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Taking Trask to task M
any students' first perspective of a university is that of an eradicator of discrimination and prej udice rather tha n a ch ief offe nde r. When the latter is the case, the victims a re compelled to bring attention to the situation and dispel the myths that foster such bigotry. But when new myths are produced from inaccurate statements, over-emotional rhetoric a nd outright bias, a new level of intolerance emerges and creates more problems than it solves. Such was the case with none other than guest speaker HaunaniKay Trask at the forum in the Campus Center on "Sex, Race and Lies: What the Administration Won't Tell You." If you had been fortunate enough to hear her particular critique ofthisverynewspaperyou're reading, you would've discovered that Ka Leo is, in her words, "a very bad newspaper" filled with "anti-local and anti-Hawaiian column s" and "doesn't address student concerns." Not too long ago Trask was overwhelmed with sex paranoia in describing haole tourists as sexually repressed animals who voyeuristically d esire naked Hawaiian bodies found on the beaches a nd the Waikiki hula shows. Alth ough her remarks today embold greater maturity, her comments and actions toward Ka Leo exhibit a fierce regression into her primordial past. First, T rask accused Ka Leo of fai ling to address student concerns. Whatever these concerns Trask may have had in mind, she chose not to specify. Trask also d irected outrage at Ka Leo for printing two articles by R icha rd Cohen a nd Joey Carter- two white men whom she accused of being anti-local and a nti-Hawaiian. Cohen, a writer for a national syndicate, did not once mention Hawaiians or locals but addressed the problem of blaming all whites for all the racial problems of society. Carter's article too k this a step further and urged people to deal with each other not according to race classifications but as com-
plex individuals. Sucjl a position would weaken Trask's carefully prepared agerxla, so as a result she panicked. Where is it written that individuals cannot express their observations, their feelings, their very experiences of racism if they happen to be white and male? It's foolish enough for Trask to condemn such writers for merely expressing their opinions, but to condemn Ka Leo for allowing them the freedom toexpresssuch
Trask would come across as a lot more believable if she would spend her time actually fightina the system rather than pimping the system. What do I mean by this? How about Trask receivinr her education on the Mainlan6 a nd then vehemently disparaging the same country that supported and funded her research? Ho-w about routinely criticizing both Ka Leo and the Star-Bulletin as "bad newspapers" while eager 1 for interviews by both publica· tions and frequently submitting articles? Now more than ever it's imper· ative for Trask to understand that white people are not her nemesis, but rather those who refuse to accept and treat other people as individuals. The Civil Rights activists of25 years ago realized this and thus their motto was: "Judge me not for my color, but for what I can do." Ironically, the civil agitators of today turn full circle and say, "Judge me for my color." Trask has already proven her· opinions is downright ludicrous. self to be a role model and spokes· Does Trask seek to infer that person for Native Hawaiians and racial prejudice toward whites, minorities everywhere - which especially white males, is justi- makes her all the more dangerous fied? J ust what are Trask's if her ignorance and hypocrisy motives-equality or reve nge? imminently transforms her speech· Does she intend to bring the races es into the inarticulate frustra· together, or instead divide the tions of just another attentionraces so she can satisfy her own seeking, lippy-extremist who at the very least feels disenfranchised. private agerxla? Speaking as an individual who By far the most laughable and erroneous of her statements was was predestined to be a white when she dema rxled that "the male, I have great admiration for students should take over the all who are proud .of their ethnic newspaper." Anyone with the background and fight for their strength and the brain power to rights. I also know the difference flip through a Ka Leo copy can between respecting one's race and easily attest that the staff is com- exploiting it to deny the liberty of posed entirely of undergraduate others. and grad uate students, and the If Trask truly wishes to address newspaper gladly accepts contri- the grim social reaper known as butions f rom any and all faculty racism in a fair and just manner, then she should Jearn to take criti· members, including Trask. An overwhelming number of cism and be critical of herself. No the students who work for Ka O?e.is exempt from being either a Leo are minorities arxl nearly half VJcttm or oppressor. are women. Only one of the ten senior ed itors is haole, and hapa Grant Crowell, a sophomore in at that. So as hard as Trask may art, is a contributing cartoonist try to create the illusion of a and writer for Ka Leo. The views "white-male hierarchy" dominat- exp·ressed in "As I See It" do ing the paper, nothing could be not necessarily reflect those of further from the truth . Ka Leo.
