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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0401.024 2008-2010 Marya Mann, Ph. D. 75-5919 AM Drive I-22 -Kailua Kona, HI 96740 Phone: 808-345-0050 - FAX: 808-217-9687 June 16, 2009 Honorable Council Members Re: Resolutions 200-09, 201-09, 202-09 Aloha mai. (Hello) Makaukau? (Are you ready?) I'm learning Olelo Hawaii. Since this is my home, I want to honor the way my mother land looks at things. So much depends on how you look at things. As a psychologist and accelerated learning specialist, I look at these three resolutions as a classic dynamic of not seeing the far-reaching consequences if immediate action. Let's look at how we're looking at the situation. The people of Hawaii County are expected to experience a staggering $10 million a month or $120 million a year loss of income in this year alone. At the same time, we are also supposed to be experiencing the largest single infusion of federal dollars to our economy with the federal stimulus package signed into being by Obama in February. These supplemental grants and loans which are to be available can be used to change the game that Hawaii's been playing so far, which is to give the lion's share of resources to East Hawaii, to West Hawaii's detriment. As you do this, you lose balance. You lose perspective. A person needs both legs to walk, both sides of the body to work, and both sides of the brain to think clearly. When you withdraw sustenance from one side of the brain, the person loses coherence. Comm. No. a• 2• Ref. To: Ref. Date JUN ](0,2009 If you further deplete the flow of knowledge, resource, and power from West Hawaii, I believe you are creating an imbalance in the island political body that could set us back 30 years. You are damaging our island's ability to succeed. A one-side ship will sink. It takes at least two strong, balanced pillars to build an arch. A well-rounded society takes responsibility for, and appreciates the potential and power of the whole. Hawaii has long been known as the paradise necklace of islands twittering out in the Pacific. An out of the way place where If you could get there once, it would last forever, for you'd have a vision, an idea, of paradise. In paradise, I think you should have both sides of the brain working. Both sides of the island in cooperative pursuits that would create our island as a landmark, a place where people go to experience the wild and wonderful paradise of Mauna Kea and Kilouea, the coasts of East and West, the tradition island arts of Hilo and the contemporary visionary arts of the West, together becoming the Arts Magnet of the Pacific Rim If we work together fairly, we can do, become a larger magnet for tourism, produce green technologies and artistic media that reflect our true social paradise, with a government that appreciates we are all noble brothers and sisters. The noble features of being human, what I respect in the Hawaiian culture, the idea of being pono, means that I believe we can create something at least as beautiful as the flowers. A flower doesn't cut off half its root, for it has then has half its resources. A flower doesn't withhold its nitrogen from half of its leaves, for they would shrivel. A healthy colorful, well-appreciated flower is balanced, totally for the organism that it is. The island organism that we are here on this precious, bountiful sacred land, is suffering because the left side has taken control and doesn't trust what will happen if we work together. You know what? If we work together, the island will have two hands, two sides of the brain, a whole mind to prosper and thrive because we are working together. In this climate, how can you tie one hand, the West Hawaiian hand, represented by our council members, behind your back and expect to move forward with wisdom and courage. It's just not balanced. It's not pono. So what can we do? Reflect on whether you want to express the glorious flowering of Aloha in this land, being pono, creating an Arts Magnet of the Pacific that is magnetizing because we are working together, respecting the past, envisioning the future, and in the present, working hand in hand in the way of liberty and democracy. We need equal representation on the County Council. These resolutions propose to remove the elected representatives of Districts 1, 7, and 8 from any committee leadership position. This is a blatant attack on over 50,000 residents' constitutionally-protected right to equal representation. Please vote not on these resolutions, and believe in the future that cooperation is best. Nature doesn't survive on competition. We evolve and delight in higher and greater levels of cooperation, working together, learning to trust. There's a lot of wisdom in the room, on this island. We can use it and watch as all canoes rise on one river. One other word I've learned here in Hawaii is family, Ohana. Take these terrible resolutions and turn them into a commitment to cooperate and work together as one family. Ohana. My kumu tells me that if I put Ohana first, I'll be amazed. Isn't it time you put our whole island Ohana first? Makaukau? Blessings, Dr. Marya Mann