Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Musings: Obama's Vacation

I was talking to a friend yesterday who was trying to get back to Kauai from Honolulu Sunday night and was already on the plane, when everything came to a standstill. They sat there for 30 minutes, then disembarked, and learned that all air traffic had been grounded because Obama and his entourage were enroute to Hickham AFB for their own departure. Commercial airliners that were supposed to land had to just keep circling.

By the time the airport started functioning again, interisland flights were all backed up. In the end, after hanging at the airport for several hours, he and his family got bumped and were put up at the Plaza overnight and given free one-way airfare, returning to Kauai Monday morning.

We speculated on how many thousands of people were inconvenienced that evening, and how many thousands of dollars it cost the airlines. Mostly he wondered why it was even necessary, when the Prez was flying out of Hickham, where they’ve got fighter jets that could be scrambled if need be.

Another friend told me that he’d pirated a copy of “Avatar” — one with German subtitles — and thought it was great that Obama and his daughters had gone to watch that film, as it contained messages about imperialism and environmentalism and Native American rights, and maybe some of those themes had sunk in.

Maybe, I said. Then I asked if the movie was violent, and he said there was one part where a village was being attacked and they showed a woman and her children getting blown up by bombs. And I said, do you suppose, when Obama was watching that scene, that he flashed on the thought, wow, that’s what we’re doing to civilians in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and now Yemen? Do you suppose he and his daughters talked about the effects of war and imperialism afterward?

Or were they just caught up in the spectacle of entertainment and the deeper messages, the uncomfortable truths, just slipped on by, like buttered popcorn from greasy fingers?

One message that may never have gotten through to Obama — and apparently not the rest of the world — was the opposition of Hawaiian Nationalists to the revised Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act — aka, the Akaka Bill.

They staged a demonstration near his Kailua vacation home on New Year’s Day, and distributed a press release to news media throughout the U.S. that stated, in part:

The NHGRA, also known as the Akaka Bill, proposes to federally recognize a "Native Hawaiian governing entity" within the framework of U.S. federal policy and law regarding Native Americans that would subject the entity to the plenary power of the U.S. Congress. NHGRA thus seeks to undercut the growing movement in Hawai'i to restore an independent Hawaiian State under international law.

Demonstrators will emphasize the blatant lack of due process mandated by the U.S. Constitution in the genesis of the NHGRA: there have been no public hearings on it held in Hawai'i since the one hearing held back in 2000, when the vast majority of testifiers vehemently opposed the legislation. Opponents of the Bill and proponents of independence will demand immediate hearings in all the islands ahead of further action. As it is, on 12/16/09, the House Committee on Natural Resources voted in support of H.R. 2314, while on 12/17/09 the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs voted in support of a newly amended S.1011. Both versions of the Bill are slated to be considered by the U.S. Congress when it returns from recess later this month.


But despite the large media pool that accompanies Obama everywhere, reporting even such minutiae as what type of clothing his daughters were wearing, I couldn’t find any print coverage of it — not even in the Honolulu dailies.

Apparently it’s preferable to let Hollywood deal with the troubling issue of imperialism than recognize it and address it in your own home town.

24 comments:

  1. "Apparently it’s preferable to let Hollywood deal with the troubling issue of imperialism than recognize it and address it in your own home town."

    Yes I was shocked to hear Hillary Clinton decrying the crackdown on protesters in Iran and I was thinking wait-a-minute, the US disappears and tortures people for years without trials and yet she is getting up on her high horse? Remember Kent State? Remember Fred Hampton?

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  2. Really like the way you think and write.
    Good youʻre bringing some attention around the void on hearings for something as impacting and altering as the Akaka bill (or ʻwhateverʻ the scurrying rats are calling it these days)
    Mahalo

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  3. "what we’re doing to civilians in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and now Yemen? Do you suppose he and his daughters talked about the effects of war and imperialism afterward?"

    -- cuz you know, female genital mutilation, stuff like that, thats fine. the only "bad actor" in the world is, of course, the US military, by definition, every time. every body else - an angle

    is fun keeping everything forrest gump simple

    unfortunately (for gumps) for all the errant missiles and mistakes (which certainly happen), there are plenty of videos of people chucking their weaponry into a ditch and then "playing civilian." still, most people would agree you dont want to be blowing up buildings and/or square blocks just to get 1 guy (like the israelis do)

    anywho, as bad as a few wrongly rendered episodes are, most of those guys were pretty bad news (which seems relavent)

    if one wants to bitch about something thats actually of import - maybe getting the fbi/cia/nsa to forgo their turf wars so warnings / intelligence get proper focus...and/or get the GEDs out of TSA so 1-way cash ticket watch-list guys from yemen et al get Israeli-style airport screening scrutiny. might be a good idea


    dwps

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  4. "female genital mutilation"

    Oh, is that why we're in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and Yemen? Thanks for enlightening me. Truly, I had absolutely no idea.

