Offensive name?
Prior to 1901, The White House was formerly called The President’s House, The President’s Mansion and Executive Mansion.
Then, in 1901, President Theodore Roosevelt officially gave the White House its current name, which has stood for 119 years.
With all the national outcry of racist names attached to professional sports teams, military bases, cereal boxes (Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben’s Rice, Cream of Wheat, etc.), I am bewildered as to why there has been no nationwide protest to change the name of the White House.
Prentiss Moreno
Hilo
Internet for all
As we contemplate the new school year and paradigms for reopening our schools, we have to think carefully about all our keiki.
The coronavirus has revealed more clearly than ever before the stark divide between the haves and the have-nots in our society, and one of the ways that is expressed is internet access.
We must make sure all children in our islands have equal access to our educational resources and also to safety. Whether the return to school is online, in person or some combination of the two, the wealthy and the poor should have equal access. Our democracy and our future depend on it.
Please support providing internet access to all our keiki.
Karen Turner
Keaau
Where is the outrage
The issue of missing children and human trafficking has recently become the forefront of many conversations. It goes without saying that the welfare of our children is of the utmost concern to our community. But it is important to be honest and informed about what is truly happening on our island.
Do we have human trafficking occurring? Yes. Are children being snatched off the street using various “covert techniques”? No.
Studies have shown that most children who are trafficked come from homes where violence is occurring: 57% of children who were trafficked were sexually abused, and almost 50% were physically abused. Eighty-five percent of girls trafficked were victims of incest.
Homelessness greatly increases the chance a child is going to be trafficked; 40% of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ, many of whom were thrown out of their homes simply because of who they are.
Traffickers exploit the vulnerable. They exploit children who are running from abusive homes. Should you be outraged by human trafficking of children? Yes, absolutely.
Should you be outraged by children who are getting abused in their home? Yes, absolutely.
Then where is that outrage?
I see many jumping on the bandwagon of trafficking and creating hysteria about children being snatched or people being targeted, and that simply isn’t happening here.
I ask again, where is the outrage for the children who are being abused in our community?
This abuse isn’t happening from some ominous stranger hiding in a dark alley, it’s happening in our homes. Why is it OK to jump on a politicized bandwagon when we think abuse is happening from a stranger, yet when we know abuse is occurring in the home, we are silent?
Let’s be clear: When we remain silent, when we aren’t outraged about child abuse, we become complicit in that abuse.
Deborah Chai
Honokaa
