This was back in the 70's when my blond haired, bl...

This was back in the 70's when my blond haired, blue eyed daughter, who is and was very bright, attended elementary school there. She was punched in the stomach and verbally abused by other kids because it was a fairly rural area back then. There was, and possibly still is. a very anti-haoli (mainlander, new comer, white), sentiment amongst many "locals". This was true even though she lived there from 5 years old to 18 years old and her younger sister was born and raised there. Don't get me wrong, please. I grew up in NYC, now live in New Mexico and dearly love Hawaii, and have a love, respect and knowledge of the many cultures that co-exist and thrive there. My only objection is the attitude of the administrators of many of the local schools, who not only tolerated but promoted and encouraged that bigotry. Wherever it exists and is perpetuated all over the world, bigotry harms so many people! This is true regardless of which of the varied races, cultures, ethnicities, physical types and/or sexual, religious or political orientations are targeted.
In spite of some of those experiences both of my daughters maintain a deep love for Hawaii. When not deeply damaged by bigotry, and with diligent parental/community/clerical/family support and guidance, these experiences can, and in my my daughters' cases, did, increase their sensitivity to the often insidious but sometimes blatantly cruel damage that type of mindset and behavior can wreak on others. However it obviously never taught me how to write without the overuse of grueling, laboriously long winded, run-on sentences!! lol :-(