I wonder sometime what protesters hope to accomplish. They certainly aren’t trying to engage in debate. Walking around carrying signs and making speeches is not a very effective form of discourse. Do they actually suppose they are going to change people’s minds about issues? If so, the protesters are divorced from reality. Can you imagine a stalwart Republican driving past a ‘Not in Our Name’ rally and thinking, “Gee, that person with all the piercings is holding a sign saying Bush=Hitler. Maybe I should reconsider my politics.” Or a businessman strolling past an anti-globalization mob and saying, “Wow, look at all those hammer-and-sickle banners. Maybe I should forget the whole capitalism thing.”

These thoughts were on my mind when I learned a small mob of Native Hawaiian racialist decided to picket the building hosting the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii offices. They chose to target us because they don’t like some of the things we believe in, such as racial equality. How dare we question Kamehameha Schools discriminatory entrance policies! Makes me wonder where free-speech and civil rights would fit in to a “Reestablished Hawaiian Kingdom.”

Ikaika Hussey helped organize the little brouhaha. His report on the “anti-Grassroot direct action”--posted at the Hawaiian nationalist site www.hawaiiankingdom.info--was pretty self-congratulatory, thanking all the “taroroots activists” (haha... who said lefties don’t have a sense of humor?), and, interestingly, “the Democratic Party for allowing us to use their photocopy machine.”

According to Hussey, “a delegation of about 12 students and teachers went upstairs to speak with the Grassroot staff, and ask them to explain why they are attacking our rights.” Sending a mob to an organization’s office, uninvited and without permission, seems the height of rudeness and inconsideration. Of course, milling about in front of a place of business on a public sidewalk for a few hours seems pretty damn rude as well, but since when have leftists been known for their manners or consideration of others?

The “delegation” was apparently offended that those at the GRIH didn’t drop everything to accommodate them. Hussey wrote, “Jon Osorio made the excellent point that we (the lahui Hawaii) move in the open, in the light of the day, without fear or shame, while the Grassroot types move in the shadows, as if they are ashamed and afraid of confrontation. We should be proud of our wiwo'ole -- our fearlessness -- in our willingness to take action publicly.”

I am unsure how an organization like GRIH that has a website, offices, engages with the public, has a weekly newsletter, etc., “moves in the shadows.” Nor are we “afraid of confrontation.” We welcome true debate, and you can’t have a true debate with a mob.

Hussey’s line about his ilk's “willingness to take action publicly” is very telling. Many radical groups realize deep-down that they can’t win the public debate through facts, argument, debate, and other forms of rational, civilized discourse. Since they can win through reason, they hope to win by emotion. By ‘takin’ it to the streets’ they are basically saying, “Look how much we care about this... how strong our feelings are!” Passion, they hope will trump everything.

Maybe. But maybe not. Historians are coming to question the commonly held notion that the protests against the Vietnam War helped end the conflict. More likely, public disgust at the protester’s antics probably prolonged America’s involvement in Vietnam. Sixties radicals may have very well aided in advancing the cause they so opposed.

In light of this, let’s hope Ikaika Hussey, Jon Osorio, and others hold regular demonstrations and protests in favor of the racialist policies they hold dear.

Brandon Bosworth is Director of Publications at GRIH.