Call to Action! Monday, January 20, 9:30am
Join the Stop Drone Contingent in the Martin Luther King Day Parade!
Magic Island, Ala Moana Park 

Put on your marching shoes...Put your small keikis in strollers or in wagons. Tricyclers, skateboards and bikers welcome. Or ride on the back of our flatbed truck! Just be there!

This is a great event for everyone! Tell your friends, your co-workers, your neighbors and your families. Spread the word by Facebook and Twitter!

 We'll have our huge drone replica and lots of banners and signs. Our main focus will be "Stop the Drones" and the timing couldn't be better as word about the selection of Hawai`i as one of the U.S.'s drone development region spreads.    If you refuse to be complicit in drone assassinations and spying, make your voices heard!

Thousands of people participate in the MLK Day Parade, and many more thousands line the sidewalks to watch it go by. Responses in the past have been incredibly positive! '

 The parade begins at Magic Island and proceeds on Kalakaua Avenue to Kapiolani Park. There's a rally at the park beginning at about 11am if you want to stay. Our truck will return to Magic Island immediately after the parade if you want a ride back to your car. Don't forget your water and sunblock.   There's often parking at Magic Island and always parking at Ala Moana Shopping Center. 

Protesting Guantanamo in Waikiki

World Can't Wait-Hawai`i Action to Shut Down Guantanamo!

On Saturday evening at 6pm, the 12^th anniversary of the opening of Guantanamo Prison, a dozen large photos of Guantanamo detainees lined Waikiki’s busiest street corner.    A hooded activist in orange knelt in front of the photos, and leafleters were energetically engaging with passers-by.    A big orange banner reading “No Torture” provided a backdrop for other protesters wearing orange and carrying signs demanding that Guantanamo be shut down NOW.  

We immediately attracted controversy.    A good number of people enthusiastically took our leaflets, thanked us, or commented quietly.   Some had specific questions.   A few said they’d never heard of Guantanamo and more said they thought it was closed.     There were a surprising number of ugly remarks like  “we should have just shot them,” “you’re all terrorists” or “Keep them there forever”.     Toward the end of the evening about a dozen soldiers gathered across the broad avenue shouting “terrorists” and appeared to intend to cross over and confront us.  Suddenly they stopped shouting and walked away.    Quite a few people, including members of the military, said they supported Guantanamo but wanted to hear why we opposed it.    When we got into the facts – the bounties, the torture, the absence of charges – most thanked us and a few even said they were changing their mind. 

When we first got to the corner we were aggressively confronted by a young Black man who said:   “They’re all terrorists – they should never get out!”.    When we got into the facts he threw back: “Why should I care about them?”  and walked away.   He came back time and again and studied the photos.   As we were leaving the source of his anger became real:  “Why aren’t you protesting about Blacks in U.S. prisons instead?”   When we got into how the treatment of detainees in Guantanamo and the treatment of Black prisoners in the U.S. were related and encouraged him to connect up with the Stop Mass Incarceration Network his attitude toward us turned friendly.

Many Japanese tourists, who usually refuse leaflets, understood that we were protesting Guantanamo took our leaflets or thanked us.   While they may not have understood much English, they understood “Guantanamo.”   People from the Middle East were especially supportive.  A pair of Iraqis from Australia angrily said a new detention center had been opened in Australia – taking their lead from the U.S.    A Pakistani woman hugged us enthusiastically and thanked us with tears in her eyes.  

Our relatively small group of 18 protesters made a big impact on the Waikiki scene.   No one could miss the sea of orange-clad protesters with signs on the crowded sidewalk and many stopped to take photos.   We ran out of our 250 leaflets too quickly, but managed to get out our message even without them.  

 

    

12 Years Detained? Protest to Close Guantanamo NOW!
Saturday, January 11, 2014, 6pm - 7:30pm
Signholding & and Leafleting
Corner of Seaside & Kalakaua, Waikiki

Call to Action!

January 11, 2014 is the 12th anniversary of the opening of the prison at Guantanamo and people around the world will be on the streets to demand that the notorious prison be shut down - NOW!

Were you outraged when you saw "12 Years a Slave?" Did you wonder how people of conscience coud have stood silently by as people were grabbed off the street, thrown into wagons, and then sold as slaves? Is grabbing people in other countries, throwing them into planes and then depositing them at Guantanamo where they have been held for 12 years fundamentally different?   

