To: Kirk Caldwell, Mayor and Honolulu Police Commission
Mayor Caldwell: KEEP OUR LGBTQ COMMUNITY SAFE!
Marriage Equality and Defending Targets of Discrimination
Why is this important?
We, the people of Hawai'i, have followed the events of the State
Legislature's Special Session Marriage Equality this fall with deep
interest. This petition addresses acts of discrimination and hate
perpetrated during the session, notably including the testimony
given by Honolulu Police Officer Tenari Ma'afala on Nov. 5, 2013
and other acts of verbal and physical hostility against supporters
of Marriage Equality.
Officer Ma'afala is a public figure, as the union president of SHOPO
(State of Hawai'i Organization of Police Officers) and a pastor of
New Hope Church. Here is his testimony on Youtube.com:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaAkQZ5DnZ0
We, the supporters of Marriage Equality, witnessed Officer Ma'afala's
testimony, in which he stated his opposition to LGBTQ rights was so
strong that he would become a "lawbreaker" with the passage of
SB1 (the Marriage Equality bill, which has since been signed into
law and took effect Dec. 2, 2013).
We also witnessed incidents by opponents and their children
during the hearings that were dangerous and filled with hate,
including physical confrontations and verbal assaults. Will those
incidents continue and escalate? If so, can the community have
confidence that the Honolulu Police Department will adminster
justice fairly and compassionately?
We, the people, demand that Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell and
the Honolulu Police Commission REQUIRE DIVERSITY TRAINING
for all police officers.
WHY are we demanding Diversity Training? Members of the LGBTQ
community and their allies, following the reprehensible behavior of
some opposition members and the provocative testimony of
Officer Ma'afala, feel strongly that their personal safety is endangered
and could be left unprotected by those whose job it is to protect.
As president of SHOPO, officer Ma'afala, through his presence at
the Special Session and angry words in support of discrimination,
may have signaled that other Honolulu police officers should also
be "lawbreakers" and turn a blind eye toward crimes committed
against LGBTQ community members and supporters of equality.
We would like to believe the lofty Mission Statement of the
Honolulu Police Department (http://honolulupd.org/department/)
quoted below will be respected and upheld. Diversity Training will
help to ensure that it is.
MISSION STATEMENT
We, the men and women of the Honolulu Police Department, are dedicated to providing excellent service through partnerships that build trust, reduce crime, create a safe environment, and enhance the quality of life in our community.
We are committed to these principles:
INTEGRITY
We have integrity. We adhere to the highest moral and ethical standards. We are honest and sincere in dealing with each other and the community. We have the courage to uphold these principles and are proud that they guide us in all we do.
RESPECT
We show respect. We recognize the value of our unique cultural diversity and treat all people with kindness, tolerance, and dignity. We cherish and protect the rights, liberties, and freedoms of all as granted by the constitutions and laws of the United States and the State of Hawaii.
FAIRNESS
We act with fairness. Objective, impartial decisions and policies are the foundation of our interactions. We are consistent in our treatment of all persons. Our actions are tempered with reason and equity.
...in the spirit of aloha.
Legislature's Special Session Marriage Equality this fall with deep
interest. This petition addresses acts of discrimination and hate
perpetrated during the session, notably including the testimony
given by Honolulu Police Officer Tenari Ma'afala on Nov. 5, 2013
and other acts of verbal and physical hostility against supporters
of Marriage Equality.
Officer Ma'afala is a public figure, as the union president of SHOPO
(State of Hawai'i Organization of Police Officers) and a pastor of
New Hope Church. Here is his testimony on Youtube.com:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaAkQZ5DnZ0
We, the supporters of Marriage Equality, witnessed Officer Ma'afala's
testimony, in which he stated his opposition to LGBTQ rights was so
strong that he would become a "lawbreaker" with the passage of
SB1 (the Marriage Equality bill, which has since been signed into
law and took effect Dec. 2, 2013).
We also witnessed incidents by opponents and their children
during the hearings that were dangerous and filled with hate,
including physical confrontations and verbal assaults. Will those
incidents continue and escalate? If so, can the community have
confidence that the Honolulu Police Department will adminster
justice fairly and compassionately?
We, the people, demand that Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell and
the Honolulu Police Commission REQUIRE DIVERSITY TRAINING
for all police officers.
WHY are we demanding Diversity Training? Members of the LGBTQ
community and their allies, following the reprehensible behavior of
some opposition members and the provocative testimony of
Officer Ma'afala, feel strongly that their personal safety is endangered
and could be left unprotected by those whose job it is to protect.
As president of SHOPO, officer Ma'afala, through his presence at
the Special Session and angry words in support of discrimination,
may have signaled that other Honolulu police officers should also
be "lawbreakers" and turn a blind eye toward crimes committed
against LGBTQ community members and supporters of equality.
We would like to believe the lofty Mission Statement of the
Honolulu Police Department (http://honolulupd.org/department/)
quoted below will be respected and upheld. Diversity Training will
help to ensure that it is.
MISSION STATEMENT
We, the men and women of the Honolulu Police Department, are dedicated to providing excellent service through partnerships that build trust, reduce crime, create a safe environment, and enhance the quality of life in our community.
We are committed to these principles:
INTEGRITY
We have integrity. We adhere to the highest moral and ethical standards. We are honest and sincere in dealing with each other and the community. We have the courage to uphold these principles and are proud that they guide us in all we do.
RESPECT
We show respect. We recognize the value of our unique cultural diversity and treat all people with kindness, tolerance, and dignity. We cherish and protect the rights, liberties, and freedoms of all as granted by the constitutions and laws of the United States and the State of Hawaii.
FAIRNESS
We act with fairness. Objective, impartial decisions and policies are the foundation of our interactions. We are consistent in our treatment of all persons. Our actions are tempered with reason and equity.
...in the spirit of aloha.