Veteran journalist Bob Jones took to Facebook to break the silence about the elephant in the room ignored in all the Merrie Monarch news coverage.
Maybe you’ll disagree, but I’ve never been ok with Chinky Mahoe let right back into the Merrie Monarch after his conviction for sexual abuse of boys in his halau. He got no jail time on that, and then he gets applause and awards. He was like a schoolteacher — a position of special trust. He violated that. I’d have said “sorry, no Merrie Monarch invitation.” Now he’s top award winner. Doing business as usual. No penalty. Audience wildly claps.
The charges against Mahoe were reported as “breaking news” by the Honolulu Star-Bulletin back in May 1997.
A year later, the S-B reported Mahoe entered no contest pleas to five felony counts of third-degree sexual assault and one misdemeanor count of fourth-degree sexual assault.
When sentencing was delayed for a third time, the mother of one of his victims spoke out.
“He did the crime,” she said yesterday after Circuit Judge Wilfred Watanabe postponed Mahoe’s sentencing until Sept. 24. “He should pay for it and not travel around and not have fun.”
She said the four boys Mahoe sexually assaulted were the ones “locked up” in their own emotional prisons, unable to heal until the court concludes the case.
Mahoe’s attorney said:
“He (Mahoe) is continuing to teach and tour,” Gierlach said about his client. “He’s doing just fine.”
Following his conviction, Mahoe’s conditions of a 5-year term of probation included this one, along with other standard conditions:
Have one or more adults present during any contacts you have with minor children.
Mahoe’s conviction also earned him a place on the list of registered sex offenders.
Public awareness of the issues of abuse by those in authority is much higher today than it was in 1998 following the ongoing priest sexual abuse scandal, the Penn State scandal, and others.
Knowing what we know now, would we put a teacher, coach, or priest convicted of sexual assault back in close and unsupervised contact with students? I think not.
Mahoe’s status has generated lots of discussion and debate. Just do a quick Google search and you’ll find lots of online discussions back and forth, strong positions by detractors and defenders.
So I’m probably with Jones on this. It’s not ok.
But at minimum, shouldn’t this crop up somewhere in all the news coverage? Is it being swept under the rug? Is it still relevant? Does the Merrie Monarch have a policy on such things?
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It’s still relevant and I haven’t forgotten. Sorry to say it, but the way this was handled (i.e., ignored) by the Merrie Monarch/hula community and the MSM only gives credence to the earlier comments by Sam Slom and Bill O’Reilly that Hawaii — if not the Hawaiian community — tolerate or even condone child molestation. UGH.
Ditto. Remember that Slom said there are some subcultures in Hawaii which tolerate adults having sex with children; but Slom did not name which ones. A few days later there was a lengthy commentary in the Star-Advertiser by Clayton Hee and “Princess” Kawananakoa attacking Slom as though Slom had singled out the Hawaiian culture (which he did not). Apparently, Hee and Kawananakoa felt they need to defend Hawaiian culture against a stereotype they think a lot of people have. The warm embrace given to Chinky Mahoe year after year by the Hawaiian community at the Merrie Monarch, and total absence of public excoriation of his behavior by the Hawaiian community, certainly gives credence that such a stereotype might be accurate.
Yikes, I’ve been dittoed by Mr. Conklin. I have either arrived or should depart, permanently.
When State Senator Sam Slom was being questioned in the press about his controversial comment to Fox news last month, this piece of information may have been relevant to the discussion at that time.
As a mother, all I can think is that the parents of the children in this competition are simply unaware. Or, if they are aware, I wonder if the parents either don’t feel Chinky is a threat, or the kids have put so much work and effort into this that they don’t want to ruin it for them. (Personally, I would pull my kid out of the competition!)
“…that they don’t want to ruin it for them.”
Seriously? Wonder if ‘they’ even consider their child could get molested in the process of ‘working hard’? “Great you get first place! Too bad you get your ____ in the process. Oh well, you can handle; was worth it, yeah?” Geez.
