by Andrew Walden
Just in time for September 11th, the State of Hawaii, Department of Land and Natural Resources, has announced a six-figure grant to the 9-11 truthers of the Malu Aina Peace Center.
Jim Albertini is a convicted felon and federal ex-convict* once tagged as a "psychopath" by Hawaii Federal Judge Samuel Wilder King. Along with his comrades from Malu-Aina, Albertini can be seen every Friday afternoon in front of Hilo’s Federal Building with an “Impeach Obama” sign.
When four American contractors--including Paauilo, Hawaii army veteran Wesley Batalona--were murdered by an al-Qaeda led mob at Fallujah, Iraq in March, 2004, Albertini issued a leaflet condemning the four and accusing them of "war crimes."
On November 5, 2007 Albertini joined self-described "attorney" Lanny Sinkin to write a column in "Surfer's Path" magazine urging Kauai anti-Superferry protesters to make "proper arrangements" and "be prepared for ... possible physical injury or death."
On September 11, 2008 Malu Aina staged a 9-11 truth sign-wave in Hilo to promote the lie that alQaeda is not responsible for the attacks.
More recently, Albertini has been the point man in anti-military activists’ campaign to convince Hawaii residents that a radiation shielding material known as depleted uranium is actually a radiation threat. His protesters describe US Marines training at Pohakuloa for combat in Afghanistan or Iraq as “dirty bumbs.”
The Star-Advertiser August 24 reports Malu-Aina is receiving $231,788 from the “Legacy Land Conservation Program.” The Legacy Land program, now entering its fifth year, is funded from a 10% cut of the conveyance tax which the Legislature imposed on Hawaii real estate transactions. A total of $12.8 million of grants were announced, mostly to bona fide conservation groups such as the Trust for Public Land and other groups preserving shoreline parcels or historical sites.
According to the DLNR’s announcement of the grant, Malu-Aina is teaming up with the Hawaii Island Land Trust to complete the purchase. According to its website, “Hawai’i Island Land Trust (HILT) was organized in 2001 as a community-based, non-political, tax-exempt organization. HILT’s purpose is to facilitate the protection of environmentally-sensitive lands, open space, agricultural and ranching lands, cultural sites, and historically significant areas….”
The new acreage, adjoining Malu-Aina’s decrepit 20 acre Kurtistown commune site will allegedly be used, “to maintain agricultural production.” Malu Aina funds its work in part by selling produce. A steady trickle of mainland activists come to the commune and work in the field under questionable labor conditions that some believe should be investigated by the State Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.
Thousands of Hawaii families struggle as parents are forced to work two or three jobs to pay the rent or the mortgage. Other families have lost that battle and joined the hundreds of homeless camped on Hawaii beaches. Working farmers are required to pay lease rent to use State or private land. Hundreds of Hawaii soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines have served in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. The DLNR has not given any of them free “Legacy” land.
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(*Correction: Albertini complains we "gave him too much credit" by describing him as a two-time convicted felon. In reality Albertini's 1972 conviction for pouring blood on military records was a misdemeanor. His 1984 conviction for trying to block a Navy ship from Hilo Bay was a felony. Albertini's 1972 record and another rap he beat in the 1980s are detailed HERE. Albertini responds HERE and reiterates his trooothiness HERE. After scoring a cool $231K, Albertini says the country is nearing fascism. He also compares himself to Gandhi which represents a shift in narcissism because he normally compares himself to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.)