As I See It ... Ka Leo Open Forum
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....................................... Editorials and Opinions
Ka Leo criticism by Trask is unjustified Two weeks ago, the New Affirmative Action Coalition sponsored a forum on-racial and sexual discrimination in the University of Hawaii system. Haunani-Kay Trask, director of the Center for Hawaiian Studies and a panel member, exp ressed several valid points when addressing the university's hiring practices. Unfortunately, Trask was not as consistent in her comments that pertained to Ka Leo 0 Hawaii, the campus newspaper. Trask criticized Ka Leo's coverage, citing Ka Leo's failure to cover student-related issues. Ka Leo is the first to admit that there is always room fo r improvement. A primary goal at Ka Leo is complete coverage of all student-related issues. Unfortunately, this is not always possible. The newspa per operates in the same manner as a ny business. It is limited by the same, if not mo re, types of restrictio ns, such as manpower, funding and resources. Ka Leo tries to consistently cover the meetings of all UH policy making bod ies-meetings that de termine a ll aspects of student life on campus. Ka Leo has a nd still is followi ng the issue of sexual harassment. Ka Leo's editorials recognize student issues and fervently seek solutions. Ka Leo's pages have served and always will serve the university community. Trask's other comments urging students to ta keover the paper fail to recognize that Ka Leo is ma naged completeJy by students. This is a policy that Ka Leo a bides by religiously. Ka Leo'sstudent staff takes full respo nsibility forthe pa per's ed itorial decisions. No UH administrator(male, Caucasia n o r otherwise) may te ll Ka Leo what to pri nt or not to print. Trask referred to Ka Leo as being managed by a "white-male hierarchy." Currently, there are ten senior editors atKa Leo, half of whom are women. We d o have a Caucasia n ed itor, but he is half-Sri La nka n. Supposedly, he is our token "white-male" member. Dis! Trask would like to set he r own age nda for Ka Leo. So would USA ~ just about everybody else. onlya1 Fortunately, Ka Leo chooses to serve the student populace and WASJ not legislators, admi nistrators or faculty members who always nonvic Wh1 seem to know better. Ka Leo takes its responsibilities seriously. Our writers a nd editors abide by a strict cod e of ethics, adopted by math the P( the America n Society of Newspaper Editors, to insure that inforshe or ma tion is correctly dessiminated a nd accurately comm unicated. sta nd Ka Leo would like to tha nk Trask for her insights. H owever, at throw this time, Ka Leo is neither a house orga n for the administration, a a path laboratory for the journalism department or free publicity for the Am faculty. Nor, in all respect, will it ever be Ka Leo 0 Trask. But Ka ti n ue Pinoc Leo will continue to inform those for whom Ka Leo truly servesKhon the students of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. (Braz ships:
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Letters to the Editor
As They See It
