Hawaii’s Moral Crossroads: When Jobs Come at the Cost of Peace

I’ve lived in Hawaii. About a year on the island of Maui and longer on Kauaʻi. I wrote two novels rooted in deep research into her history, her people, and her land: Princess Ruth: Love and Tragedy in Hawaii and A Secret Kept in Hawaii. Hawaii has never left me, and I follow what happens there whenever I can.

So when a message arrived from my concerned Hawaiian friend Gary Hooser, former State Senator and Majority Leader, I paid attention.

The Military’s Vision for Hawaii’s Future

Gary was writing in response to a February 16 Honolulu Star-Advertiser headline: “Military wants Hawaiʻi to be a hub for Pacific arms manufacturing.” The article, by Kevin Knodell, is behind a paywall, but its message is clear enough. The U.S. military and some political leaders are now framing the design, manufacture, and sale of weapons as economic opportunity for Hawaii’s children.

Gary put it plainly: the bigger the war, the more weapons needed, and the more local jobs created. The more people killed around the planet, the more money flows in.

He is not mincing words. Neither am I.

Hawaii Has Already Paid a Heavy Price

Kahoʻolawe still carries the scars of decades of military bombing, fifty years after it stopped. Red Hill, Makua, Pŏhakuloa, and other locations throughout Hawaiʻi continue to face serious, unresolved health and environmental consequences from military activity.

And now, our leaders want to double down.

Gary quoted Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth’s vision for his military commanders: to fight without “stupid rules of engagement” and to “intimidate, demoralize, hunt and kill.” He then offered his own counter: any partnerships with the military in Hawaiʻi must be grounded in the premise that the moral integrity of the community, and the health of its people and natural environment, are not for sale. Not for jobs. Not for funding. Not for political favors.

This Is Not Who Hawaii Is

“This is not who we are, nor is this what we want for our children.”

Those are Gary Hooser’s words, and they resonate with my own Quaker commitment against war. The path forward cannot be paved with weapons contracts and the promise of jobs built on the production of death.

What Can We Do?

Gary is asking people to reach out to Hawaii’s congressional delegation and Governor Josh Green. Respectfully and courteously, but clearly.

Governor Josh Green: (808) 586-0034

Senator Mazie Hirono: (202) 224-6361

Senator Brian Schatz: (202) 224-3934

Representative Jill Tokuda: (202) 225-4906

Representative Ed Case: (202) 225-2726

You can read Gary’s full post at his blog: On Leadership: Hawaiʻi can, and MUST, do better.

As for me, I keep my own Quaker focus against war. I keep watching. I keep writing.

Thank you for reading.

Dr. Jo Ann Lordahl is a lifelong author, poet, novelist, and speaker whose work explores empowerment, aging with grace, and the deep questions that define our lives. Her books and reflections — from historical fiction to meditations on creative living — encourage resilience, reflection, and positive transformation.

If this post stirs questions about moral courage, shared humanity, or the work of healing in hard times, consider exploring Dr. Lordahl’s writing — especially her essays and books on reflection and personal transformation. Her voice reminds us that even in upheaval, there is a path toward patience, insight, and compassionate action.