RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, on September 11, 2001, the United States of America was brutally attacked in an act of terror and war as hijacked planes crashed into the World Trade Center Towers, the Pentagon, and a field in the Pennsylvania countryside; and

WHEREAS, these attacks resulted in the loss of thousands of innocent lives and both directly and indirectly victimized millions of Americans; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii was not immune to this disaster as five of its own people were tragically killed in the events of September 11, 2001, affecting many friends and families statewide; and

WHEREAS, because of the understandable concern and fear of travelers, increased security measures, and severe flight delays, these acts of terror have had a devastating affect on the airline industry causing some carriers to decrease their flight schedules by twenty-five percent or more to avoid economic failure; and

WHEREAS, these acts created a ripple effect felt throughout the national economy, unexpectedly affecting millions of citizens through layoffs and causing unemployment rates to rise sharply; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii, an island state dependent upon the airline industry for much of its economic well-being, felt the repercussions of this devastation as both the number of flights and the number of tourists coming to these islands decreased dramatically, causing the filing of initial unemployment claims to nearly triple, and causing an economic crisis; and

WHEREAS, the ramifications of this economic crisis will be far reaching, affecting thousands of people in Hawaii and putting a strain on local charitable organizations; and

WHEREAS, in a study performed three years ago, Hawaii's families were discovered to be the most generous in the United States with an estimated eighty-eight percent giving to charity; and

WHEREAS, the people of Hawaii showed their true patriotism and Aloha Spirit toward the rest of the nation by turning out in record numbers for blood drives, donating over $750,000 to relief funds, holding fundraisers for national disaster relief efforts, donating food, sending cards, quilts, leis, and well wishes to people affected by the disaster, and volunteering to take part in other activities to assist those affected by these terrorist acts; and

WHEREAS, the time has come for the people of Hawaii to focus on the needs of the people at home and the needs of the local economy; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Third Special Session of 2001, the Senate concurring, that this body encourages the people of Hawaii to continue to share their Aloha and to support the State and their fellow citizens in this time of crisis; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the House of Representatives urges the people of Hawaii to continue to aid the local economy by traveling intrastate, dining at local eateries, purchasing local products, and spending money in other ways throughout the State; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the House of Representatives encourages the people of Hawaii to continue to aid their fellow citizens in need by donating to local charitable organizations, volunteering to help others, supporting others with employment needs, and assisting the local community in whatever way possible; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor.

Report Title:

Encouraging Hawaii's people to share their aloha in this crisis