Ike's prescient warnings; impacts of military expansion

Glenn D. Paige, Professor emeritus of political science at UH-Manoa, has a great letter in the Advertiser today, finding a most appropriate quotation from Eisenhower.

Amidst continuing militarization of Hawai'i as a strategic base of the war-fighting United States, the sit-in protesters at Bachman Hall who seek UH independence from secret Navy research deserve recognition and support as freedom-fighting defenders of civilian autonomy.

In addition to their own consciences and beliefs, they can draw patriotic inspiration from General/President Eisenhower's 1961 farewell warning for Americans "to guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military/industrial complex."

Expressing respect for "the free university, historically the fountainhead of free ideas and scientific discovery," Eisenhower warned, "The prospect of domination of the nation's scholars by federal employment, project allocations and the power of money is ever present — and is gravely to be regarded."

The University of Hawai'i needs to clarify and implement in its own strategic plan the vision of becoming an independent servant of peace, not of war, for the people of Hawai'i, the United States, Asia-Pacific and the world.

Meanwhile, the Advertiser editorial says:

Increasingly, signs are pointing toward a beefed-up military presence in Hawai'i. Just how much of one should become clearer tomorrow when the Pentagon releases its base realignment and closure (BRAC) list. With the heightened emphasis on the Asia-Pacific region, analysts are predicting the military population here is likely to grow to meet those demands.

But the editorial also notes some of the impacts, including "thousands more students" with the state probably having not "enough time to fund and build classrooms," plus it means "an extra strain on roadways, water, energy and other resources."

Perhaps it seems like we're just shouting into the wind to try to resist the military's expansion in the islands, but resist we must still. And what we must repeat over and over and try to help an increasing number of people understand is the fact that from a legal perspective historically, their entire presence here is utterly unlawful, a violation of treaties and international law, a military occupation of a foreign country. That is the plain truth of the matter, as I see it. I know the powers that be don't care much about treaties and international law and other country's sovereignty in general these days, but I grew up believing in the Constitution, including Article VI, Section 2, which says treaties are the "supreme law of the land." I am a patriotic American, and because of that it is my duty to say that my country's presence in Hawaii is a crime. And I will keep on saying it, here and wherever I can.

Mahalo to all the others out there that are saying it and things like it, too, like Keanu Sai and the Acting Hawaiian Kingdom Government, Keala Kelly with her Noho Hewa film, Kyle Kajihiro and others a AFSC Hawaii's DMZ Hawaii project, Ikaika Hussey and everyone else at the Save UH/Stop UARC Coalition at UH, Bart Abbott who maintains the Stop UARC blog, and Kevin Hughes' blog covering military funding and high tech issues.

Posted: Thu - May 12, 2005 at 04:14 PM

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Ike's prescient warnings; impacts of military expansion

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