Bill Text: HI SCR65 | 2017 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Asserting The State Of Hawaii's Commitment To Diversity, Inclusiveness, Justice, Equality, Compassion, And Democratic Values In Response To The 2016 Presidential Election Through The Spirit Of Aloha.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 13-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-03-09 - Referred to IAA, JDL. [SCR65 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2017-SCR65-Introduced.html

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THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	65
TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2017
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

ASSERTING THE STATE OF HAWAII'S COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, INCLUSIVENESS, JUSTICE, EQUALITY, COMPASSION, AND DEMOCRATIC VALUES IN RESPONSE TO THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION THROUGH THE SPIRIT OF ALOHA.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, on November 8, 2016, the presidential candidate of one of America's two major political parties was elected to become the forty-fifth President of the United States, despite losing the national popular vote by over three million votes; and

 

     WHEREAS, the course and result of the 2016 presidential election has fueled deep philosophical, social, and political divides among the nation's populace; and

 

     WHEREAS, a significant proportion of the American public is deeply dissatisfied with the outcome of the election, and has expressed outrage over various factors they assert as having led to its results, which include, but are not limited to:

 

     (1)  Lies and misrepresentations of facts by candidates and campaigns;

 

     (2)  Fear and hate mongering;

 

     (3)  Fabricated or "fake" news;

 

     (4)  Appeal to white supremacist support;

 

     (5)  Lack of awareness and understanding of civics, the democratic process, and the basic workings of American government;

     (6)  Alleged interference of foreign powers in our voting process;

 

     (7)  Apparent partisanship within non-partisan government agencies;

 

     (8)  Misogyny;

 

     (9)  Racism;

 

    (10)  Classism;

 

    (11)  Xenophobia;

 

    (12)  Homophobia;

 

    (13)  Disrespect and disregard for the rights of the disabled;

 

    (14)  Prejudice or discrimination, in various forms;

 

    (15)  Narcissistic egotism;

 

    (16)  Lack of critical analysis;

 

    (17)  Lack of civility and coarsening of debate through personal attack and name-calling;

 

    (18)  Rebuke and discrediting of science;

 

    (19)  Alleged ineffectiveness and misapplication of the duties of the electoral college;

 

    (20)  Longstanding voter apathy;

 

    (21)  Disrespect and disregard for civil rights;

 

    (22)  Anti-urbanism;

 

    (23)  Disregard for the First Amendment right to free speech;

    (24)  Disregard for laws against financial conflicts of interest by government leaders;

 

    (25)  Demagoguery; and

 

    (26)  Corporate, national, and geopolitical greed; and

 

     WHEREAS, the opinions of Americans on the perceived significance of each of these factors are greatly varied, which has further exacerbated the tremendous divisions that have arisen in this country; and

 

     WHEREAS, the degree of divisions, resentment, and acrimony that may characterize the mainland United States today is not nearly as evident in the State of Hawaii; and

 

     WHEREAS, the leaders and residents of the State of Hawaii strive to embody and exhibit civility, openness, respect, understanding, compassion, and acceptance in our State and within our communities; and

 

     WHEREAS, the "Aloha Spirit" is described in section 5-7.5(a), Hawaii Revised Statutes, as "the coordination of mind and heart within each person"; and

 

     WHEREAS, "aloha" is further defined in the statute as "mutual regard and affection and extends warmth in caring with no obligation in return," "the essence of relationships in which each person is important to every other person for collective existence," and "to hear what is not said, to see what cannot be seen and to know the unknowable"; and

 

     WHEREAS, Hawaii state law further explains in the statute that "the Spirit of Aloha" is a "life force" and to recognize and contemplate the presence of this life force, we are to use the following "unuhi laula loa," or principles, of "akahai," "lokahi," "oluolu," "haahaa," and "ahonui"; and

 

     WHEREAS, "akahai," "lokahi," "oluolu," "haahaa," and "ahonui" are described in our statutes as "traits of character that express the charm, warmth and sincerity of Hawaii's people"; and

     WHEREAS, "akahai," means "kindness, to be expressed with tenderness"; and

 

     WHEREAS, "lokahi," means "unity, to be expressed with harmony"; and

 

