Posted by Free Hawai`i on August 19, 2008 at 12:22pm
Native Hawaiians constitute roughly 22 per cent of the state population, but they represent 54 per cent of the prison population.Not coincidentally, they also have the lowest per capita income, the highest poverty rate and the shortest lifespan of any ethnic group in Hawai`i.Hawai`i public school students receive very poor education by any standard of measurement. They consistently rank among the lowest of any state in test scores.Education reform has been talked to death by every governor and legislature of the past 30 years, but nothing substantial has been done.This has led to a "brain drain" in the islands. Most of the bright students who manage to learn something in spite of the handicapped school system leave Hawai`i for foreign colleges and careers.In the 1980s, Hawai`i gained the enviable reputation of providing medical insurance to the highest percentage of residents of any state.A decade after the state ended dental cover, toothless smiles are commonplace among the poor.Tens of thousands of residents have no medical insurance at all.Despite higher profits for many businesses, jobs are scarce and most of the available work pays minimum wage or close to it.In some cases, the lives of the working poor are worse than the unemployed.Among other things, they don't qualify for state financial assistance or full food stamp benefits.It's Time To End The US Occupation and Free Hawai`i!
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