Too many issues. Too many challenges. Too many bad and sad things happening in our islands, on the continent, and across the world.

Federal agents are murdering innocent civilians on the streets of Minnesota.

The U.S. military is being used to steal the oil reserves of Venezuela under the false premise of drug interdiction.

The killing of children in Gaza continues, while the bombing of Ukraine and so many other places is now seen as routine, barely even making the daily news.

We must somehow figure a way out of the madness now gripping the U.S..

It is shameful.

Increasingly, America is seen, by our former friends around the globe, as a pariah — an arrogant bully seeking to colonize the world. The “ugly American” is once again the prevailing topic of conversation at cafes, taverns, shebeens, and gathering places on every continent.

Thousands of people in the islands are living on the streets, under bridges, in our parks, and along our coastlines. Tens of thousands more are just one paycheck away from joining them.

For too many of us, blaming the poor and disadvantaged for being poor and disadvantaged is easier than blaming the trillionaires, the oligarchs, and the corporatists.

Those who reap unconscionable profits from the systems they’ve built and control are literally getting away with murder, as they embrace — both actively and passively — the Trump/Miller agenda of authoritarian dominance.

In addition to the poor and disadvantaged, immigrants, foreigners, the LGBTQ+ community, and “woke” socialists and progressives in general, represent easy and attractive targets for the MAGA acolytes.

In their insatiable quests to consolidate power and inflame the base, these groups have been used by authoritarian regimes throughout history as scapegoats, distractions and punching bags.

For authoritarians, the cruelty is the point – displaying to all the power they hold with the underlying message of “Get into line and keep your mouth shut, or it will happen to you”.

What can we do about it? What can you and I actually DO to stem the tide of hate, anger, and violence that is growing across the land?

These are the questions I ask myself daily.

Below are some strategies that keep me sane and on track. Maybe they’ll help you, too.

* Give somebody a hand up, every single day. Whether it’s a youngster from a dysfunctional family down the street, a homeless man in a doorway, or a friend or family member going through hard times, do something to help them in a meaningful way.

* Reach out via phone, email, or another method to at least one elected leader, every single day. Send a short email to a local, state, or federal representative and share, in a sentence or two, your thoughts, expectations, disappointment, and hope. Trust me: Collective messaging from all of us can make a difference.

* Think globally and act locally. Advocate for public policy changes at the state and local level that set an example for communities everywhere. Push back locally against the proposed increased military presence in our islands. Insist the U.S. military comply with environmental protection law HRS343, BEFORE any new leases are negotiated.

*Seek out, encourage and support new community-based candidates. The primary election in Hawai’i is August 8th, just six months away. We need to find and support new candidate/leaders with roots in the community and a proven track record at the grassroots level — in education, youth programs, law, issue advocacy, health, and/or social services.

*Show up. On the streets, in the halls and meeting rooms of government, online and in person. Show up, push back, and set an example with your presence and actions, in big ways and in small ways. Help lead us all toward a better future.

That’s all I’ve got for today.

Please, let’s DO this. We’re all in this together.

And together, we can make good change happen in this world.

Gary Hooser