How would you react if someone installed artwork in your office without consulting you?
An average person may not be so happy about it!
The same situation happened with Faye Hanohano, who is a member of Hawaii's state legislature.
Star Advertiser
Sure, Hanohano didn't like the artwork installed without being consulted,
but for very different reasons!
http://www.staradvertiser.com/newspremium/20130228__House_member_insults_ethnic_groups.html?id=193763311
State Rep. Faye Hanohano —
unhappy with the paintings installed in her state Capitol office as part
of a public exhibit — used racial and ethnic slurs in a tirade
Monday, according to an email from a state exhibit specialist.
Hanohano, who is Native
Hawaiian, called the works for the "Art in Public Places" exhibit "ugly"
and questioned why the paintings chosen were not from Native
Hawaiian artists.
Exhibit specialists who were
installing the art said the House member from Hawaii island told them
that "any work done by Haoles, Japs, Paranges, Pakes, you can just
take away right now."
(The meaning of Paranges in the email is unclear.)
For those who might be reading from outside Hawaii --- "haole" is used to refer to those with European ancestry, "pakes" is used to refer to those of Chinese ancestry.
As for the word "paranges", she might either be referring to "Portuguese". Or, as one caller to KSSK mentioned,
she might've said "palagi" which is a Samoan word referring to those with European ancestry (in other words, Samoan version of "haole")
But yeah, all this over .............. artwork installed in her office.
She judges artwork by ................... the ancestry of the artist!
And of course, she made a BS apology afterwards
http://www.kitv.com/news/politics/Big-Island-lawmaker-apologizes-for-racial-slurs/-/8905242/19130000/-/6abqiq/-/index.html?absolute=true
"First and foremost, I'd like to express my sincere apology to any
individuals or groups who may have been offended by my comments. Clearly
comments that were intended to be an impassioned plea for increasing
the visibility and support for Native Hawaiian artists were expressed in
a manner that did not accurately reflect their intent, sentiment or the
integrity of this office. I accept full responsibility for this
unfortunate incident and, again, I apologize.
It sounds more like she's sorry for being caught!
And this "impassioned plea for increasing
the visibility and support for Native Hawaiian artist"?
You could EASILY advocate for Native Hawaiian artists without yelling insulting rants about other racial groups.
----
If Hanohano was a Republican, the liberal websites would be all up in arms by now! At least, that's how they react when a Republican (or a Republican sympathizer) makes insensitive remarks related to race, gender, etc.
But the 2 liberal websites I usually check (TheNation, Salon) still has NOTHING about Hanohano's racial tirade.
At least give MSNBC credit for linking to KITV's article that I mentioned about!
----
This whole issue reminded me of when the Grammy's once had a category for Hawaiian music.
Some Native Hawaiian activists went bezerk when Tia Carrere and Daniel Ho (both of Asian ancestry) won!
Trisha Kehaulani Watson mentioned in her Honolulu Advertiser blog (no longer in existence) that Carrere/ Ho victory was depriving the Native Hawaiian artists of recognition!
LinkedIN
Trisha Kehaulani Watson
(aka : musical segregationist)
And yes, I am calling Ms Watson a musical segregationist!
I mean, who in their right mind who have a problem with an African-American winning an award for country music, punk rock or emo music?
Music is music!
If a Vietnamese person wins an award for mariachi music, or if a Micronesian person wins an award for jazz music, or if a Somali person wins an award for the best taiko drummer, most of us would be appreciative of those artists being cross-cultural visionaries!
I mean, this is the 21st century!
This is an era where a South Korean guy had the world's most popular rap song last year.
This is a world where a Samoan guy was the most popular player for the Notre Dame's Fighting Irish.
This is a world in which a man of Kenyan ancestry became the President of the United States.
This is a world in which people of Indian ancestry are governors of Louisiana and South Carolina.
And yes, this is a world in which a Native Hawaiian guy was one of the top offense players in the Canadian Football League! (that would be my former UH classmate Chad Owens)
This is an ever-integrating world!
It's time to celebrate that!