    Yes, is fun keeping things Forrest Gump simple, like the attitude that all the other guys is mo worse, so no need clean or even mention our own dirty laundry.

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  5. DWPS said "anywho, as bad as a few wrongly rendered episodes are, most of those guys were pretty bad news (which seems relavent)"

    "wrongly rendered episodes" sounds like military speak for "oops all those inconvenient civilians became collateral damage cause they intentionally got in the way of our precision operations"

    "female genital mutilation" bad. 41% increase in rape in Hawaii? Well boys will be boys.

    Also really dislike dwps characterization of any self reflection as "everybody else an angle" No one said that. The world is full of self righteous authoritarian aholes doing bad things (Iran, Cuba, USA, etc.) but lets go after those "genital mutilators, yeah das da ticket.

    “We’ve been looking for the enemy for several days now, we've finally found them. We're surrounded. That simplifies our problem of finding these people and killing them." - Chesty Puller USMC

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  6. And now a message from Forest Stump

    "Take me wherever there are parliaments and diets and congresses and chambers of statesmen. I want to be there when they talk about honor and justice and making the world safe for democracy and fourteen points and the self determination of peoples. I want to be there to remind them I haven't got a tongue to stick into the cheek I haven't got either. But the statesmen have tongues. The statesmen have cheek. Put my glass case upon the speaker's desk and every time the gavel descends let me feel its vibration through my little jewel case. Then let them speak of trade policies and embargoes and new colonies and old grudges. Let them debate the menace of the yellow race "d the white man's burden and the course of empire and why should we take all this crap off Germany or whoever the next Germany is. Let them talk about the South American market and why so-and-so is beating us out of it and why our merchant marine can't compete and oh what the hell let's send a good stiff note. Let them talk more munitions and airplanes and battleships and tanks and gases why of course we've got to have them we can't get along without them how in the world could we protect the peace if we didn't have them? Let them form blocs and alliances and mutual assistance pacts and guarantees of neutrality. Let them draft notes and ultimatums and protests and accusations." - Jonny got his gun, Daltom Trumbo, 1939

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  7. "Oh, is that why we're in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and Yemen?"

    -- actually i heard it happens in africa more. point is - be evenhanded


    "wrongly rendered episodes" sounds like military speak for "oops all those inconvenient civilians became collateral damage cause they intentionally got in the way of our precision operations"

    -- 2 diff things maybe yes? 1) civilians killed -- which, even in times of "war" (or whatever its called) society has become more sensitive to, which is a good thing, no argument there. 2) rendition mistakes -- ie, they totally scooped up, beat up, etc the wrong guy...100% mistake


    "41% increase in rape in Hawaii? "

    -- damn


    "Also really dislike dwps characterization of any self reflection as "everybody else an angle" No one said that."

    -- agreed, i said it. point was only that bad actors can be found everywhere. 2nd point would be - if you really try hard, you can find a problem or something to complain about 100% of the time (and doing so doesnt get one any medals, sorry, its too easy)


    the Daltom Trumbo thing was pretty interesting


    dwps

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  8. "Apparently it’s preferable to let Hollywood deal with the troubling issue of imperialism than recognize it and address it in your own home town."

    Joan, you are so on-it.

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  9. "41% increase in rape in Hawaii? "

    No increase,just an increase in reporting.
    A good thing.
    Ship them to Arizona!

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  10. "if one wants to bitch about something thats actually of import"

    American imperialism isn't of import?

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  11. American imperialism isn't of import?

    The essence of American imperialism is the vehemence with which Americans insist it does not exist.

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  12. "American imperialism isn't of import?"

    -- id respond all US foreign policy is worth review, always

    but this "imperialism" word seems loaded, like the kind of word used by people that dont know enough to warrant wielding it

    so this "US imperialism" thing -- when did this happen? after WW2? post ussr? after gulf 1? before of after the house of saud invited us in? can the US help in sudan? or are we imperialists if we do?

