Aloha Spirit
No Mo on Kauai
There was a time when cruise ships first sailed into Honolulu Harbor and passengers were greeted by local residents with music, kisses and lei.
This headline in today’s Honolulu Advertiser “Hawaii Superferry officials have indefinitely called off future trips to Kauai” indicates that times have changed. The story tells a sad tale of Kauai residents “having their way” with force to keep the Superferry off of Kauai.
This behavior is NOT in keeping with the Aloha Spirit.
August 30th, 2007 at 9:24 am
I heard someone talking on the local NPR station this morning about the recent Hawaii Tourism Conference. The emphasis was on our increased competition from other resort destinations. Several speakers talked about the need to focus on the “aloha” spirit as the differentiating factor between Hawaii and these other global resort destinations. One Hawaiian cultural expert (I don’t recall his name) defined aloha as unconditional love. He went on to say aloha can’t be taught in a seminar. That is starts within each individual and in the home.
So given the focus of this meeting was the importance of aloha. Where’s the aloha in this Superferry mess? I don’t see it. I see the vocal minority again taking the forefront from the silent majority.
At this morning’s Small Business Hawaii meeting, this topic was mentioned several times. Unfortunately, it’s another black mark against Hawaii as a State to do business in.
August 30th, 2007 at 3:50 pm
The Latest 8-30-07:
Superferry restraining order extended
Pacific Business News (Honolulu) - 4:24 PM HAST Wednesday, August 29, 2007
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A judge late Wednesday denied a request to lift a temporary restraining order that is keeping the Hawaii Superferry from sailing to Maui.
The order by Second Circuit Judge Joseph Cardoza remains in effect until Sept. 6.
Cardoza will continue to hear arguments next week on whether to grant a preliminary injunction against the Superferry.
The injunction is sought by the Sierra Club, Maui Tomorrow and the Kahului Harbor Coalition, which have argued that the state should not have made harbor improvements to accomodate the docking of the Superferry without conducting an environmental assessment.
Complying with last week’s order by the Hawaii Supreme Court, the state Department of Transportation is now conducting the environmental assessment.
The Superferry is still awaiting a decision by the U.S. Coast Guard and state transportation officials on when it may resume service on its Oahu-Kauai route.
The route was suspended Tuesday following protests that prevented the 350-foot-long ferry, the Alakai, from docking at Nawiliwili Harbor.
January 5th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
when a law is broken and our government fails to enforce it, extreme action is justified. “desperate times call for desperate measures” comes to mind. you think this would be a “free” country if our ancestors sat back and said, “oh, heck, i’d go to war, but that wouldn’t be in keeping with the spirit of aloha”? i don’t think so. real men step up and fight for their rights when it is necessary.
changing a law solely for the benefit of a single corporation (and don’t try to argue that the “people” want it, and it will benefit all of hawaii, and blah blah blah bull shit) is wrong. i found your blog looking for info on jay grekin (i’m lookin for a derm), but think i’ll keep looking now that i know your stance on this issue and that he is a good friend of yours…