Thursday, October 31, 2013

Seeing History Unfold

A L O H A!
 Is more than a word, 
it is a concept, a philosophy of life, 
a rule of behaviour, 
a deep and sacred truth 
that is at once simple, obvious 
and powerful 
in any context. 


The Hawaiian People, 
it is said, recognized 
the spirit of Jesus 
immediately, but wondered 
at the cold behavior 
of the missionaries 





It was not a perfect society,
holding slaves, fighting wars,
ruled over by a class
of "superiors."
In other words,
it was like other
cultures around the globe
in that time.



What I am praising
is the inclusion and
courtesy that was
their heartbeat.

Vestiges of ALOHA 
remain.

They have blessed,
educated,
and changed
me;
For the better.








This week
our legislature
seems poised
to extend marriage equality
to all.

Hearings in special session
have run the gamut
from: "Gays are trying
to take over the world,
shame on you for taking
bribes to help them."

To wonderful testimony
from local families,
faith leaders,
seniors,
children,
as to why
equality and inclusion
are Pono
(the Hawaiian word
for "Right, righteous.")




For once, the dignity
of our local senators
(the majority of them!)
has risen to a
statesmanlike stature.
Senator Hee asked a 
very nice older woman
how she reconciled
the disagreement
between different churches
as to the bill.
She could not answer.

Nor could the person
who testified that 
legislative staff
was infiltrated with gays
when the same senator
asked:
"Which of them do I work with?
*Pause*
Thought you said you knew."





The US Supreme Court ruling,
as well as marriage equality
from South Africa to Iowa
have made a huge change
to local leaders.

Hawaii will vote: aloha to ALL
this week
or next.

My friends, my betters,
my forerunners,
 martyrs,
 and I
are poised to
succeed
in a long long long long long
struggle.

The world will not end.
Promise!



"It's historic in the sense that there's a huge paradigm shift, but it's a shift that, in my opinion, bends the arc of justice towards the right way,
It takes us to a new level of equal rights."

Hawaii State Sen. Clayton Hee 

" Kanaka Maoli*
 have been conditioned for so long
 to think and act like foreigners
 that we have allowed the meaning
 and intent of our words, traditions and philosophies 
to be replaced by neo-Christian beliefs 
and used to further a 
Western political agenda 
on our islands."

Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu 
More about Hina:
HERE


=^..^=
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                          Warmly, cloudia
* Kanaka Maoli is what the original Hawaiian people call themselves in their own Language. 
Back in the 19th century, Hawaiian sailors were often listed on crew manifest as "Kanaka" or "Kanak)

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Roots of Current US Political Divide

America continues to deal with race.
 Frankly, old subliminal attitudes are at the root
 of much of the demonizing of our amazing president.

 Check out this 3 minute preview.
 It will all begin to make more sense.



 Films like Lincoln, 12 Years A Slave, 
and Django, further a conversation 
that includes Trayvon Martin,
Stand Your Ground, and the bible 
(which was used to both fight and defend slavery - 
as in the marriage equality fight today)


Attitudes of opposition to the federal government 

are quite ingrained in parts of the US,
yet significant numbers of US military volunteers, and 
our presidents, have come from the South 
(the old rebel confederacy that lost the Civil War).


They continue to see things differently. 



As the British Empire, 
and much of the civilized world 
recognized slavery as unsavory 

(to say the very least)
southern plantation owners promoted 
images of happily singing "darkies
thriving under the protection 
of benevolent owners, er, masters 
(sounds so much nicer, like with pets).
Their motivations were financial,
yes -
but not solely,
and the entire US
made lots of money
on slave labor
(they partially built
our US Congress building
with it's famous dome)


I see an inspiring (if not always perfect) 
president who mostly 
effectively supports 
what I believe in 

They see, 
well, it would be distasteful 
to share some of the 
disrespectful crap 
I've seen thrown at this man
 and his family!



Now Europe seems to be facing up
to the Roma (Gypsy) in their midst.
China has her Uighurs
and Tibetans. 

(The Uighurs & Roma
are both unrecognized
nationalities
to Spell Check!)


SO

What is going on
with group relations
in YOUR place?

