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Changing Hawaii
THIS story is true. The names have been changed to protect the frustrated and not to embarrass some city and state workers -- those with the rigid, no-can-do mindset that fosters frustration. Frustrated by Hawaii’s
no-can-do mindsetIn early 1998, "Brian Charles" moved to the islands from Silicon Valley.
He'd decided to use the Internet to work as a technical information architect while living in his favorite place in the world.
Everything was cool until Jan. 14 of this year, when his wallet was stolen.
After notifying the banks and credit card companies, the 48-year-old Kailua resident gathered his personal papers and went down to get a Hawaii state driver's license.
He needed one anyway, after all, because his California license was set to expire in April.
He brought along a federal ID card with his photo and a letter from Social Security affirming his identity.
When he got to the window and showed the city clerk his birth certificate, his descent into bureaucratic purgatory began.
"This birth certificate says your name is 'Adam Brian Charles,' not 'Brian Charles.'"
"Yes, that was my birth name. I changed it in California when I turned 18."
"Before I can issue you a Hawaii driver's license, I need to see a court order from California verifying that change."
"I don't have a court order. You don't need one in California to change your name. You can either change it by petition (as is done in Hawaii) or by the usage method. I did the latter."
"I'm sorry, sir, but I can't issue you a driver's license without that court order."
"But I told you, I don't have a ..."
You get the drift. This interminable conversation went on with the clerk, the clerk's supervisor and innumerable other government bureaucrats.
Now, two weeks into his predicament, the hapless Mr. Charles has three options:
1) He can go back to California, petition for a name change, which is unnecessary in that state but required in this one, and return with the official documentation.
2) He can petition for his birth certificate to be changed.
3) He can ask for a variance in the local driver's licensing renewal process.
Because he is a busy person, as are we all, he decided to ask for a variance. Hah! As I mentioned before, he hasn't lived in Hawaii very long.
NOBODY is exactly bending over backward to help Mr. Charles. They've told him, "That's not how we do things here," and "Hmm, the laws are going to have to be changed to accommodate your particular situation."
In other words, "Why are you making things so difficult for us? Why must you be the exception to the rule? What a pain!"
Folks who have lived here a long time are quite familiar with that unyielding, hard-line mentality. Now one of our newest citizens is learning this reality the hard way.
"Hawaii has a big problem. If you don't fit into the system, you're in trouble," he says. "There's no flexibility based on reason and common sense, even if there are holes in the system's own rules and regulations. Instead of trying to find out how you can do something, people would rather tell you why you cannot."
Aloha and welcome to the islands, Brian Charles. Or Adam Brian Charles. Or whatever the heck the city decides your name is.
Diane Yukihiro Chang's column runs Monday and Friday.
She can be reached by phone at 525-8607, via e-mail at
dchang@starbulletin.com, or by fax at 523-7863.