Click the Play button to listen to the audio. These may sound like just typical sounds of private refuse workers going about their business of moving dumpsters and emptying them into refuse trucks. However, these inordinate sounds awaken residents and visitors as early as 3:00 A.M., 3:42 A.M., 4:09 A.M., or whatever time in the very early morning, every morning. When they disturb others with their actions at such early times, for up to 10 minutes depending on the location, then these are the Sounds of Abuse.
Hawaii Dignity Day
We are a grassroots organization advocating for the human dignity of all Hawaii residents, from keiki to kupuna, who are experiencing injustice.
We will sponsor events to promote greater public awareness and support in efforts aimed at respecting the dignity of all residents in Hawaii.
The first-ever Hawaii Dignity Day event was held on April 14, 2024, at the Duke Kahanamoku Statue in Waikiki. What follows is a message from the founder.
Founder’s Keynote Message
I extend my deepest gratitude to all of you here today for coming to the first-ever Hawaii Dignity Day.
Today is a day of em-POWER-ment as we raise our voices to awaken dignity.
We are here to awaken the dignity of the Honolulu City Council members who have both the authority and the moral responsibility to end the abuse of all residents, from keiki to kupuna, impacted by way-too-early morning trash pickup, as early as 3 A.M.
Our actions are not an attempt to fix Honolulu City Council but rather to create the space for them to change for the better.
Your presence here today is immensely powerful in providing councilmembers another opportunity to make that change.
Each of you has your own definition of what dignity means for you. Let me share with you some thoughts on seven components of dignity, the avenues from which dignity flows.
Then, in contrast, I will share how each component relates to how councilmembers are not respecting our dignity. We all deserve to have our dignity respected.
1) Our valued self. Within the many areas of the valued self is self-worth. We all have 100%. No one has any more or any less. No one deserves abuse.
We demand to be treated equally with the hundreds of thousands of Oahu residents whose trash pickup by the city begins no earlier than 6 A.M. We are no less worthy.
2) Intensity. Intensity involves being focused, patient, and wise. Seeing not only the current picture but also the bigger picture.
Councilmembers lack this intensity and have ignored our calls to respect our dignity on this issue. They should protect residents, but they have taken the Pontius Pilate approach that this is not their responsibility.
3) Strength of character. That strength is derived from not only having ideals and principles, but more importantly of putting those ideals and principles into action.
Honolulu City Council needs to act upon a new paradigm of ideals and principles that leads to respecting the dignity of everyone.
4) Consciousness. This word summarizes a system of beliefs and attitudes, thoughts and feelings, choices and decisions, as well as desire, imagination, and expectation.
We have long been advocating for a change of consciousness at Honolulu City Council since January 2022.
5 & 6) Spirituality. Each of you has your own sacred understanding of the meaning of spirit and soul. The deeper that one develops their own spirituality, the more they respect their own dignity, and therefore the dignity of others.
For over two years, I have asked all members of City Council to use their own spirituality to resolve this issue. However, they have refused to initiate a bill to protect all residents from the abuse of trash pickup beginning at 3 A.M.
7) Freedom. Freedom is that force inside of you that challenges you to become more of who you are. It involves courage.
The opposite of courage is not cowardice, but automatic and blind conformity to the past.
This current City Council has taken no action and is no different from their predecessors who have ignored their moral responsibility to protect the health and well-being of residents.
With a strong collective voice, we are telling Honolulu City Council members that they cannot take away our dignity, diminish our intensity, shackle our freedom, or break our spirit. They will never silence the voice of our soul.
Our cause is just. Truth and justice will prevail. We will triumph.
Carlino Giampolo
Hawaii Dignity Day, Founder
carlinog@hotmail.com
Our inaugural event garnered the attention of KITV Island News and was featured in their Alexa flash briefing on April 14 (in the recording below starting at 0:46).
Additional thoughts about the
Hawaii Dignity Day Event:
Everyone wants the success of ending injustice, but some want others to create success for them. That is not you.
To respect the dignity of another requires respect for one’s own personal dignity.
The devaluation of human dignity is at the foundation of many of the problems that exist not only in Hawaii but throughout the world.
In all issues before the members of City Council, respect for human dignity must be the highest priority that guides their choices and decisions.
Councilmembers have a moral responsibility to know the impact of sleep deprivation that harms the health and well-being of residents.
There are no benefits to being awakened indiscriminately daily by the beeping, banging, and clanging of dumpsters being emptied as early as 3 A.M.
Adequate sleep is as important to our health as the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink. It is especially important to newborn children who need more sleep than adults to develop their brains, as well as kupuna and others with health conditions.
Governor Josh Green and Department of Health Director Kenneth Fink provided our community with information on sleep deprivation. Their caring and compassionate actions are what is expected from all of our political leaders.
Respecting the dignity of residents is not a door that councilmembers can open and close on their whim by choosing to respect some residents and not others. No one deserves abuse. Everyone deserves to have their dignity respected.
Shame that is masked, denied, numbed, or ignored will continue to grow. Members of council must end their shame for allowing residents to be abused.
We have let councilmembers know that there needs to be a change of consciousness in which there is:
- A belief that respect for human dignity must be their highest priority.
- A deeper compassion for residents to end the abuse.
- A stronger desire to end the abuse.
- A vivid imagination to overcome all objections of those who want the status quo.
- A higher level of expectation that this abuse can and will end.
Changes and miracles occur either on the worn-out Path of Tragedy, or on the less traveled Path of Dignity. We are gathered here today on the Path of Dignity to awaken the dignity in others, and to bring forth a new future for everyone, from keiki to kupuna, who are experiencing this injustice.