While looking for the Hawaii Sheriff Association banquet ticket, I was reacquainted with an article I wrote back in 1991. It appeared in the monthly newsletter I was publishing at the time, Hawaii Monitor.
Long before the internet and social media, it was one way to reach a larger audience.
This story was my attempt to connect more of the dots and provide further political context to the political organization that became identified with Tom “Fat Boy” Okuda.
The original story, published as “analysis and commentary,” follows as it appeared at the time, complete with at least one typo.
Here’s a question. I don’t believe that I ever publicly acknowledged the three people who originally approached me with their concerns about being pressured to participate in preparing food for fundraisers. All three were women working either in a court office or at the legislature. At the time, they feared being identified as sources, and I protected their identities. But I also felt bad about being unable to acknowledge their contribution to the significant reforms that followed. All three have long since passed away, and I have considered whether I should posthumously recognize them as heroines in the affair. I haven’t made a decision yet, and would welcome your thoughts.
If you have trouble reading it, there’s a link to download the 2-page pdf.
Also see:
A history lesson: The Judiciary Scandal of the mid-1980s, iLind.net, July 15, 2015.
A small circle of friends by Ian Lind on Scribd
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Wow. How do you manage to keep all these entangled “bamboo roots” sorted out in your mind? Kinda depressing, in how it seems nothing has really changed. That book review mentioning polarization and the need for a “new center” could have been written yesterday. Maybe time to embrace nihilism and just give up!
Regarding releasing the names of the whistleblowers, I think enough time has passed that all of this info can be released. This coming from someone whose father almost assuredly was issued an honorary sheriff’s badge.
yes
My 2 cents: I don’t favor releasing the names unless you know that surviving family members would not suffer. These women are definitely heroes, because it took sheer guts to disclose the abuse. But, it appears that they never publicly came forward in their lifetimes. I interpret this as their heroics were altruistic and they either weren’t interested in or didn’t want to have them made public, much less receive any recognition. I think you should respect their choice. I was lucky that I worked mainly in transactional law at that time so did not have to deal with the nonsense my litigation peers had to endure. The atmosphere was every bit as oppressive as your stories reveal.
I agree. Respect their choices.
Posthumous recognition? No. You know better.
You did a great job and we are all better because of it. Let it be.
I was fortunate to know both Cappy and Tom “Fat Boy” Okuda well. We shared long conversations. They were kind, generous, and deeply committed to the people around them. Cappy had a quiet way of looking out for those in need, often without anyone noticing. Tom’s laugh could fill a room, and his willingness to help was as big as his presence. They’re both gone now, but I remember them as men who gave more than they took, who valued friendship, and who treated people with dignity. That’s the legacy I carry with me — and the one I think is worth remembering.
Good for you, I guess that you had a friendship you value.
Too bad your friend was corrupt.
Making excuses, looking the other way when someone is family or a friend just highlights why it is so difficult to address wrongdoing.
I’m not making excuses. I’m simply sharing what I personally saw and knew of them. We can all agree that people’s lives and actions can’t be fully captured in a few lines of history — and my memories of them are based on firsthand experience, not secondhand accounts.
People who commit crimes have family and friends – is this a novel concept?
Aren’t there entire crime shows that portray the duality of caring/thoughtfulness for mi familia while the criminal characters do their harms.
When Katherine and Louis Kealoha were on trial for crimes, their supporters were sometimes shown so the public got glimpses of that.
It’s always interesting to see which friendships endure over time.
James Waldron Lindblad maybe you should write the book that hasnt been written.
People are complex — I agree. My comment was to share my direct experience with them, not to litigate old cases or TV plot lines. I knew them in life, saw how they treated people, and that’s the record I can speak to. And for the record, I’m using my real name here — unlike some — and I don’t need 627 subscribers to know what I saw with my own eyes. Bless your heart for thinking otherwise.
this is the internet – i dont have any reason to trust you, James Waldron Lindblad, or any of the other eyeballs reading this.
it’s fine that you are so devoted to your friendships that you feel compelled to say nice things about them to try to balance out the facts.
no one else is obligated to feel any sort of way other than how they feel.
Interesting choice to hide behind a children’s superhero team name while lecturing others on integrity.
well hi there, anonymous poster and THANKS for the reason to talk about big hero six, a very wonderful movie that is entirely delightful (and possibly instructive) for adult audiences.
since i have no idea whether or not you saw it, here’s a quick summary (with spoilers).
the film shows grief and friendships. unchecked grief led the highly admired professor to a path of destruction. the villainous professor beleives his crimes are in pursuit of a righteous and necessary goal, and he becomes a master manipulator.
the boy genius did not follow that same path towards murderous revenge because HIS FRIENDS intervened! in other words, his friends HELPED HIM see the different paths.
i am as devoted to this movie as James Waldron Lindblad is to his convicted friends.