     WHEREAS, "oluolu," means "agreeable, to be expressed with pleasantness"; and

 

     WHEREAS, "haahaa," means "humility, to be expressed with modesty"; and

 

     WHEREAS, "ahonui," means "patience, to be expressed with perseverance"; and

 

     WHEREAS, these words express the working philosophy of native Hawaiians and was presented as a gift to the people of Hawaii; and

 

     WHEREAS, section 5-7.5(b), Hawaii Revised Statutes, provides that "[i]n exercising their power on behalf of the people and in fulfillment of their responsibilities, obligations and service to the people, the legislature, governor, lieutenant governor, executive officers of each department, the chief justice, associate justices, and judges of the appellate, circuit, and district courts may contemplate and reside with the life force and give consideration to the "Aloha Spirit""; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-ninth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2017, the House of Representatives concurring, that this body asserts the State's commitment to diversity, inclusiveness, equality, compassion, and democratic values by denouncing the hate crimes and hate speech against any person or group of people, which has proliferated during and as a result of the 2016 presidential election, as well as for any other historical, political, or personal reason; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in the spirit of Aloha, we reject any and all threats made to immigrants, whether as a consequence of this election or otherwise; but rather, we welcome those from other nations because their acceptance and inclusion is characteristic of so much of Hawaii's history, making it the rich, diverse, and harmonious state that it is; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the State of Hawaii proclaims itself as a sanctuary state that accepts, welcomes, and keeps safe the men, women, and children in our population who are from other countries, regardless of their citizenship or immigration status; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we respect and protect women's rights and regard these rights as human rights, and promote gender equality by condemning the harassment, objectification, discrimination, and physical and emotional abuse of women; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we commit to respecting and protecting the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people of the state, nation, and world, as we recognize and support their legal right to marry whomever they love, while also rejecting the fear, hate, and bullying exhibited toward them, whether in policy or human conduct, and specifically renounce the atrocity of the mass shooting in the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida in June 2016; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we believe religious freedom is one of this nation's most important founding principles, and will not ban or otherwise alienate people because of their faith, but rather welcome all people to pray and worship together, here in Hawaii, in their own ways, while also respecting others' freedom to do the same; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we vow to protect civil liberties, individual privacy, and human rights, against excessive government intrusion and federal overreach, by urging our police departments and state departments to protect their records to the best of their abilities; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we recognize, in the interest of public safety, that anyone who has witnessed a crime has a duty to report it and should feel safe to do so without legal retaliation against them; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that our State prides itself on its natural beauty - wholly composed of volcanic islands, fully surrounded by deep ocean, and inextricably linked to native Hawaiian culture and lore – while mindful of our vulnerability to global warming and the accelerating degradation of our natural environment; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that as we hold fast to our cultural and historical commitment to honor and preserve our ‘aina, rejecting all notions that climate change is a hoax, we respect and take heed of the findings and advancements of scientific inquiry and the intent of public policy which supports innovations in clean energy, improves our sustainability, and conserves and protects our natural environment; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we will continue our State's commitment to help ensure our residents have the necessary health care, as it has done since 1974 through the Prepaid Health Care Act, and if the new administration seeks to revoke health insurance from twenty million people, we will work tirelessly to safeguard the health care of Hawaii residents already guaranteed by this State; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we encourage and foster entrepreneurship and business in fair and just ways, with appropriate regulation that protects consumers and promotes the vitality and economic wealth of all in our community; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that because we are one of the world's most sought after destinations, our Aloha Spirit is made stronger by the thousands of international visitors we welcome every day, and thus remain committed to internationalism and to our friends around the world; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in the spirit of Aloha, we commit to the aforementioned values, which make Hawaii the unique and special place it is, so that we may serve as a positive role model for not only the rest of the United States, but also for broad global alliances, other nations, states, provinces, cities, communities, and for ourselves as individuals - such as expressed by the "Spirit of Aloha" in section 5-7.5(a), Hawaii Revised Statutes, as "the coordination of mind and heart within each person"; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the members of Hawaii's Congressional delegation and the members and council chairs of the counties of Hawaii, Honolulu, Kauai, and Maui.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

2016 Presidential Election