The Bush regime filled the off-shore prison at Guantanamo Bay by rendering men seized from around the globe into indefinite captivity, employing and legally justifying a program of torture they called "enhanced interrogation."    Even Bush's team slowly began to release hundreds of prisoners for whom no case could be fabricated to justify prison. 

When Barack Obama was elected, he quickly promised to close it within a year... five years ago. It's still open, with new infrastructure added, and more personnel than ever. Most people in the U.S. have no idea there are still 82 prisoners there who were cleared for release years ago; 45 who the President says will never be charged or released; and "military commissions" trials are designed to cover the torture inflicted on the prisoners, depriving of them rights the U.S. has claimed to cherish.   

World Can't Wait-Hawai`i will have some orange jump suits, placards with pictures of Guantanamo prisoners, and banners - or bring your own. The corner of Seaside and Kalakaua is in central Waikiki across from the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center and we'll be seen by thousands of tourists as well as local residents.

Protesters Get Their Messages to Obama

Since Obama arrived for his Hawai`i vacation protesters are making their demands visible.

On his first day in Hawai`i four protesters were there with signs against drones and Guantanamo. On Friday about 25 people held signs opposing the Transpacific Trade Partnership at a protest organized by Move-On. And on Saturday morning more than a dozen World Can't Wait-Hawai`i supporters were there when Obama's motorcade passed by.


 As we walked to our designated corner we could already see numerous signs in front of the entrance to Obama's street and wondered who had beat us there. It turned out to be a one-person demonstration: Ann Wright with about four big signs waving us in.  Although our numbers were relatively small, we filled a lot of space and we know we were seen by Obama and the press. 

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Our posters with photos of Guantanamo detainees lined the walls. Two big banners - one reading "Stop Torture" and the other a beautiful "Shut Down the Bases" banner (particularly fitting since Obama was returning from K-Bay when he saw us). Then there were numerous other signs protesting drones, Gitmo, support for Israel, and the TTP. 

While no press came to talk with us personally, their press van passed and they snapped pictures as they came by. News of our protest subsequently appeared in Reuters and in the local press. http://www.aol.com/article/2013/12/28/obama-faces-smattering-of-protests-on-hawaiian-vacation/20796747/   Be sure to click on the photo line accompanying the reporting. 

Many passers-by honked their horns approvingly or gave us a thumbs up or shaka, and morning walkers thanked us for being out there. A relatively few gave us the middle finger and one particularly disgusting man slowed down and yelled "take care of the babies" at the almost all-woman group holding signs. (We weren't sure if he was an anti-abortion reactionary or just thought we should all be home taking care of our kids, but either was equally backward!). 

  Since Saturday, FrostPaw (a huge polar bear) has been seen standing in front of the Obama compound along with leafleters protesting the Keystone XL pipeline and climate change, and we're sure others have been out there was well. We understand that FrostPaw will be visiting Hawai`i for at least another week so if you're interested in joining him in protesting climate change contact us and we'll get you in touch.

 President Obama will be in Hawai`i for another week and holding a sign at the entrance to his compound at Kailuana Street and Kalaheo is easy. If Ann Wright can pull off a one-person demonstration, so can you! As Ann said, "We never get this close to the president when we're in D.C.! He can actually see us!"

Upcoming Events in December-January

Shut Down Guantanamo!  
Protest at Obama's Kailua Residence
Saturday, December 28, 9am-11am
 
President Obama will again spend the holidays in Kailua and we'll be there with a fitting welcome! 
 
January will mark the 12th Anniversary of the opening of Guantanamo.  Obama came into office promising that he would shut down Guantanamo within his first month in office. 
 
World Can't Wait-Hawai`i will have big photos of some of the Guantanamo prisoners, along with signs and banners.    Wear orange!   We'll have some orange outfits for people to wear but there won't be enough for everyone so wear orange.  You're welcome to bring signs about other issues (such as drones, the NSA) and join us.
 
The protest will be at the corner of North Kalaheo & Kailuana. The best place to park is at Aikahi Shopping Center. Then just walk back along North Kalaheo. Kailuana is just past the bridge. 
 
