I have recently returned to our ʻAiea home after 10 years in Japan, followed by six years in Nashville and Brooklyn. I’m still getting readjusted but initial impressions lead me to believe that little progress has been made in the political and economic landscape of the islands since I left.

I believe Hawaiʻi is still a relative bubble of tolerance. But that tolerance is frayed.

Despite the efforts of many good souls, the plight of homeless neighbors is more obvious than in years past, and the likelihood for so many hard-working residents of purchasing even modest homes appears nearly impossible. Crucially, I find a surprising shortage of doctors, making appointments and consultations difficult to schedule. I never felt this before.

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To make matters so much worse, we watch ICE and other enforcers of President Donald Trump’s immigration policy raid schools, homes and workplaces of our immigrant neighbors as we veer more radically toward unchecked, uncivil, hateful behavior. Parents fear leaving their homes to buy food, to report to work or send their children to school for fear of detention and deportation.

South Kona coffee farmer Armando Rodrigues expresses the fear well in this lament: “We don’t feel safe and we never thought this was something that would happen in Hawaiʻi, because, you know, this is the Aloha State.”

Trump’s loyal MAGA followers appear unconcerned, in fact emboldened by this shift to totalitarianism. One now observes Trump banners proudly displayed on Hawai’i homes, and the black American flag of extreme right wing, racist collectives flying literally just around the corner.

They proudly stand by Trump as his policies deport hard working contributors to our society, cut access to the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid, censor books in libraries, and do nothing about the rising cost of food.

Immigrants Live In Fear

The recent election saw Trump receive, in this strongly Democratic Hawaiʻi, a shocking 37% of the vote. The biggest increase on Oʻahu came from Waipahu and Kalihi, home to many immigrant families who now watch as they and their neighbors live in fear of being detained, jailed and deported.

It is easy to understand why those struggling just to get by day to day look for a savior to pull them out of their difficulties into a brighter future. They tire of waiting for help from the inept efforts of the Democratic Party to speak, to act meaningfully in support of them: the homeless, the poor, the immigrants, the single moms, the aged, the sick without insurance and those working two and three jobs to keep food in the house.

This was not always the case. At one time the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi, in concert with community and labor support, made great strides in creating a civil society that takes care of our own. But that party, from the local to the national level has — with rare isolated exceptions — lost its voice, its backbone, its fight.

While most of our elected officials in Washington are good hearted and care for those less fortunate, they still hold tight to their party. They need to speak louder, be more assertive and less beholden to party leadership with their tempting coffers if they wish to find our support.

Which brings me to a glimpse inside MAGA, where expanding campaigns to harm the least of us are afoot every day.

Reviewing recent stories and photos in multiple national news outlets highlighting Butterworth’s Bistro, the new go-to watering hole in Washington, D.C., filled with Trump’s mostly young, empowered MAGA acolytes, I am struck by the nonchalant images of them enjoying their drinks while constructing a totalitarian society.

One expects, hopes, that future generations running across old images of those enjoying their gatherings at Butterworth’s will live in a thriving democratic, inclusive country that looks back on these times with wonder and appreciation for those who stood up against them.

Bringing it back home, what can we do to alter this scenario of empowered totalitarianism and neglect of our most vulnerable here in Hawaiʻi? We do what we can, where we can.

And document it for generations to come.