Is Ka Leo the voice of racism? gcnocio.k m La,t ltmor ,,rk! else· Editor: Thr h}~teric.~l rcac:taon to m) -.here , und a •elf·1denlifiod rr•"''!Cd pOSIIIOD about - liberal" Cohen "ho .:or \mcnwn rucism hnd pcorle nf plam> ~bout bem_g u v.buc rna color, tn~lu.Jing llol\\ollian,, I~ In a cnunlr) thr•\lng on "'htt• •uprcmuq . Thi< i•n't "whtt tb~ bc't proof ~f m) .trgucmcnt that m1.Ht l'hlte people tan.J mate·:" Sthl Chung "ho ts, thank· the It r... <-ollaborataomst rnend> of .:olort rdus.: to •d. nO\\ kdge full\, 11 \\Om~ <>f c<>lor ~- · curiitd\' rerorted nl\ stuti•U• the ugl) truth of "hitc from the 1\ffirmJtl\c Action and rnvtlecte m Huwm'i Yuppie br.tb like Chad 8L111 forum that "nty <me I lotwauan bche•e ll~waiian• 'houhl i"rJ:et ""' bir<-d of o>er I !0 IIC" fou:uJ. thetr ''trA~ic'' genoxid.tl lRat· ., this r~u • \\'h\ ha>n ., K.t !.co ldkcn J mcnt at the hand• of the Wc~t Mr. Bhur would 5ing 11 different tunc if hi> own pc.,rtc \\ere killed otT. but then , "hlle ) up~ d•>n't belon~ to u "peortc.thC) arc "tndl\·tduah Gary I ·uner "-"C"'' una.blc t<• dtsllngul\h bct\\t:cn my:oetf. lftt· l<r and S,•ddam llu•>etn lntel· ligencc nc,cr "a' fuller\ stron~ point He can't tell the dtt • terence between ktlltng people o1nd trying to -ave •I people. Crn"elhnci\ter, meanwhtlc. " cralil> dcfcndin~ h" "h1tc pri,tlcge as the Ka Leo car toonu.t, drawing r;tclst cartca turc' replete \\>ith btg hp> and bulgins musck• lm.tgine .1 uru:ature of Ka Len edit"r "-1.trk raul With llltts for C)ts, and bu•k teeth for a mouth Would Ka Leo put that on 1h cditort~l pages·~ I doubt it What ull m\ ~rtll<> ha•e m common. includms Ka Leo'• cditonaf >tiff, IS srotesque ig• edltonal position asatnSt th" >ituauon' Why htt~n 't Kn Leo nor~n~e ol Ha" auan htstory, especially the rotc or \>hit< done ,, follow-up 'lOt) on the Amcri~an culture e.g. private ptttfully r.,. Ha,.·aun" &tudent5 properly, Cbri>llanit). the and facult~ on the ~ampus;br Engli>h language - m the exttn· on Ha,.oallan is;ue' '" general. gubhmcnt of our U.1waiian na· like our nght to be u Natl\'e ~ ttorr along wuh the 500 othct tion. This ianorance of our collec· Nati\'C nations in America ll\e "ilony 11> » people was ob· (Cro"ellme!'ter could use some eduaung on ibis score) •iou. m ~ Lc:o ·, tndtviduah/ Ans\\er" Ka Leo i!. too bU~) tng and personal111ns of rn} ar· gument, Ka Leo u>cd my name defendtng whue male politiCO> and my ptctun: to headlme a full and too ignoru.nt to kno" 11 page of attacks M) name ap· good stor) wben it 't;ue> )Our peared oaain in your editorial editors tn the face I •land b) rn} cnttet>m ol headhne and in your ruet>t car· toon None of the edttorialwng )Our paper You don't have to showed the slightest respect for be a white male to embrace our suffenng as a people. h wa' white male poliucs When Ka .oil kTra\1." vs. ihe re.t. an ea>) Leo dump> its wh•te male out when trying to keep a lid on columnt'h land r•ct>t car· the truth about Native condt· tooni51). >tans speaking out on tions in Hawai'i, und about the behHif of colonized people. esperole or non-Nauvcs m Of.lt con- ciall~ Ha.,.,aiians. ~tnd pnnh \tori•• th.~ tnve,llgatc rather tinumg uploitation than celebrate ract>m. it "ill A~ for m~ .. .,. hue male critiCI\m. your coverage dunng cease betng a ""hue male this controvers~ and your da1ly paper Until then Kn Leo. you·re too"ing t.lo.e the ruling position~ prove my point. You carry two syndicated "'bite male class columni>t> a Rcagan..:ra fact>t lillllnani-Ka) Tra>k -Buchanan ·who support• c
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The Voiu of Hawaii Editorial