There's always a lot of press at protests when we've held them there in the past so tell your friends and begin organizing your carpool.  

Obama's plans are always subject to change and we'll post a notice if there's any change in date or time.  
 
 
International Day of Action
to Shut Down Guantanamo
Signholding at Kalakaua/Seaside in Waikiki
Saturday, January 11, 6pm - 7:30
 
On the 12th Anniversary of the opening of Guantanamo people around the world will be holding actions, speak-outs, and programs to demanding the shut-down of Guantanamo. 

There will be a signholding at the corner of Kalakaua and Seaside in central Waikiki in solidarity.  There we will be seen by thousands of tourists from many countries, as well as Hawai`i residents.   If our presence is dramatic (and we'll do everything possible to make sure it is), they're sure to take out their cellphones to take photos and our actions will be beamed around the world.    

Save the evening!

Stop Drones!  Stop the Killing and Surveillance!
Join the Anti-Drone Contingent in the MLK Day Parade
Monday, January 20, 9am at Magic Island

Thousands of people march in the Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Parade each year and thousands more watch the parade from the sidelines.    Begin planning now to make the Anti-Drone Contingent the largest ever.  

World Can't Wait-Hawai`i will bring its drone replica.  We're preparing large photos of victims of drone warfare that can be mounted on the truck or carried, but to make this contingent a big success WE NEED YOU! 

Plan to be at Magic Island at 9am.  The parade will go down Kalakaua Avenue and will end at Kapiolani Park.   You can walk, skateboard, or bicycle.  There will be space on the back of the truck for those who can't walk the route. 

This is a family event so bring your kids.  Strollers, tricycles and wagons are welcome.  If your kids get tired they can jump on the back of the truck. 

Begin making your plans now!

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October 22: National Day of Protest to Stop Police Brutality, Repression and the Criminalization of a Generation!

October 22nd is the 18th Annual National Day of Protest to Stop Police Brutality, Repression and the Criminalization of a Generation.   For information about the day, as well as events that will be happening across the country, see http://www.october22.org or http://www.stopmassincarceration.org.

Here's what's happening in Honolulu:

1.  Everyone!!   Wear Black in solidarity with the National Day of Protest.

2.  Sunday, October 20, 3pm.  Revolution Books Attend the Forum/Discussion on Building a Movement Against Police Brutality, Repression, and the Criminalization of a Generation in Hawai`i.   Panelists will be Laulani Teale, Liz Rees, and Carolyn Hadfield.   Short presentations will be followed by a discussion focused on how we can build a movement in Hawai`i that is linked to the national movement, but speaks to the particularities of police brutality, repression and the criminalization of a generation in Hawai`i as well.    For information:  http://www.revolutionbookshonolulu.org.

3.  Get displays, chalkings, materials up on the UH-Manoa campus!   Join activists at McCarthy Mall from 9am on Tuesday, October 22nd.

4.  March for Justice for Kollin Elderts on Tuesday, October 22nd at 11:30am.   Meet at Hamilton Library steps on the UH-Manoa campus. 

For more information on what's happening in Honolulu:  http://www.stopmassincarcerationhawaii.blogspot.com 

Festival of Resistance at UH-Manoa

By 9am our crew of volunteers had erected 6 tents. Banners and signs decorated the UH-Manoa's Sustainability Courtyard, and our drone was standing prominently in the center of the square. Before 10 am the tents were being filled with the eighteen organizations that had requested tables. Everything was ready....and then the rain came! Instead of stopping to peruse the tables, students were running to find shelter while organizers huddled under tents. Yet organizers remained positive -- using the time to meet each other.

By 11am the rain had passed, the sun was out, and students were again filling the courtyard, organizers from 18 groups were passing out leaflets, and students were signing up for more information

The first "Festival of Resistance" at UH-Manoa was organized by Refuse & Resist! It has since been organized by Not In Our Name-Hawai`i, and then by World Can't Wait-Hawai`i. Its purpose is to bring an atmosphere of resistance to the UH-Manoa Campus and introduce students to community and campus organizations struggling to create a better world. Throughout the day students and faculty stopped to thank us and as we were breaking down after 2pm a worker from one of the food-carts shouted: "You guys are awesome! Why don't you do this more often?" We wish we could and thank EVERYONE who made this year's Festival possible!

Here are a few photos: