for those of you interested in following kahumoku flores' case re the infamous canopy, now referred to as the 'confiscated tent', here are photos of our protest today against DLNR for being the long arm of enforcement of the U.S. occupation of Hawaii through it's local (short) arm, so-called state of hawaii, via dept. of land and natural resources' docare. it's early in the year, but definitey no dull moments. DLNR removed the tent, same one we always put up to cover the food or the queen's display whenever there's a significant occasion, like her birthday or her death day, or on sovereign sunday. we don't aim for 365 days a year, perhaps 5 days at most. we always have food. we try to cover the food with a canopy (seems like a reasonable precaution). when the queen's display is there, we try to make sure it's covered--it's a respect thing, nothing more nor less. since hawaiians are the only ones doing this, and the only ones being cited, it sure as hell looks like it's hawaiians who are being targeted. but hey, if not at the palace, where else should we be? and if every person in town, including school groups and wedding parties, and tourists from every place in the world, are welcome on the palace grounds, how the heck did we become the target? so Kahumoku's canopy was confiscated once, early in 2009, and then returned. then it was confiscated again, on the queen's birthday commemoration, also at the ahu on the palace grounds, and he was ticketed. he was charged with something called "to be determined". he went to court two weeks ago and the charge was changed to "camping without a permit". here's a report from someone 'on the scene' in the courthouse, where kahumoku was ordered to be at 8:30 this morning. Uncle George's case was dismissed in court, though without prejudice -- meaning that DLNR can charge him with the same thing again. It's kind of outrageous; this should have been the last continuance for the State, but the prosecutor pushed it. The judge also allowed the State to amend the "violation" yet again. So he has been charged with THREE different things at this point (the first having been "to be determined" - remember?). The judge did order that the tent be returned (though it took kind of a lot of reminding), but the prosecutor fought this one, too. The end result was that they gave DLNR 45 day window -- to take a picture of the tent! So I am recommending that Uncle George write them a letter stating that he wants it back this week, and then we go get it. Hopefully, this gives them a chance to be reasonable.
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