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econom1c and social •egregation The cartoon whtch suposedly attacks Dr rrask's al· eged Jl&l:l>l VJO:Ws. onl) upo~s Klt Leo"s own ~~ Wl!ln rr ~ Lc:o ts trul) unbias on tht> matter tben whr wasn't there a stereotypica cartoon of the average, •icumized. and in· nocent haolc tikc Joe) Carter claims to be. Ka Leo !like another whtte male) >cems to h11ve drawn its line in the sand and tLS not on the s1de of the Hawaiians. The acceptable haole doe> ha'e a role to fulfill and that is to realize that inJustices are still being perpetuated on llawaiians in our own homeland There ;oR man~ good haoles v.ho lo•e. help and support us m regatnms control of our own de~uny. But 1f you choose to mock. ignore. or tl) to control u,, don't be >Urpri>ed tf you are met with an •ngry, unrelenting Hawaiian Years of tn)tuttces g;ves us every nght to be angry at people who try to keep us downl If you do 'hoosc to ignore ihe anger of a ·typical emotional" Hawaiian, beware or the consequences . In the future we udvise that Mr. Crowell stick to drawing canoons that don't ••press btS ignoTant. >tereotypical and r.tcist view, The only llrnc that these Hnwaiinns will ever bow down to someone ianornnt like you is w that you cun kiss our -etemu • l(a•imi Stn.lor, Economics
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\et one murc example oi the on· dtputtes ta.-.:d by n.. tive people. On one level. tht> hideou• ~ar toon pl•ccd along\ ide ~a le<>• ednonal crnicism 51nttlc' out ;ond ,·ihftc> the candid l'<r· sonalit\ of Or Haunant-KI\ Trask "The eduor' make J t.". •olutel~ cert•m of th" fact b~ in<crlbtng her tdentuy on her urm in an effort to .!tift the fllCus from the "sue t>f ra<ism to.,.Md tbc per.;onaht~ of an ln· tllvtdual. On cto,er e~amtn.ttton.
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I thought 11 ""~ unattamable of. I actually looked for\\ard to r~dmg II e\cr\'dl) But Kll Leo needs to be condemned for "ttat I see ·" a r•ct&t pr.:,cntation of the is.ue by their cdttorial stall Y.'hat $tatted out u '" que>\IOn of r•c"m llrnongst h.tole and Ha\\auan, an iosuc that nccus I<' be utltJre,>cd on thts campus, wa> turned into penonal attack> on Dr Haunani-Ka) Tra>~. pcrsoruf)· tng her as crlUed. O\er-c:mo·u on"'· and extro:mist. Thts ,u.-cess·
Editor: \\'e are truh offended and d~>gusted at 'the Ka L~o ·s blatant atl3tl of Or I!Runam· Kay Tra•k 3nd the tndtgcnou\ people of llawai'i. The recent .noon that "~' printed on 9 27 911 '' an tdeal e•amplc of the Ka !.eo• ob' iou bias m the "hole m•Uter The >Uppossed humor.1u• ~artoon dcptcttng the :r.csresa· !tOn or H...aiiaru. "II• It u funn\ one t" us, bc:;;ause m rcaht) . .,.;, thc natl\es are forced into
Editor:
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The r.:cent controversy that has filled the editorial pages or Ka Leo regardmg some Haole who feel Hawajian• are betng racist. has been both refreshing ~nd enhahtening to many stu· dent> and facult) "n campus. Sot on!) has it opened up d1alogue. raising the issue of what rllCt>m is and who is af· fccted b) it, it hlb "'"' p•en Ka
