from The Valley Isle sidies. What's more, the sugar cane they grow is shipped to California to be processed and then sent back to the islands in the same brown boxes we buy in Oregon. Hawaii is totally , dependent on imported oil and natural gas for its energy input, having so far ignored the incredible potential for solar, wind and geothermal energy. There is also an increasing awareness of the effects of the exploitation of thet'native people. Basically, they are in the same situation we are all in, but the naturally defined limits of their islang economy IT1ake the dangers and trade-offs that much more pronounced. There are a few more intriguing pieces to this politically interesting puzzle. One is a strong ai;id increasingly articulate sector of the population that is interested in changes such as increased reliance on alternative energy sources an·d locally produced food. This group has some extra potential because of the income resulting fr6m the excellent marijuana growing climate. Another factor is a very powerful head of the student body at the University of Hawaii, _an ex-convict who is helping to organize student campaigns in almost every district. February/March 1978 RAIN Page 9 There is also a group called the Constitutional Network, Inc., the brainchild of a transplanted New York Constitutional lawyer turned political science 1 professor and beachcomber. ' Ted Becker and his group have organized a well-done statewide random public opinion poll that gathered information about what the public thought were the most important issues , to be discussed at ConCon: The top ten were Crime (63%) Public Education (61%), Conservation of Energy (60%), the Welfare System (59%), Unemployment (58%), Political Corruption (56%), Environmental Pollution (52%), Criminal • Justice System (50%), Housing (49%), and Population Growth (45%). The bottom five included many that the politicians and·the media have been holding up as important issues: Public Financing of Elections (19%), Election of Prosecutors (17%), the Lt. Governor's Office (17%), Distribution of Legal Services (16%), Primary Voting System (17%) and Worker Participation in Corporate Decisions (14%). Ted Becker also pulled together a seminar series last fall ' - which brought publicity to the ideas of no-growth futures and appropriate technology alte_rnatives. He ~as a _Simul~ted . ConCon for University credit planned this spring which will give anyone who wants a chance to learn how to par~icipate in such a convention. He's planning to experiment with consensus decision-making, computerized information sharing (see box) and such crazy (?) ideas as a legislature selected by lot like· a jury. The spring sessions will be held on evenings and weekends to make it possible for community people to attend. Whether or not it will be possible to pull off a people's ConCon is still anyone's guess. The power and dollars _of the traditional politicians µiay still be strong enough to wm a substantial majority of the representative even in campaigns at.such a grassroots level. But the possibility of a real upset 1 is clearly there. It's one of those situ.ations that fall into our hands. I'm beginning to be convinced that this latter part of the l 970s is all about taking advantage of such circumstances as they come into focus. It entails having a fe~ of the right people in the right places at the right time and a willingness on the part of a large number of people to have ~ g_o ~t it. There's l~ttle to be lost and much to be gained. Even 1f It 1s only a le~rnm~ experience, we'll all know that much more for the next time and place. -Lane deMoll Valley Isle P.O. Box 1086 Wailuku, Maui, HI 96793 Weekly, $4/year or $20 First Class. If you're looking for news. of alternative goings on in Hawaii this paper is a good place to' start. They cover groups like the Hawaii Self-Sufficiency Asso-· ' ciation (2525 South King Street, Honolulu, HI 96826), and their work to show different crops and food,products that could help make the islands less dependent on the Mainland. They also cover local bands, particularly those w,-i~ are rediscovering and enjoying their native heritage. And since at least one' of their reporters is running for the ConCon; I'm 1• sure there will be more talk of its progress here soon. -LdeM .
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