"He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.


Freedom of speech and the right to peaceful assembly is not only at the core of the United States Constitution, but it remains central to the ideals of what it means to be an American.

For four centuries people from around the world have flocked to America - many in search of land and a place to call their own, as well as economic and educational opportunities; all of them desiring freedom from oppression in religious, political and social expression, action and speech.

Americans have been raised on the notion that they are not only free to express discontent with the prevailing authorities, but that citizens are obligated to petition their government when public policy (or persons) require correction.  With 212 days under their belt and 23 raids without disbanding, Occupy Honolulu is the longest running Occupy encampment worldwide and has established itself as a hybrid protester - a forerunner in advocating for the people from the very bottom up.

Recently I have heard negative talk about Occupy Honolulu from various persons, average citizens, as well as elected and appointed officials in the state of Hawai’i. Many complain that Occupy Honolulu’s presence, just inches from the busy urban stretch and a few blocks from the Capitol and City Hall, is an “eyesore”. Some have urged Mayor Carlisle to remove the protesters, citing a “potential liability” that Occupy Honolulu poses to the City & County of Honolulu. 

Unfortunately, not only do many of these detractors lack insight as to the law (which means, if the cops could legally get Occupy Honolulu off the sidewalk, they could, but, legally they can’t),  it appears that most of the biggest critics are people who have never stepped foot in Thomas Square over the past seven months or have stopped to talk directly with Occupy protesters.

If they did, they would hear and see that members of Occupy Honolulu are smart, articulate, accomplished and striving individuals who could be doing a myriad other things with their time, and for a lot more money. Many of Occupy Honolulu have given up the comforts of home and better personal opportunities in order to make the cause of the people their cause.

And, while many outside the encampment might not realize it, the majority of those sleeping in the tents along Beretania Street are employed, some work and go to college, and most (excluding a houseless Vietnam veteran) have homes away from Thomas Square. 

Which means that…

Occupy Honolulu protesters sleep on that hard, cold, frequently wet (as it rains many evening and most mornings), and unforgiving sidewalk night after night NOT because they have nowhere else to go and no one at home who loves them, but because they believe that being poor and houseless is not a crime. 

They sleep on the sidewalk because they believe that the government and capitalism have forsaken the very people that toiled to create these powerful and monied systems. 

They sleep on the sidewalk because they can no longer stand by and watch many good people be driven into the ground for less than a living wage while others enjoy fabulous wealth that no one person can possibly need in one lifetime. 

They sleep on the sidewalk because they believe that people have a right to good quality healthcare without having to fork over all their hard earned (often measly) wages each month.

They sleep on the sidewalk because mortgage companies, stock speculators and government officials have led good, hard working Americans astray with over-valued homes and exorbitant predatory lending practices. 

They sleep on the sidewalk because they believe in marriage equality and support everyone’s right to love AND marry whomever they chose.

They sleep on the sidewalk because government officials are making side deals and back deals with banks and developers to deprive the people of their culturally significant artifacts and spaces.

They sleep on the sidewalk because still other government officials are beholden to special interests and would prefer to concrete over highly productive agricultural lands and thus undermine the sustainability of the islands for future generations.