Comments on: Watch Out, Louisiana http://www.hawaiireaders.com/blog/2009/09/23/watch-out-louisiana/ The Hawaii Readers site Fri, 18 May 2012 15:25:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Judith Fernandez http://www.hawaiireaders.com/blog/2009/09/23/watch-out-louisiana/comment-page-1/#comment-84 Judith Fernandez Thu, 24 Sep 2009 23:21:07 +0000 http://stage.hawaiireaders.com/?p=481#comment-84 Unfortunately, if you don't vote, don't complain. The bumper sticker: "ahnohkeah" is a sad statement about the apathy and unwillingness to get involved, follow the politics (constantly, not just before an election) and make it a matter of pride to vote. In my view, the apathy has some roots in the fact this was a feudal society until the Democratic takeover of politics after WW II. Most people on the islands came here for plantation work, then struggled to survive. Knowing the big landowners/plantations controlled everything, why bother to pay attention, to vote? That's why it is easy for blatant corruption to exist. The newspapers, unfortunately, are all part of it, so there is never any effort to do investigative reporting. Without an independent press, it is hard to fight it all. But keep trying! Judie Fernandez Unfortunately, if you don't vote, don't complain.

The bumper sticker: "ahnohkeah" is a sad statement about the apathy and unwillingness to get involved, follow the politics (constantly, not just before an election) and make it a matter of pride to vote.

In my view, the apathy has some roots in the fact this was a feudal society until the Democratic takeover of politics after WW II. Most people on the islands came here for plantation work, then struggled to survive. Knowing the big landowners/plantations controlled everything, why bother to pay attention, to vote?

That's why it is easy for blatant corruption to exist. The newspapers, unfortunately, are all part of it, so there is never any effort to do investigative reporting. Without an independent press, it is hard to fight it all.

But keep trying!

Judie Fernandez

]]> By: Makana Risser Chai http://www.hawaiireaders.com/blog/2009/09/23/watch-out-louisiana/comment-page-1/#comment-76 Makana Risser Chai Thu, 24 Sep 2009 07:11:45 +0000 http://stage.hawaiireaders.com/?p=481#comment-76 Thanks for recommending this book. Have you read Ben Cayetano's memoir yet? Though he's not our Huey Long, he does provide a lot of the narrative and character for the same events. And of course Superferry Chronicles takes it right up to the present. If you wrote a book on Hawai'i politics it would be fascinating! Thanks for recommending this book. Have you read Ben Cayetano's memoir yet? Though he's not our Huey Long, he does provide a lot of the narrative and character for the same events. And of course Superferry Chronicles takes it right up to the present. If you wrote a book on Hawai'i politics it would be fascinating!

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