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GRASS IN REVIEW

GRASSROOT INSTITUTE OF HAWAII

Nurturing the rights and responsibilities of the individual in a civil society.

WEEKLY GRASS IN REVIEW - November 7 , 2006

A Message From Dick Rowland

If it is to Be, It is Up to Me

I have been elected to “public office” three times. All three have been to a “Neighborhood Board” which is an officially powerless position unique to Honolulu City/County.

The second time I was invited to a big ceremony at the Blaisdell Concert Hall to be sworn in to office. With great pomp and ceremony we were all told to raise our right hands and repeat after the program leader something like this: “I hereby pledge to abide by the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of Hawaii and the Charter of the City and County of Honolulu to the best of my ability.”

Like so many sheep, we did as instructed and were then called to the stage in groups to be warmly greeted by the Mayor (Jeremy Harris) and given a certificate.

I was increasing uncomfortable during the proceedings and left to walk to my car troubled and thoughtful as I struggled to figure out why I was agitated instead of honored. Reviewing the events and my reactions one by one revealed that reciting the oath had started my unease.

Then it struck me like a ton of bricks. I had recited a solemn oath to do I knew not what! Although I had read the Constitution of the US some years earlier, I had never read the Hawaii Constitution or the City Charter. Nor had I been warned that I had such an obligation when invited to the event. Further, I thought, if I am to honor such a solemn pledge, where are the documents? Am I not to be issued them if I am obligated to abide by them? So, that afternoon, I called the long time Chairman of the Board and asked him if I was to be issued the documents. He was quite surprised and said no, there never had been any for issue. Then I asked if the documents were to be hand during Board meetings so we could reference them as necessary and appropriate. He said no there was no provision for such. So, I wrote the mayor requesting the documents to be issued. In that letter, I pointed out that a business owner with say, 10 employees, could insist that each of them abide by the company rules but if she did, the thrust and content of those rules would have to be covered and a copy of relevant documents would be issued to each employee. As a matter of fact, an employer who insisted on employees abiding by rules without giving them a copy of such would be forced by the government to do so.

After a few months the Mayor responded. The documents would not be issued. It would be “too expensive” to do so.

The next Board meeting I proposed a resolution to the Mayor insisting that the documents be issued. It failed by one vote. Close but no cigar.

Why do a relate to this story?

It makes clear an extremely important point. Almost uniformly throughout government at all levels we habitually honor and respect form (oath of office) over substance(get results). Further, almost all of us follow the form unthinkingly as I did in raising my hand and reciting a useless pledge. There was or is no intention anywhere for Neighborhood Board members to abide by any of the documents cited. But it “feels” good. Officials get to preen; pledge takers get to feel important. The public observes something that looks impressive.

And it is all based on falsehood. That’s the problem. Ceremony for a valid purpose is ok, even valuable as a communication and unifying device. But to base it on a lie, is to demean all involved. And, the more we lie, the easier it gets. How many U.S. Congressmen have never, ever read the U.S. Constitution? Yet they take a solemn oath. They lie, then they go to do their duty. Having started with a lie each subsequent one gets easier. Those are our leaders?

What’s the solution? As usual, it is you and me. If we get intolerant of such behavior the people in government will change. It is our government. It was formed by our ancestors to serve us. The government did not create us. They are followers unless we let them be tyrants.

Recite after me:

“If it is to be, it is up to me.”

That is substance folks, and it is truthful to boot.

Dick Rowland, President
dick@grassrootinstitute.org

IN THE NEWS - HIGHLIGHTED COMMENTARIES

Grassroot Institute is regularly featured in news articles and broadcasts around the state. Here is a sample of some of our recent articles, research stories, and other articles of interest.

Brazilian Ethanol Fantasies

By Michael R. Fox Ph. D.

Grassroot Perspective-November 5, 2006

Many alternative energy sources are being misrepresented to the public. Often our elected officials are involved with the misrepresentations for the obvious political purposes. Too many Americans do not understand the engineering activities behind the light switches or behind the gas pumps. As an example, after a speech. I made on energy a woman from the audience commented, “Well, it is not much of a problem. If I ever run short of electricity, I’ll just install more outlets.”

Click here to see more.

Man-made Global Warming Continues to Unravel?

By Michael R. Fox Ph. D.

Grassroot Perspective-November 4, 2006

Another bad week for the global warmers went by.

The unseasonably heavy snowfall in the Northeast brought an abrupt end to the screamers. An early snowfall, remember, does not a trend make. However, it should give pause to those who have insisted that global warming was man-made, inevitable, and irreversible. We all should remember that the climate has always been changing for reasons we don’t fully understand. Those who were predicting a warmer Northeast simply got it wrong.