Why grovel to attract ADB conference?

By Lee Cataluna
Advertiser Staff Writer

Sitting there at Kapi'olani park wearing my Gap pants, my Old Navy shirt, eating a McNugget lunch, the slow realization creeping over me that I wasn't exactly portraying a neutral presence at an anti-corporate globalization rally, I spotted an older gentleman who stood out from the crowd.

His conservative khakis, navy cardigan and cloth hat were in quiet contrast to the color and flash of demonstrators around him. A cardboard sign hung around his neck by a piece of string. It seemed like a good protest sign, one you could wear over and over again, a "little black dress" of protest signs, so to speak.

It said, "The system stinks."

That was about the overall tenor of the Asian Development Bank protest Wednesday. People who thought the system stinks had their say, and everyone was cool.

We should all be thankful that the protest was peaceful. We should all be thankful that all sides seemed to rise to the occasion. We should be thankful that Hawai'i is populated by sensible, pono people who wouldn't sink to the violence and mayhem that played out in other cities during similar events.

However, now there's some scary talk going around town. Smug government leaders are holding up the civility of Wednesday's march and saying, "See? This means Hawai'i knows how to handle large, controversial gatherings, so bring 'em on!"

Is that really what we want? Do we want to be the place where wealthy international groups that pose a high security risk come to talk story? Is that why we're footing the bill, for the privilege of doing it again?

Perhaps if they shelled out some dough for their own security force. Perhaps if they shelled out some dough to rent the convention center. Perhaps if they acted like they were lucky to be here, and not the other way around, that we should be grateful for being chosen as the host city for their problematic party.

What is it about us? Why do we continually let this happen to us? Why are we so insecure? What makes our government leaders always think it's a good idea to give it all up to attract groups that should be paying their way and paying full price?

We see it over and over again, as if we're a place nobody wants to visit so we have to make ourselves really attractive to make sure they come.

If the ADB wants to come back again because Hawai'i knows how to be the host to a good conference and a well-mannered protest, fine. Not everyone's going to welcome them, but we don't have to lay out the expensive, armed-to-the-teeth red carpet, either. Let's not finance their trip back, not on the city level, not on the state level, not even with federal dollars. They got bucks. Let them drop some into our economy.

The system stinks.

Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Send e-mail to lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com