
Can I copy your letter after I cut down & mouth off to my supervisor? Seems you'll be keeping your job, so I can keep mines if I rant too, right?
In explaining her actions, Hanohano called herself “an honest and straight speaking woman whom descends from long line of proud leaders and warriors from Puna of Hawaii Island.” And she pledged to “serve my people and the people of the State of Hawaii to the best of my ability, integrity and for the honor of my kupuna (elders)."
This includes Haoles, Japs and Pakes…
Irwin, if you're still around, you gotta read her latest excuse for cutting an HPU student down. Rep. Hanohano concedes there can be misunderstandings when it comes to differences between Hawaiian and western culture.
“I’m going to have to clarify what happens or what the meanings were and if people find it it offensive,” Hanohano said. “Then I would really suggest that they take some courses in Hawaiian culture.”
More at https://khon2.com/2014/02/19/state-lawmaker-respon…
Never let a crisis go to waste, right Rahm ?
New State reps wanna be's already registering for opportunity.
Faye Hanohano has embarrassed herself and the by extension the entire Hawaii State House of Representatives. She is obviously a prideful, stubborn woman who either can not or will not see the error of her ways. This kind of loose race-based ranting may have tolerated when she was working as a Corrections Officer on the Big Island; but as an elected official it won't fly. How can the the people of Hawaii (of any race) ever respect you again? Shame on you Rep. Hanohano!
Call Gov. Abercrombie 586-0034 or Lt. Gov. S. Tsutsi 586-0255, to ask if she will be censured or disclipined before the next session.
shame on her? shame on you thanks to the haoles japs and pakes us Hawaiians have nothing. Hawaii belonged to the Hawaiians not the fucken haoles japs and pakes, now days haoles own everything and the Hawaiians are left with nothing. And your worried about her embarrassing the Hawaii state house of representatives when majority of them arent even Hawaiian or Part Hawaiian, all the united states cares about is having power for them.
Illegal annexation of a Hawaiian Kingdom, what if china japan russia or even syria came to the united states and annexed you mother fuckers huh? i dont think you would like that shit now would you? what if the white house was now owned and operated by the russians and the chinese and that now all the americans were no longer americans and america was no longer america, and the united states now a russian territory.
you people bitch moan and complain and yet nothing was ever done to you but us Hawaiians were left with nothing land that was once ours are now in the hands of white people. the land that my ancestors worked hard on so that my future would be good and that i would have a nice place to call home is now gone, lost, forever in the hand of a white person. to the caucasions here on the islands who support our Hawaiian movement for Hawaiian Sovereignty thank you for all the support and encouragement, but to the rest of you FUCK OFF and go back to where you came from because Hawaii is supposed to be about ALOHA and how is that gonna happen if people dont respect the Hawaiian first.
This is not a part of the united states( Hawaii that is) you talk about laws why don't you go by it go to. http://Www.hawaiiankingdom.org or Google Hawaiian kingdom blog its all true laws . UN / ICC / ICJ/ world peace courts look what they Said about the u s its all true laws not the fake laws of a fake state so if you believe in try laws go to the web side that I showed you .A WAR CRIME IS A WAR CRIME
This is the Hawaii Nation we have to look forward to.
Her letters are blatantly hollow, but that's the point. She knows that everyone knows that she's not sorry. She's just going through the motions, and that's what politicians do. Pride in politics? C'mon. She makes it clear that straightforward honesty is, in fact, not the way government works, not the way she works. She's just another lying politician.
Go to http://www.hawaiiankingdom.org. be4 you talk this is not part of the united states and its all law. Google Hawaiian kingdom blog and see what's going on the world courts is come in to Hawaii this mo because this is not a state under the u s america america. Lied to the world and its out now the world knows a war crime is a war crime and that's what america will be charged with .so look at true laws b4 you talk
Maybe myself, Wyland and Tabora should move our art businesses off these Islands? Since none of us are (n.H.a.A.t.O.i.L.v.E.e.S.s) pure bred? Were responsible for Millions of Dollars in sales and Taxes and goodwill. The Ancestors of the Pure Hawaiians are rolling in their Graves to see the behaviors of these reincarnated souls. I'm here this time as a Haloe and have been here in the past as a Hawaiian, /ˈhaʊliː/; Hawaiian [ˈhɔule]), in the Hawaiian language, is generally used to refer … The implication is not only that foreigners are aloof and ignorant of local ways. ah loh' hah ee' noh !
http://Www.hawaiiankingdom.org or Google Hawaiian kingdom blog and see what's going on with the ICC /ICJ /the UN it is a war crime what they are doing in Hawaii . so look at true laws be4 you talk
Hell the vice president of the U.S.A can get caught saying things like the MF word on live tv and nobody loosing sleep over that. Some members of the U.S,A legislature have ties to the kkk but life goes on. Time to move on and remember the politicians voting record when re-election comes
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