It looks like both Hannemann and Abercrombie are having to deal with items from the past.
In Neil’s case, it’s his somewhat infamous September 1977 “F*** you” letter addressed to then-Board of Education Chairman Noboru Yonamine.
In today’s climate, I would guess that a lot of people would agree with Neil’s concisely expressed sentiment about the DOE bureaucracy.
Back in 1977, the Board of Education suggested he should apologize, according to a Star-Bulletin story
“Apologize for what?” said Abercrombie.
“It’s the normal reaction of a red-blooded American to bureaucratic arrogance,” said the Makiki Democrat.
At issue was the Makiki Community Library, staffed by volunteers and located in the old Hawaii Sugar Planters Association building on Keeaumoku Street, in what is now Makiki District Park.
Abercrombie was backing a proposal by then-Honolulu Mayor Frank Fasi to turn the building over to the state library system. The proposal had initially received the backing of the Board of Education, but then bogged down in politics and red tape.
His curt letter was in response to an letter from Yonamine which said legal issues and budget problems prevented the board from pursuing the library plan, despite its earlier vote.
Through a spokesman, Abercrombie recalls being told privately that the library might be considered if he lined up with the administration on several other key issues. Abercrombie, who was first elected in 1974 as an outspoken outsider, said he objected to that kind of horse-trading on an issue that had so much public support.
The issue was also caught in the political war between the Democratic establishment and Mayor Fasi, like Abercrombie an outsider in the back rooms of political power. It was likely political opposition to anything associated with Fasi that doomed the library proposal from the start, and the whole situation made Neil mad.
Of course, that was all a long time ago, before Neil’s terms in the State Senate, City Council, and his 20 years in Congress. It’s not the kind of letter he would write today.
Oh, the end of the story? The Makiki Community Library is still funded and run by the community independent of the state library system, which still doesn’t have a facility in the densely populated Makiki area.
And in July 2009, Yonamine contributed $500 to Abercrombie’s gubernatorial campaign, accompanied by a note: “Neil will be a Great Governor!”
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he did sign it — “sincerely”
but that doesn’t matter cuz he said the ef word decades ago and and people shouldn’t say the ef work my mommy told me so, so i will vote for Mufi because the other guy said the ef word.
some people say things fast and usually with out thinking when they are upset by the way.
Thats exactly the kind of voters Hawaii DOESN’T need, ones that don’t think for themselves and don’t bother with the real meat of a subject, just the he said she said.
Congratulations on your victory Governor elect Abercrombie! You had my vote, an informed decision on my part
State Rep Abercrombie’s office was an informal HQ for some of the “movement” causes in the late 70s so I hung around a fair amount during Hale Mohalu days. I remember an identical F-U letter he wrote to Walter Kupau, but don’t have the context.
I found equally amusing his response to a move at the Legislature to legalize capital punishment in Hawaii. His reaction was to introduce a score of bills, each of which would legalize capital punishment by an increasingly grisly and bizarre means: by electrocution, by lethal injection, by stoning, by burning, by walking the plank, etc. etc. etc.
Mahalo Ian for putting it in the context in which it was written. I know I’ve said some things I wish I didn’t 35 years ago, but I’m not running for office and having it dredged up like it was yesterday.
Question: How do you say “F*** You!” in Hollywood? Answer: “Trust Me!” S0, in effect, most politicians deploy the “F-Word” with every breath. At least with Abercrombie, what you see is what you get. Abercrombie is an original. [comment slightly edited]
This certainly would win a letter writing award for conciseness.
2010 if I write “F” it you will moderate it even today!
Yes, I most likely well, mostly out of courtesy to other readers.
Rx: Spin 3 times per day until September 18th and vote at least 5 times for shortest gubenatorial candidate known for beard and collorfull vocabulary!
To make this comment fair, I’ll add blame everyone else for all your problems, accept campaign contributions for people wanting permits and vote for gigantor known for his terrible singing!
“It’s the normal reaction of a red-blooded American to bureaucratic arrogance”.
I think its a stretch to call this a reaction. Abercrombie waited nearly a month to respond and then typed it up in proper business letter format. I think this letter and the underlying issue demonstrates more than just a lack of proper decorum. It shows a man who lacks the ability to collaborate effectively and resorts to juvenile name calling.
My father-in-law got cussed out by Abercrombie many years ago. I wonder how many times these episodes have happened over the years – but this is a small town. Mr. Yonamine has moved on, but I bet for many who have encountered Neil’s angry side, they’re not so quick to forgive. My father in law hasn’t and dislikes the man so much he won’t let his granddaughters wear Abercrombie & Fitch shirts in his house.
To be fair, though, you’ve got to say this was 33 years ago, when Neil was just 3 years into his long experience in elective office.
He’s learned a lot in the interim.
It was 33 years ago – but its not like he was a child at the time. He was 40 years old. He takes a month to answer his mail and all he can say is F U. You think that’s ‘working respectfully with everyone’? You think that’s ‘collaborative leadership’? Frankly I wonder whether this was a delayed reaction or a manipulative PR stunt.
Ian, great post!
What a classic Hawaii story. When people ask me about Hawaii’s people I tell them we all have to try to be good, because we’ll be seeing each other at Longs for the rest of our lives. Well…somewhere!
I use that word way to much. I am trying to change my wording to a word that starts with fr and ends with ick. It seems to work.
That was a great post Ian. By the way I voted already… on Saturday… for the short guy with a beard.
I hope Neil Abercrombie still has the pen he wrote that *F* note with. He will need it if he becomes Governor.
“….we’ll be seeing each other at Longs for the rest of our lives. ”
It ain’t ‘Longs’ for long!
“Well…somewhere!”
right! CVSC
LS MFT.
M.O.U.S.E.
or whatever.
You’ll never hear me say that word but some bureaucrats deserve these words and more.
Apparently Governor Schwarzenegger was a bit more subtle in his letter to the California State Assembly.
(a) http://gov.ca.gov/pdf/press/2009bills/AB1176_Ammiano_Veto_Message.pdf
(b) http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2009/10/27/schwarzeneggers-veto-message-delivers-another-message/