This week, Hillary Clinton issued a statement in support of fully funding the Honouliuli National Monument, which would recognize the sacrifices of the 4,000 Japanese Americans held during World War II at the Honouliuli internment camp in Hawaii.
This is very special to me because when the discussions of designating Honouliuli as a monument were occurring, I was the only member of Congress who had a family member interned in Honouliuli. My grandfather, who was born on the Waianae Plantation, was a hard-working carpenter at the time of his internment. His only crime was that he helped establish the Waianae Hongwanji Mission.
Hillary’s recognition of Honouliuli demonstrates her thoughtful commitment to defending our civil liberties, especially in times of national crisis. This is particularly important now because the leading Republican presidential candidate has divisively called for the exclusion of Muslim immigrants solely because of their religion, and he has shamefully indicated that he would have supported internment camps for Japanese Americans during World War II.
In 2008, I joined U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye in supporting Hillary Clinton for president. At that time, I was the first woman to lead either chamber in the Hawaii state Legislature. After serving four years in Congress, I know my support of Hillary is even more critical today.
The tragic events in Belgium this week have made clear that our nation faces diverse and growing threats around the globe. I have seen firsthand that Hillary understands the importance of a strong national defense backed by sound judgment. I have no doubt that she is the best person to make the tough choices about how to spend our limited federal resources.
At this critical time, we must resist calls from U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and others who have supported defense cuts that will not only undermine our military’s ability to keep Hawaii and the Asia-Pacific region safe, but also cost local families good-paying jobs.
Hillary does not forget her friends, and she has a deep understanding of Hawaii.
I was present when Sen. Inouye posthumously received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama. When I saw Hillary at the ceremony, she said, “You and I were fortunate to have a great man as a friend. We will miss him.”
She was, of course, speaking of Sen. Inouye. I thought then, for Hillary to remember the senator’s legacy showed me her compassion, appreciation, loyalty and inherent sense of gratitude. It is no wonder that Hillary’s message of “love and kindness” resonates so deeply in an election season often polarized by the angriest voices.
Hillary understands the important role that Hawaii and our nation play in the world. She knows what must be done. She understands that the success of the United States in this century will be determined by our commitment to leading the way on the toughest global challenges without sacrificing the American values that make us great.
Hillary has demonstrated she is ready to lead on the global stage.
As secretary of state, Hillary led the “pivot to the Asia-Pacific” strategy to rebalance and intensify U.S. engagement in this critical region — a strategy that places Hawaii at the center of the world.
Hillary didn’t just talk about the importance of Asia. She made her first foreign trip as secretary of state to South Korea to affirm her commitment.
Hillary’s deep ties to Hawaii and to the Pacific have given her a unique understanding of the issues we face.
We all know that our ability to speak and to vote for our candidate of choice is the most fundamental American value, a value for which many have sacrificed.
My choice is Hillary.
