Friday, March 29, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Political libraries vs. living memorials
By Rachelle Chang @ 1:30 AM :: 4098 Views :: Higher Education

Political libraries vs. living memorials

by Rachelle Chang, Better Hawaii, August 27, 2013

History is important. It shows us the things we accomplished, the mistakes we made, and the people who influenced our lives. And it’s important to preserve our history and our connections to the past.

We want to be remembered. So it’s no surprise that we are trying to hold on to pieces of the past.

As early as 2010, Hawaii was vying to build President Barack Obama’s presidential library – even setting aside a $75 million plot of oceanfront property next to the University of Hawaii’s medical school.

Last month, the University of Hawaii revealed that it wants to spend $16-$20 million (plus $2 million for site planning) to build a library to house the congressional papers of Senator Daniel Inouye. As of August 25, the center is projected to cost $25 million. This is in addition a partnership between the University of Hawaii at Manoa and the Library of Congress to digitize all of Senator Inouye’s congressional papers and produce an oral history project.

Much as I love libraries and books, I would rather honor public service with living memorials. Think about the excitement of Duke’s OceanFest in Waikiki, honoring legendary waterman Duke Kahanamoku, with surfing contests, volleyball, soccer, paddleboard races, swimming races, and an expo.

Instead of a dedicated library, welcoming mainly graduate students and professors, here are some other ways to honor our public leaders in our communities:

* Fund scholarships and internships. Encourage students and recent graduates with scholarships, internship stipends, or bonuses for working in under-served communities. This would promote public service, politics, and foreign affairs.

* Create legal and accounting watchdog internships. Offer paid internship programs to identify duplicate, obsolete, and conflicting Hawaii laws and tax codes – and propose solutions. This would count as course credit for graduate students, promote government accountability, and help all constituents.

* Create or expand a jobs training program. Help students and employees upgrade their skills in leadership, management, and entrepreneurship. This would create a more skilled workforce and hopefully lead to more profitable businesses and more jobs.

* Build or repair a community recreation center. Design parks with the activities that our public leaders enjoy, such as bike parks, swimming pools, and hiking trails. This would help beautify Hawaii and build a stronger community, since so many of our parks and restrooms are in disrepair.

* Invest in economic revitalization. Build a community health clinic, partner with a credit union to offer business loans and lines of credit, or offer low-cost legal and financial advice for small businesses. This would encourage people to take care of themselves and promote entrepreneurship.

* Plant trees in the community. Dedicate trees along highways, in community parks, and on preservation and conservation lands. Neighborhood children could help plant the trees. This would beautify Hawaii, contribute to cleaner air, offer shade to pedestrians and park goers, and help with rainwater runoff.

Libraries are just one way to honor public officials. What do you think is the best way to honor and commemorate our public leaders? How would you like to be remembered?

---30---

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

808 Silent Majority

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federalist Society

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Homeschool Association

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Smokers Alliance

Hawaii State Data Lab

Hawaii Together

HIEC.Coop

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Moms for Liberty

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

Investigative Project on Terrorism

July 4 in Hawaii

Kakaako Cares

Keep Hawaii's Heroes

Land and Power in Hawaii

Legislative Committee Analysis Tool

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

Malama Pregnancy Center of Maui

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Military Home Educators' Network Oahu

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Christian Foundation Hawaii

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

No GMO Means No Aloha

Not Dead Yet, Hawaii

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Oahu Alternative Transport

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

OurFutureHawaii.com

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

PEACE Hawaii

People vs Machine

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

P.U.E.O.

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

ReRoute the Rail

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

Robotics Organizing Committee

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Sink the Jones Act

Statehood for Guam

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

UCC Truths

US Tax Foundation Hawaii Info

VAREP Honolulu

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii

Yes2TMT