January

Jan.
1930:

Pälama
Settlement is a “mill for the making of substantial American citizenry… a crucible
of races” writes Paradise of the Pacific, predecessor to HONOLULU Magazine. The
Kalihi establishment offered community members-adults and children-affordable
medical and dental services as well as recreational activities. “From every class
and condition and walk of life, from every race and creed, they come to Pälama
to play, to study, to sing, to dance, to chatter and gossip-even to fight. For
there is an unwritten law that a scrap must never be taken off the grounds.” If
a fight breaks out, participants are ushered to Pälama’s gymnasium and given boxing
gloves. “No Pälama kid is told that fighting is wrong; but everyone of them knows-he
learns the lesson early-that there is only one way to fight, and that is fair.”

Jan. 1945:

“When
you find someone who doesn’t want a place in Hollywood, has no stooges, and is
shooting only for laughs from fellows in uniform, you have found a chap named
Harry Kahne,” writes Paradise of the Pacific. “And you have found, too, a one-man
morale builder who has made thousands of servicemen look absurd, and love it.”
Kahne, a Honolulu jeweler and mathematical genius, entertained troops with his
slapstick routine and edible props such as eggs, pies, dill pickles and canned
beans-most of which ended up on the soldiers in the audience. “The boys laugh
until the tears roll down their cheeks and their sides ache. They adore the whole
unbelievable bedlam … both those who watch it, and those who take it.”

Jan. 1995:

HONOLULU
Magazine names Dan Foley, attorney for three same-sex couples suing the state
to get married, its Islander of the Year. The magazine asked Foley about the talk
of passing a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. Foley replied,
“I don’t think it will happen. One, there has never been a proposed constitutional
amendment in the history of Hawai’i or the U.S. Congress to take away rights.
Never once. Every constitutional amendment has been to give rights, to recognize
another group, not to eliminate one. It’s a very draconian thing to do. It would
be very divisive. … I don’t think Hawai’i, which is a community of religious and
ethnic minorities, would take that course.” In 1993, the state Supreme Court ruled
it was discrimination to deny marriage licenses to same-sex couples. But in 1998,
Hawai’i voters overwhelming voted to amend the state constitution to define marriage
as between man and woman, rendering the ’93 court decision moot.