full) rook the controversy out of It~ original c:ontut, and polarited all >Ub•equent eduonal as llllll·T r.osk Thf1 t~urposeful act of 1he editorial >taff not only vilified Dr. Trask. but also mdtvlduallted ihe controversy onto one person. •anorins the t>>Ue that Mr Carter or LOUISiana first raised ("Being Haole in Hawai'1," Ka Lc:o Open Forum 915190). The editorial staff effectively diverted auentJOn away from ibis tOpiC which was only beg~nning to be touched upon It is much easier to dtsguisc one's opinions and aliitudes by focusmg nnacks on individuals Mhtr than fa~ ihe !urger tssue that indtvtduals like Dr. Trask raise, that "· the conttnuat oppression of Ha wauan• tn their own homeland What Ka Leo and many of Ka Lc:o's m~ders really need" a cood Hawa1ian educauon 8} learning our true h1story from us. and not from the haole who have explotted us. will reveal why we are oppres~ed as a group and wh~ we mu>t fight this Instead of trying to pit stu· dents and faculty against each other. Ka Leo should be concerning usetf wtih the constructl\·e invesliption of 1'->Ues that affect Hawaiians. for they are numerous. Unlike Mr. Carte.r and Mr Crowell. both Klt Lc:o "'nter<. I do take re>pon.sibtlit) for the act tons of my Kupunil. the} ~hould learn to do the same. The parnful history that all Hawaiians share must be learned by those 111ho choosr to call Hawat'i their home In educaung others about my his· tory, I do 001 seck revenge ore· qu..Jit) but rather. understand· ing ihat Hawa1ian; _., the tn· dizenous people tbt5e !>lands arc not equal but have spec1al rights and privileges thnt other resident& do not have M1lllllwal Pct~ Crade~ate Studeat Pacir.e lslancb Studies Editor: Crowettmeister·s offenstve
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ho"ever. Ka Leos edttor. demonstrate not onl) an ID· securit} and deceptiVe tendency to blur the buund•ne• l>etween an Issue anl! " personah aho. in so do•n~~o reveal a more tn>tdious jounahstic appro.1ch to trivailize sensitive issue• This hcmous anack b) ihe editOr> on Or Tra>k eoe> beyond the in· divtdual and perpetuates a repugnant 1mage in the collective C(IUSCIOU\IIC'-> or Hawaiians. and females-of-<:olor tn particular Tht• bl•tant. atrocioll>. 'iolent pt~torial attack il· lu>tratcs, on a deeper and more eAtensive leocl. Ka Leo's rucist position on an issue "'hieh began with THElR chotec to run Joey Carter's article eJt· prcsstng hts resentment and con;..o fusion "n hc1n(l called rnnni:. Perhaps. mliercnt in that choice, v.a> the e•pectauon that ~n ~ lo\Ould bt minimal. tf not so ,.cx1ferous Crowellmetster·s demeaning canoon serves as ttn expre~ion. enhancement. and codifier of the '~I'Y kind of racist behcf Dr. Trask emphastled (9.'19 90i: those m power impose their will upon the powerleB . Crowetlmetuer's meantng is clear He wanLS to remfonee the ruiC$ of that behef Thu> ht> cartoon. in concert wuh the editorial denouncing Dr Trask. have accomplished two things Ftrst. they have >et astde theu JOUnahsttc re;pon•ib1hties to fatrncss Ami secondly, the) al· tempt to m~ure solidarity on the tssue of racism m Hawai'i by polari:uog. on tbe local le,el lla..,aiians and haoles. and on a broader ..:ate pc:ot>le·of-color und the haole mujonty. If Ka Leo editor$ want to trul) maintain journalistiC' rr•ponsiblhtte> b} servtng ihe student poJ\ulation at UH· Manoa, B$ the) boisterous!~ clntm, may I suggest thai the d1scussion on thts sensmve tssuc conunue. do not kill it where ,.,,., think 11 •hould end Momi Ka.mahele Graduate T .A., History
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