Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 16, Number 8, 1 August 1999 — Racist media [ARTICLE]

Racist media

When are people in the television and daily print media going to stop using such obvious racist descriptions as "Part Hawaiian?" I thought I put an end to this after I sent a letter to the editor a few years back decrying the use of the term "part-Hawai-ian" that serve only to stigmatize Hawaiians. Yet, again I see the blatant way in whieh the media depicts the eiiminal populahon as being comprised of Hawaiians, or, in this case, "part-Hawaiians." It is evident that Mr. Batalona is "part-something else." Could the media consider offering a description of "part Japanese," "part-Fihpino" or "part-Cau-casian" to describe the ethnic makeup of criminals on the loose? Of course not. That would be racist! If loeal television media and daily newspapers were to remove the "Part-Hawaiian" description, would the story be any less effective? Would it be any more difficult to find this person? The puhhe has a photo of him. Isn't that enough? I believe the Hawaiian people have taken enough of a beating. Itwas this individual's ehoiee to hve a hfe of crime. Please be sure the descrip-

tion depicts HLM and does not heap all the ills of this diverse society solely on the Hawaiian populahon. Mr. And Mrs. Bruce Keahi Wailuku