Another Hawaiian Shit Fit
An ad for a cruise company offended some people in Hawaii when they portrayed a statue of the late Hawaiian leader King Kamehameha holding a glass of wine in his outstretched hand. Evidently, some Hawaiians feel that their culture is being disrespected. They demanded a full page apology in the magazine the ad appeared in and sensitivity training for the cruise company’s staff. I say, "Go shit in a hat." This embarrasses me as a Hawaii resident and here’s why. The Honolulu Advertiser has several quotes from outraged Hawaiians and also non Hawaiians in the tourism industry. This statement by Wayne Panoke, a member of a Hawaiian culture coalition, had this to say: When I saw it, I was appalled to think that any company would have the audacity to use our culture in that fashion and especially our icon, King Kamehameha Perhaps the ad should have had the head of one of their icon’s enemies? The fall out resulting from the ad is unfortunate; I think the ad is brilliant. It i...