2 Hawaiian men guilty of hate crime in white man’s beating

[Lemons]

The victim's claim was never in question.

Yes, it was in question or else it wouldn’t have been mentioned in court or this article. It wasn’t caught on tape and they denied using it as a racial slur.

So the point about context still stands and applied on this case.

Let me rephrase. you were the only one questioning it.
The article was pretty straightforward and given that the attackers were found guilty of a hate crime the doubt should have been removed. Trying to justify the attackers using the term Haole is like trying to justify use of the term n*gg*, or gringo, or wet back, or chink". It's just not acceptable no matter how you dress it up to try to make it "wholesome". They're all ethnic slurs. Just because it's "accepted" in a certain culture does not make it any less of a slur.

There was definitely a hint of excuse making there. The whole world is full of people with histories of being victims to bullies like England or the US or the bigger tribes in their countries or their neighboring country. No excuse to take it out on someone who wasn’t involved in anything.

[SouthernIslander]

The victim's claim was never in question.

Yes, it was in question or else it wouldn’t have been mentioned in court or this article. It wasn’t caught on tape and they denied using it as a racial slur.

So the point about context still stands and applied on this case.

Let me rephrase. you were the only one questioning it.
The article was pretty straightforward and given that the attackers were found guilty of a hate crime the doubt should have been removed. Trying to justify the attackers using the term Haole is like trying to justify use of the term n*gg*, or gringo, or wet back, or chink". It's just not acceptable no matter how you dress it up to try to make it "wholesome". They're all ethnic slurs. Just because it's "accepted" in a certain culture does not make it any less of a slur.

Lawyers for Alo-Kaonohi an Aki told jurors the video shows that they didn’t use any racial slurs.

“Haole,” a Hawaiian word with meanings that include foreign and white person, was central to the case, highlighting multicultural Hawaii’s nuanced and complicated relationship with race.

At one point Aki is heard saying, “You’s a haole, eh,” using a Hawaiian word that can mean white person. Defense attorneys said he didn’t use the word in a derogatory way.

Doesn’t matter how you phrase or spin it. This is from the article and it wasn’t just me questioning it.

I’ll elaborate using your ni**ger example to help you understand. Popolo is the Hawaiian term for Black person. It’s not a slur unless it’s used in a racist context nor was it the same thing as being called a n**gger or a Black bitch.

That is just not how their language works and you can’t change that or make it what you want because you feel entitled too.

[SouthernIslander]

Yes, it was in question or else it wouldn’t have been mentioned in court or this article. It wasn’t caught on tape and they denied using it as a racial slur.

So the point about context still stands and applied on this case.

Let me rephrase. you were the only one questioning it.
The article was pretty straightforward and given that the attackers were found guilty of a hate crime the doubt should have been removed. Trying to justify the attackers using the term Haole is like trying to justify use of the term n*gg*, or gringo, or wet back, or chink". It's just not acceptable no matter how you dress it up to try to make it "wholesome". They're all ethnic slurs. Just because it's "accepted" in a certain culture does not make it any less of a slur.

There was definitely a hint of excuse making there. The whole world is full of people with histories of being victims to bullies like England or the US or the bigger tribes in their countries or their neighboring country. No excuse to take it out on someone who wasn’t involved in anything.

I CLEARLY said that my argument helped the victims’s case and I did not condone the violence. You can disagree with me but do not lie on me and that is the second time you have done that.

I don’t do “hints” nor am I passive aggressive, so if I didn’t think they were wrong or I felt it excused their behavior I would have said it.

[Baconqueen13]

Yes, it was in question or else it wouldn’t have been mentioned in court or this article. It wasn’t caught on tape and they denied using it as a racial slur.

So the point about context still stands and applied on this case.

Let me rephrase. you were the only one questioning it.
The article was pretty straightforward and given that the attackers were found guilty of a hate crime the doubt should have been removed. Trying to justify the attackers using the term Haole is like trying to justify use of the term n*gg*, or gringo, or wet back, or chink". It's just not acceptable no matter how you dress it up to try to make it "wholesome". They're all ethnic slurs. Just because it's "accepted" in a certain culture does not make it any less of a slur.

Lawyers for Alo-Kaonohi an Aki told jurors the video shows that they didn’t use any racial slurs.

“Haole,” a Hawaiian word with meanings that include foreign and white person, was central to the case, highlighting multicultural Hawaii’s nuanced and complicated relationship with race.

At one point Aki is heard saying, “You’s a haole, eh,” using a Hawaiian word that can mean white person. Defense attorneys said he didn’t use the word in a derogatory way.

Doesn’t matter how you phrase or spin it. This is from the article and it wasn’t just me questioning it.

I’ll elaborate using your ni**ger example to help you understand. Popolo is the Hawaiian term for Black person. It’s not a slur unless it’s used in a racist context nor was it the same thing as being called a n**gger or a Black bitch.

That is just not how their language works and you can’t change that or make it what you want because you feel entitled too.

Just because it is a slur in another language, doesn't make it any less of a slur and clearly it WAS being used in a racial context, even the article stated that.

