Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 26, Number 11, 1 November 2009 — Damien headline errs [ARTICLE]

Damien headline errs

Your October headline of Ka Wai Ola (Father Damien: Patron Saint of Native Hawaiians) was very demeaning to what Fr. Damien stood for, and it exposed your biased and racist attitude, because Fr. Damien is not a patron saint only for native Hawaiians. He is a patron saint for all Hawaiians, native and non-native. Leprosy did not discriminate. It struck all ethnic groups. And do you think Fr. Damien asked eaeh leprosy patient what ethnic group he belongs to, before he would consider treating him? If he did, he would not be a saint today, and the word aloha would lose its true meaning of charity and love to all members of the human race. Joseph A. Shorba Honolulu

ka leo kaiāulu """ 10 "" """"

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