I don’t blame you. Personally, wouldn’t let my child within 10 feet of this individual.
Wow. I just found quite a candid discussion (old, but still) on HawaiiThreads: http://www.leahi.net/hawaiithreads/showthread.php?s=9f9a4c52450fb8bf21f95c0379d419b4&t=2660
Well Ian. You have access to the “Bully Pulpit” via your Civil Beat column. If there has not been any coverage in the “mainstream press” why not generate some?
Thank you Ian (& Bob). That was exactly my thought when I saw the newspaper coverage. But I also don’t want to play into the racism around this issue…
As far as I can see, the MANY examples of child molesters being slapped on the wrist, then accepted back to work with children goes across racial and cultural lines. Think of the Mililani soccor coach who still gets to coach young boys, the Waipahu sports coach who continues to coach a girls team, school teachers who are simply transferred to other schools. All different ethnic groups — it’s us – our whole society –which allows this. And it’s US who can speak up every time.
finally, someone i can completely ditto with!
as long as the world’s historic tragedy of molestation is linked with remarks perceived as racism, no one is accomplishing ANYTHING in resolving the problem. all you do is give the offenders their own defense on a silver platter.
you have to stay out of any possible connection with racism, unless you want to remain part of the problem. ignoring this fact is shooting yourself in the groin.
“Knowing what we know now, would we put a teacher, coach, or priest convicted of sexual assault back in close and unsupervised contact with students? I think not.”
Just to be clear, Ian. Are you implying that you have evidence that Mahoe is working with his students without another adult present?
At a time when there is wide spread support in the comunity accross all cultural and ethnic lines for same sex marriage, which I enthusiasically endorse, the silence from the local kumu hula gay community on the endorsement of a child molester in their ranks is stunning and sadly contributes to the myth that members of the gay community are dangerous pedophiles. Mr. Mahoe is as much a sexual predator as any rapist and should not be welcomed into any community-gay or straight.
Well said; homosexuality and pederasty are no more the same thing than are heterosexuality and pedophilia. But bigots are only too happy to let people think that and the silence of the hula and gay communities only enforces that bigotry.
Did hoponopono occur for Mahoe? This is probably the first time that I have agreed with Ken.
This issue is completely twisted in Hawaii. Had Chinky abused a dog, he would probably be doing time and banned from everything. But sexually abuse a child and we look the other way. Is that messed up or what?
People in Hawaii who abuse dogs go straight to prison and are “banned from everything”?
Not often. if you seriously believe this, either walk around and actually take a real look at the lower-class neighborhoods on Oahu, or do some real reading on the Internet.
It’s the rare exceptions of actual Punishment for animal abuse that make the headlines in Hawaii. [comment edited]
nice editing work, Ian! you read my mind. if only newspapers had More editors like this!
A public school teacher, accused of this, even if it never went to trial, would not be knowingly allowed in a public school classroom again.
Why should we make an exception for a convicted child molester kumu? This is a black mark on the hula community as a whole. We have a bad habit of turning our heads and ignoring issues. This is only ammunition for people like Slom and O’Reilly. How ironic when there is a Child Abuse demonstration at the Capitol.
Watched his halau last night at an event. Very good, but couldn’t stop thinking about his history. It marred the performance. He’s married btw.
Yes, I was told by another Kumu Hula that parents view it as an honor to have their kids accepted in a Halau! so basically they some will sell their kids out?? what kind of message is that? it has nothing to do with race! I have spent my life working with these kids that where abused! this is about abuse and the shameful handling in our courts in Hawaii!
Sex abuse is rampid on this island! the registry is a joke! he isn’t on it that I could find! neither are about 3 people off the top of my head that are walking the streets! one of them being a woman! so the fire should be set under the Hula community! fliers should be posted around the community with his face on it!!
He is married alright! Was he healed from being gay?? he has no shame or remorse! and don’t think it stops! only death stops a pedophile!