    US - imperialist how? alot? just a lil?

    and feel free to incorporate stuff such as:

    1) panama canal - given up
    2) gulf 1 - we left, we did not stay
    3) yugo - we came to the rescue (and pls spare us the uranium diatribe, ty)
    4) somalia (under bush)...well we tried (a failure)
    5) pretty substantial list of counties we've helped develop with foreign aid programs

    bla bla bla

    point is - there is a pretty long list of not so "imperialist" behavior. and there dont seem to be sufficient counter examples to place us firmly in the "imperialist" camp

    but hey, maybe you are just saying ~ "we should be weary of 'imperialist' tendencies," to which i would imagine most reasonable would agree

    i guess if one is looking to suggest the net impact on the world by the US over the last 50, 100, 150 years has been ~"bad"...then give it a shot (and please touch on systems of government, economics, health, etc...b/ the influence of the US along those lines is pretty commonly known, or should be, to those throwing the word "imperialist" around anyways). ty


    dwps

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  13. Definitions of imperialism on the Web:

    a policy of extending your rule over foreign countries
    a political orientation that advocates imperial interests
    any instance of aggressive extension of authority

    "so this "US imperialism" thing -- when did this happen?"

    mmmm, when the "colonists" landed at Plymouth Rock?

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  14. "gulf 1 - we left, we did not stay"
    No fly zones, embargos, etc. You call that leaving?

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  15. dwps "point was only that bad actors can be found everywhere. 2nd point would be - if you really try hard, you can find a problem or something to complain about 100% of the time (and doing so doesnt get one any medals, sorry, its too easy)"

    I believe I made point 1 in my response. you created a straw man to attack in your first post.

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  16. dpws "and there dont seem to be sufficient counter examples to place us firmly in the "imperialist" camp"

    Evidence! You want evidence of Imperialism? Here is your evidence. The US has the largest number of US military bases in other countries through Status of Forces Agreements (SOFA). If you have a military base on foreign soil it is pretty easy to use that presence to deal with any pesky problems arise with the natives. In anticipation of dwps response in defense of imperialism here it is. "the other countries AGREED TO THOSE SOFAs" and my response to that is yes like the Queen agreed to the Bayonet constitution, in other words a contract of cohesion with a gun to your head! Now that's imperialism people.

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  17. "41% increase in rape in Hawaii? "
    By the way did anyone mention the link to military as cause of increased rapes? And STDʻs?

    Dear God, please help the middle east women from the additional pigs they have to contend with besides their own.

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  18. "mmmm, when the "colonists" landed at Plymouth Rock?"

    -- well fair enough. i mean, the solutrean hypothesis is still shaky guesswork, so ya. btw - your bright line rule also means the current ethnic hawaiians are also imperialists / colonialists (and "successful" ones, if one thinks the marquesan folks were here 1st, as they are certainly not here anymore). and credit for posting the definitions


    "No fly zones, embargos, etc. You call that leaving?"

    -- your correct point is well taken. that influence remained for sure (as did efforts the overthrow the guy). was just noting no troops left there then (as opposed to now)


    "I believe I made point 1 in my response. you created a straw man to attack in your first post."

    -- well if you were seeing a straw man attempt i assure you it was not deliberate on my part. ill try again: (a) self reflection is fine of course, good (b) to note -- for the sake of balance, objectivity, and comprehensive analysis -- that "there are no angels / there are many sorts of 'bad actors'" is/was not an attempt to avoid such reflection and any mistakes / wrongs it might highlight


    January 6, 2010 9:38 AM - most people are aware of that dynamic. i suspect the shear size and scope of those installations / forces is not what bothers you, but how they are used (yes?). as to base installation corrosion...the word "bribery" ($) seems more accurate. can one find examples of these bases / forces engaging in "imperialistic meanness?" sure, a few things come to mind. can examples (and a good many) be found of these same resources doing a heck of alot of good both militarily as well as in humanitarian efforts? yep.

    its just a tool. not inherently good or bad -- and as such, similar to economic power. and on that, one would imagine the "amerika" people also view US and G8 economic polices as "imperialist" ....ok, well guess japan is #2 on that list huh? so 50 yrs of G8/UN/EU/US-style economics have "hurt" the world?....eh, not if you look at global data on health, longivity, income, education, womens rights, etc. sorry

    however, for ex, think a shit job has been done in protecting poor states from getting into too much debt? well many smart people would agree w/ you

    thanks for the responses


    dwps

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  19. dwps "its just a tool. not inherently good or bad -- and as such, similar to economic power."

    Exactly. The US uses "economic power" (bribery) and "Military power" (SOFA) in case bribery fails. Of course in most SOFA occupied countries the US does not deploy "imperialistic meanness", Such meanness is deployed only when the bribery fails. Check the last 1960 SOFA agreement with Japan (US bases in Japan, but no Japan bases in US). Sound "fair". Japan may be part of G8 but they do not have a military presence in other countries (like the US does) to back it up. IMHO if you have armed troops in another country that's imperialism.