               Please leave your comment, cloudia

Day OH

A  L  O  H  A !
Day-O by Harry Belafonte on Grooveshark
" The sun is new each day. "

Heraclitus 








If there must
 be trouble,
 let it be
 in my day,
 that my child
 may have peace."

Thomas Paine 










" I arise in the morning
 torn between a desire
 to improve the world 
and a desire to 
enjoy the world. 
This makes it hard 
to plan the day. "

E. B. White 







" With the new day
 comes new strength
 and new thoughts. "

Eleanor Roosevelt 


" Write it on your heart 
that every day
 is the best day in the year. "

Ralph Waldo Emerson 



" An early-morning walk
 is a blessing
 for the whole day. "

Henry David Thoreau 

> < } } (°>
=^..^=
Thanks for walking a while :)

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Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Thanks Lou Reed

A L O H A !
" A hero is 
someone who has given
 his or her life 
to something 
bigger than oneself. "

Joseph Campbell 

"A hero is 
an ordinary individual 
who finds the strength 
to persevere 
and endure 
in spite of 
overwhelming obstacles."

Christopher Reeve 

"Show me a hero 
and I'll write you 
a tragedy."

F. Scott Fitzgerald 



Lou Reed HS Yearbook
By English: Freeport High School. [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons


"My God is 

rock’n’roll.

 It’s an obscure power

 that can change your life. 

The most important part 

of my religion 

is to play guitar."

Lou Reed

















" The Velvet Underground's first album
 only sold 30,000 copies 
during its first five years
 but everyone 
who bought one of those 
30,000 copies 
started a band.” 

attributed to Brian Eno from a 1982 interview


=^..^=


Lou was not a loveable "Mop Top"
 playing pop.
He wandered the
 Dirty Boulevard,
talked to the prostitutes,
"deviants"
 drug users,
artists and poets
 he found there.

For lots of us
he let us know
that we were not

Alone

in a scrubbed,
conformist world.



Thanks Lou.

Others today are expressing
why your poetry is important
and the massive effect
you had on the culture
of our times.

I will just say:
"Thanks, Man."


LOU REED, 1942-2013
Outsider Whose Dark, Lyrical Vision Helped Shape Rock ’n’ Roll  (New York Times)   







ALOHA, Friends!
                                                       cloudia






Monday, October 28, 2013

What Three Words?

A   L   O   H   A   !
Play the song - really goes with the picture
" Silly cowboy,
 trucks are for girls! "
bumper sticker


" It aint the clothes
 that make the cowgirl,
 it's the attitude and heart. "

Cowgirl Wisdom










" The day you were born 
was the day that God decided 
that the world could not exist 
without you. "

Rabbi Nachman.










Like many others do,
 we Hawaii folk get most of our supplies
 out of the big trailers usually pulled by 
trucks (lorrys)
but ours travel between the islands
 onboard barges like this one!



   ><}}(°> ~




Imagine!

You & I have been

arrested!

We are handcuffed

together

in the back of

a police car.

What would YOU

say?

Use only 3 Words -

GO!

                          Warmly, cloudia

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Right There - Don't Compare

A   L   O   H   A  !
Don't compare your 
middle
 with somebody else's 
beginning.







Rarely can we see
 those ahead of us
 on the path,
up around the bend
from glen to glen.









So find your footing
right there.
And don't 
compare -









 - Your middle
 with somebody else's
 beginning. . .



> < } } (°>

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Saturday, October 26, 2013

Honolulu Farmer's Market

A  L  O  H  A !

"Age does not

 protect you from love.

 But love, to some extent, 

protects you from age." 


 Anais Nin






" Be faithful
 to that which exists 
nowhere 
but in yourself - 
and thus make yourself 
indispensable." 

Gide







" The goldenrod is yellow,
 The corn is turning brown, 
The trees in apple orchards 
With fruit are bending down. "


Helen Hunt Jackson 




" "To freely bloom - 








that is my definition
 of success" 

Gerry Spence



> < } } (°>

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                    Warmly, cloudia






=^..^=
' Take Peace & Smiles - Leave Your Comment '

Thanks for visiting!
                            Warmly, cloudia