We now live in
a state of no aloha
By Todd Kaneshiro
WHAT happened to all of the aloha? Are we so special that we can't help out people any more? Sitting down on a bench just a couple of days ago, I was watching people walk in and out of a grocery store. You wouldn't believe how inconsiderate younger people are today. A young kid opens the door, sees there is someone behind him, but doesn't even give a second thought about holding the door open. But an older man approaches the door, opens it, sees a lady about 30 feet away, and still waits for her.
Was that guy so naive that he didn't have any manners? Or could it be that he was born in a different time?
I remember as a kid, The Golden Rule: Treat others as you wish to be treated. I opened doors, said my thanks, threw rubbish in the garbage can, and always, always treated my elders with respect.
I took a trip to the mainland a couple of years ago, and I hated the place. People up there were so inconsiderate. I thought it would never happen where I lived. I mean, you would rarely hear anybody honk their horn at anybody. When somebody raised his hand out from the window, you used to see a shaka. Nowadays you get used to that irritating horn and all you see is one finger rise up from the window.
So where has all of the aloha gone? Or better yet, what is aloha?
To tell you the truth I shouldn't even have to explain what it is. Everybody should know what aloha is. Just watch TV or read a poster taped up against a wall. Hawaii always advertises it, but hardly anyone shows it.
I really do believe the state should take out the "aloha" from the "Aloha State." We don't deserve to be called the aloha state anymore. It should be blank, until we deserve to be called "Aloha'ans" again.
Things just aren't the way they used to be. The beautiful sunrises and sunsets are just illusions. The unreal beaches and mountain ranges are just distractions from the aloha-less people doing wrong to one another.
One day people will figure it out. One day there might be a chain reaction where everyone shows aloha. But until then, I live in the State.
Todd Kaneshiro is a senior at Kaiser High School.
Rant & Rave is a Tuesday Star-Bulletin feature
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