    Finally dwps "i suspect the shear size and scope of those installations / forces is not what bothers you, but how they are used (yes?). No! It is the size, the scope and most importantly the asymmetry of these SOFAs. Like I said "contracts of cohesion" that are backed up by force if necessary. SOFAs are the new imperialism.

    dwps "its (SOFAs)just a tool. not inherently good or bad"

    Disagree completely! You could say the same thing about an M16, but if foreign troops (and their hired mercenaries (Blackwater or whatever they call themselves now) are in my country carry the M16's that's more than a tool its a threat.

    Thanks for sharing.

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  20. "Exactly. The US uses "economic power" (bribery) and "Military power" (SOFA) in case bribery fails."

    -- wow. so sovereigns cant contract? plenty of base inquiries have been turned down, and there was no "invasion" or like overt response


    "Check the last 1960 SOFA agreement with Japan (US bases in Japan, but no Japan bases in US)."

    -- well hey thats cool your citing stuff like that. guess the first thing that comes to mind is - i coulda sworn the japanese constitution at the time barred their having a big (or any) "military"...so never coulda happened, false problem / hypo?


    "IMHO if you have armed troops in another country that's imperialism. "

    -- one can appreciate your tangible definitions...still, seems like the UN just became imperialist (which i guess to some people it is???)


    "contracts of cohesion"

    -- the negotiations can easily not be even, agreed. still, what states growth has been retarded by a US military base? cuba comes to mind (and pls leave afg and iraq out for the moment)....and mmmmm, come to think of it, i recall a couple of US jets from a local US base in the philippines flying over manila a couple of times in the 80s thereby helping that one democratically elected lady not get overthrown by the local military. how does that count on the scorecard...or is that negated by earlier US military sales to marcos? (assuming we sold him stuff, which i could bet we did)

    anyways - of course the US pressures other states. perfect example: who did we cut funding to the moment they voted against us in the UN in Gulf 1? yemen (black and white immediate cessation of $$, very naked). still, even factoring stuff like that in - i dont see the brutally hegemonic behavior that "imperialism" connotes (ie, stuff like what the prince of belgium did in the congo comes to mind...or something on that level of "bad")


    "in my country carry the M16's that's more than a tool its a threat."

    -- well yes your hypo does not seem like its a peacekeeping mission


    thanks for the thoughtful replies. ciao


    dwps

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  21. ALLAN NAIRN on today's Democracy Now --

    The US spends about half of all—almost half of all the military spending in the entire world, equal to virtually all the other countries combined. More than half of the weapons sold in the world are sold by the United States. The US has more than 700 military bases scattered across dozens of countries. The US is the world’s leading trainer of paramilitaries. The US has a series of courses, from interrogators to generals, that have graduated military people guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity in dozens upon dozens of countries. The US has a series of covert paramilitary forces of its own that get almost no attention. For example, right now in Iran, there are covert US paramilitaries attacking Iran from within, authorized by secret executive order. This was briefly reported, but it dropped from notice. In addition to that, there are the open attacks, the open bombings and invasions. Just in the recent period, the US has done this to Iran—to, I’m sorry, to Iraq, to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Kenya. Currently in the Philippines, there are US troops in action in the south. And you could go on. This is the machine.

    And then, in addition, there’s the support for a series of what the RAND Corporation itself—you know, RAND is an extension of the Pentagon—called US support for repressive non-democratic governments and for governments that commit aggression. There are about forty of them that the US backs."

    Face it dwps. The US is imperialistic.

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  22. "imperialism and environmentalism and Native American rights"
    and corporatism and militarism and supernaturalism and LOVE.
    Although there are similarities, the Na'vi of Pandora are NOT American.
    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0499549/synopsis

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  23. ALLAN NAIRN on today's Democracy Now --

    The US spends about half of all—almost half of all the military spending in the entire world, equal to virtually all the other countries combined. More than half of the weapons sold in the world are sold by the United States. The US has more than 700 military bases scattered across dozens of countries.



    One good quote deserves another...


    ...here in Mazar [Mazar-i-Sharif, second city of Afghanistan], Americans are once again doing what looks like nation-building: bringing peace to a city most Americans couldn't have found on a map a year ago.

    Yet the Special Forces aren't social workers. They are an imperial detachment, advancing American power and interests in Central Asia. Call it peacekeeping or nation-building, call it what you like — imperial policing is what is going on in Mazar.

    In fact, America's entire war on terror is an exercise in imperialism. This may come as a shock to Americans, who don't like to think of their country as an empire. But what else can you call America's legions of soldiers, spooks and Special Forces straddling the globe?


    - Michael Ignatieff, New York Times, July 27, 2002.


    full text at http://www.why-war.com/news/2002/07/27/nationbu.html

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