Page 2 - Hawaii Island MidWeek - Feb 2, 2022

2 HAWAI‘I ISLAND MIDWEEK FEBRUARY 2, 2022
When The Gates Are Closed
“If you meet ... a hostile partisan, never recognize the dividing lines; but meet on what common ground remains.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
of him as your friend, not your enemy.”
When the day came to leave, Walter filled a bottle with money, dropped it in a can of oil to conceal it, hid the can in his car and headed to the border. As he approached, the guard pointed a gun and yelled, “Halt! Don’t move!” Walter was terrified but, re- membering his professor’s words, remained calm and focused on what they had in common. He and the guard were facing a new day, ex- periencing the same weath- er, carrying out individual missions. He looked in the guard’s eyes and warmly said, “Good day, sir. How are you today?”
TIt’s Time To Act
People were disappear- ing. Many were arrest- ed and killed. Walter, a young German Jew in 1940, saw what was happening and could not stop dreaming of going to America. As things grew worse, he knew he had to escape. But how would he get past the border gate?
Seconds felt like hours as the guard searched the car. He found the can. He shook it. There was a rattling sound. Then ... he put the can back and smiled at Walter. “Move on!” he commanded. The gates opened, and Walter drove to freedom.
he time has come. This must be the year for imme- diate action. The state Legislature is in high gear for the next 90 days, so we all need to see real action on
someone will smile, the gates will open, and we, too, will achieve our dreams.
Annabel Chotzen is a mo- tivational speaker, corporate trainer and personal coach. Her newest book, “Put Your Dreams To Work: Proven Strat- egies for Achieving Success in Work and Life,” is available on Amazon. Visit annabelchotzen. com to learn more.
Chasing The Light is pro- duced by Lynne Johnson and Robin Stephens Rohr.
items that traditionally get discussed, lip-serviced or tabled. Programs and funding need to be enacted this year. The pandemic has put more people on the edge of economic de- spair, and we’re now beyond most of the federal funding, unemployment assistance and Paycheck Protection Program checks. We have a state surplus of funds due to greater tax collections than were expected. And, we have more funds available through the state and counties via the American
“I hate that Nazi guard!” he raged to the professor who had offered to help him.
Walter soon came to America and lived his dreams. I know this be- cause Walter is my father. If he had not successfully interacted with the guard, I would not be here today.
Rescue Plan Act.
We have kids who’ve been out of school dealing with first
If you are angry and defi- ant, his adviser said firmly, the guard will not let you go; you could be killed on the spot. Instead, he said, be calm and confident.
When I think of our coun- try’s divisiveness, I think of Walter’s interaction with the guard. If, with those we dislike, we focus on what we have in common, perhaps
remote, then on-site, learning, and teachers who are stretched thin at work and at home. We have frontline responders tri- aging on a daily basis — from early 2020 and through the delta and omicron variants. And those hospital figures don’t include the uptick in non-COVID physical ailments that sim- ply festered over the past two-plus years.
“Walter,” he asked finally, “what do you have in com- mon with the guard? Think
with Annabel Chotzen
Fill in the blank cells using numbers 1 to 9. Each number can appear only once in each row, column, and 3x3 block. Use logic and process of elimination to solve the puzzle. The difficulty level ranges from Bronze (easiest) to Silver to Gold (hardest). Answers are on page 7
RATING: SILVER
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We need money smartly and quickly given to the profes- sionals in the nonprofit world who make sure it impacts those most in need, with built-in accountability. A disclaimer here: I run Aloha United Way, so I know the need for assistance has rarely been more urgent. Before COVID hit, the AUW survey counted about 595,000 people in Hawai‘i’s ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) population. These are hardworking people, perhaps one or two missed paychecks away from experiencing major economic bur- dens. Ask an economist, the ripple effect of any additional duress would surely impact everyone here. Today, the ALICE number is presumed to be 700,000 people — meaning almost half the state is living on the edge. Many haven’t been able to move ahead since the 2009 recession.
Due to redistricting mandates, every state legislator is up for election this year. Leaving Hawai‘i’s vulnerable and possibly soon-to-be-vulnerable population — from keiki to kūpuna — in limbo this legislative session would be un- ethical and unwise, as many of these people vote. Follow the proceedings and send comments to your elected officials (they work for you) on early childhood education and care, truly affordable housing, mental health assistance and other annually discussed social issues that shouldn’t need yet an- other study, committee, caucus or report. No more obfusca- tion. The 2022 mission must be to resolve or mitigate items in play right now, not in five years.
Think about it ...
john@thinkaboutithawaii.com