N*gg*r originally derived from the Spanish word Negro which meant "black person" as negro is their word for the color black. Does that make it any less of a slur? No. A slur is a slur regardless of intent.

[SouthernIslander]

Let me rephrase. you were the only one questioning it.
The article was pretty straightforward and given that the attackers were found guilty of a hate crime the doubt should have been removed. Trying to justify the attackers using the term Haole is like trying to justify use of the term n*gg*, or gringo, or wet back, or chink". It's just not acceptable no matter how you dress it up to try to make it "wholesome". They're all ethnic slurs. Just because it's "accepted" in a certain culture does not make it any less of a slur.

Lawyers for Alo-Kaonohi an Aki told jurors the video shows that they didn’t use any racial slurs.

“Haole,” a Hawaiian word with meanings that include foreign and white person, was central to the case, highlighting multicultural Hawaii’s nuanced and complicated relationship with race.

At one point Aki is heard saying, “You’s a haole, eh,” using a Hawaiian word that can mean white person. Defense attorneys said he didn’t use the word in a derogatory way.

Doesn’t matter how you phrase or spin it. This is from the article and it wasn’t just me questioning it.

I’ll elaborate using your ni**ger example to help you understand. Popolo is the Hawaiian term for Black person. It’s not a slur unless it’s used in a racist context nor was it the same thing as being called a n**gger or a Black bitch.

That is just not how their language works and you can’t change that or make it what you want because you feel entitled too.

Just because it is a slur in another language, doesn't make it any less of a slur and clearly it WAS being used in a racial context, even the article stated that.

N*gg*r originally derived from the Spanish word Negro which meant "black person" as negro is their word for the color black. Does that make it any less of a slur? No. A slur is a slur regardless of intent.

I CLEARLY posted a link confirming that the comment was said in a racist context. My point is that the term alone is not a racial slur and it’s used in casual conversation all the time without offending anybody.

I have been called several n*ggers in my lifetime, so I definitely don’t need you to school me in that area.

If I visited a Spanish speaking area, I understand the language enough to know that negro in the correct context isn’t calling me a n*gger, so it still goes back to how the term is used and understanding that different languages vary.

[Traci_Momof2]

Gosh, they could have killed that man. How scary.

I can believe that the Hawaiians were not using the term in a racial sense. Possibly. But I do not believe that they didn't mean anything by it. They were clearly using it in a derogatory and pejorative sense and they clearly did not want a foreigner living there in their village. So, I still think this qualifies as a hate crime.

Hawaii has a lot going on with native islanders and foreigners. They're basically begging people to stop moving and vacationing there. After reading the article, it sounds like the white guy moved there with no other intention than to start a new life. But, he wasn't wanted there. I think his mistake was cutting those locks. His statement about being able to provide better locks and keys for everyone just sounds very much like white man's burden to me, and probably came off that way to the islanders. It's not an excuse to beat someone half to death. But I think it was a good idea for him to move to Puerto Rico instead.

That would be my guess as well and I agree that it doesn’t justify violence. Hawaii has a very low crime rate so so don’t want to give the impression that behavior is socially acceptable or they want all white people banned from the island.

But they do have a lot going on and all the political drama over here hasn’t made the mistrust any better unfortunately.

I hope one day that changes for the better because it is a beautiful place that everyone should experience.

A little off topic, but I was reading some of this thread yesterday. Then this morning I was at the vet and overheard another guy talking about how he is moving to Hawaii soon. He mentioned he lived on Oahu back in the 80's but now he's moving to Hilo. Let's hope he gets a much better reception than what's being depicted in this thread.

[SouthernIslander]

Gosh, they could have killed that man. How scary.

I can believe that the Hawaiians were not using the term in a racial sense. Possibly. But I do not believe that they didn't mean anything by it. They were clearly using it in a derogatory and pejorative sense and they clearly did not want a foreigner living there in their village. So, I still think this qualifies as a hate crime.

Hawaii has a lot going on with native islanders and foreigners. They're basically begging people to stop moving and vacationing there. After reading the article, it sounds like the white guy moved there with no other intention than to start a new life. But, he wasn't wanted there. I think his mistake was cutting those locks. His statement about being able to provide better locks and keys for everyone just sounds very much like white man's burden to me, and probably came off that way to the islanders. It's not an excuse to beat someone half to death. But I think it was a good idea for him to move to Puerto Rico instead.

That would be my guess as well and I agree that it doesn’t justify violence. Hawaii has a very low crime rate so so don’t want to give the impression that behavior is socially acceptable or they want all white people banned from the island.

But they do have a lot going on and all the political drama over here hasn’t made the mistrust any better unfortunately.

I hope one day that changes for the better because it is a beautiful place that everyone should experience.

A little off topic, but I was reading some of this thread yesterday. Then this morning I was at the vet and overheard another guy talking about how he is moving to Hawaii soon. He mentioned he lived on Oahu back in the 80's but now he's moving to Hilo. Let's hope he gets a much better reception than what's being depicted in this thread.

It’s not as bad as it reads. He should be fine, especially if he has already lived there before.