Profiles in Courage: Rep. Beth Fukumoto. Or GOP's amoral* ruthlessness in action. (*and UnAmerican!)

When they say give Trump a chance, it’s like being locked in a motel room with a rapist and told to relax, give him a chance to show you what he can do, it might not be so bad…
Then again, it might be well beyond your worst nightmares.
And their warm up acts are looking pretty scary already. How long should we wait?

Fearless Republican leader removed for rebuking Trump at Women's March By Leslie Salzillo] Friday Feb 03, 2017 https://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/02/03/1629390/-Fearless-Hawaii-Republican-removed-as-leader-for-speaking-against-Trump-at-Women-s-March? State Rep. Beth Fukumoto (R-Hawaii) expressed her dismay and disdain against Donald Trump and in return, her GOP colleagues voted out her of her Republican minority leader position, which she has held since 2012. Bill Chappell with NPR reports Fukumoto said her fellow Republicans ousted her because she participated in the Women's March and protested the Trump presidency." The 33-year-old lawmaker stated:
"They told me they would keep me in this position if I would commit to not disagreeing with our president for the remainder of his term. Mr. Speaker, I'm being removed because I refused to make that commitment, because I believe it's our job as Americans and as leaders in this body to criticize power when power is wrong."
On January 21, 2017, Fukumoto spoke at Hawaii’s Women's March which coincided with millions of women and men protesting against Donald Trump around the world. She spoke about how she was booed and insulted by her party during the Republican National Convention because she refused to endorse Trump. Now that he is president, it’s a different situation, but Fukumoto doesn’t seem to care. She continues to speak her truth. Here is a 3-minute YouTube clip of Fukumoto at Hawaii’s Womens March speech
2017 Hawai'i Women's March https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QI0aDvP_bw
Below is the video transcript:
Today I’d like to talk to you a little bit about my niece. She's eight years old and she's campaigned with me since she was two. She's come with me to all sorts of events and last summer when I stood at my party's convention, she watched as a ballroom full of men and women tossed insults and booed me, because instead of pledging to support my party's nominee, I said I found his remarks were racist and sexist and they had no place in the Republican Party. Now to that room full of people, I was a traitor or a fake or one of the many derogatory words that I was called on social media afterwards. But to my niece, I had told the truth, because little kids know what’s right and wrong. We teach them that they're supposed to be nice and kind to everyone even when they're different. So she didn't understand why people would be so mean to me when I stood up on stage and said that Donald Trump should say things that he says. We had to explain later that sometimes people are angry and they don't know how to express it so they treat other people badly. We explained that sometimes people are bullies, but that you should they treat people with respect. We told her that you always stand up to bullies no matter who they are. And then — she watched a bully win the presidency of the United States. Now today, it's not about who you voted for. People cast their votes for a lot of different reasons. but no matter who your choice was, the fact remains a man wants the White House with anger and hate and our kids watched it happen. Now it's our job to let them watch us fight back. So I'm going ask you today to get involved. Testify at the legislature, run for office, help run a campaign, but do it with kindness. Show kids that everyone's voice matters even when they believe the opposite thing that you do. Teach them that everyone deserves respect, and let them know that in the end — love will always win. Thank you.
Rep. Bob McDermott (R-Hawaii) told Fukumoto, “You’re not speaking for yourself anymore." He’s correct. She’s speaking for the majority of the country. But back to the story. Chappell reports: The only Republican to vote for keeping Fukumoto in her leadership role was Rep. Cynthia Thielen, who said on the House floor,
"God I am sorry to lose our minority leader, someone I so deeply, deeply respect — the face of Republicanism as it should be, but it won't be any more."
Sounds like a leader— an actual leader. Rep. Beth Fukumoto (and Cynthia Thielen) would probably be welcomed with open arms into the Democratic Party. The move is being contemplated and reportedly, the decision will be determined after hearing from her constituents. Either way, this is a good thing — and another example of #Resistance. And we march on... ———————————————————————- State Representative Beth Fukumoto http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/memberpage.aspx?member=fukumoto https://www.facebook.com/repfukumoto/ http://www.bethfukumoto.com
When they say give Trump a chance, it's like being locked in a motel room with a rapist and told to relax, give him a chance to show you what he can do, it might not be so bad.... Then again, it might be well beyond your worst nightmares. And their warm up acts are looking pretty scary already. How long should we wait?
Fearless Republican leader removed for rebuking Trump at Women's March By Leslie Salzillo] Friday Feb 03, 2017 https://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/02/03/1629390/-Fearless-Hawaii-Republican-removed-as-leader-for-speaking-against-Trump-at-Women-s-March? State Rep. Beth Fukumoto (R-Hawaii) expressed her dismay and disdain against Donald Trump and in return, her GOP colleagues voted out her of her Republican minority leader position, which she has held since 2012. Bill Chappell with NPR reports Fukumoto said her fellow Republicans ousted her because she participated in the Women's March and protested the Trump presidency." The 33-year-old lawmaker stated:
"They told me they would keep me in this position if I would commit to not disagreeing with our president for the remainder of his term. Mr. Speaker, I'm being removed because I refused to make that commitment, because I believe it's our job as Americans and as leaders in this body to criticize power when power is wrong."
On January 21, 2017, Fukumoto spoke at Hawaii’s Women's March which coincided with millions of women and men protesting against Donald Trump around the world. She spoke about how she was booed and insulted by her party during the Republican National Convention because she refused to endorse Trump. Now that he is president, it’s a different situation, but Fukumoto doesn’t seem to care. She continues to speak her truth. Here is a 3-minute YouTube clip of Fukumoto at Hawaii’s Womens March speech
2017 Hawai'i Women's March https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QI0aDvP_bw
Below is the video transcript:
Today I’d like to talk to you a little bit about my niece. She's eight years old and she's campaigned with me since she was two. She's come with me to all sorts of events and last summer when I stood at my party's convention, she watched as a ballroom full of men and women tossed insults and booed me, because instead of pledging to support my party's nominee, I said I found his remarks were racist and sexist and they had no place in the Republican Party. Now to that room full of people, I was a traitor or a fake or one of the many derogatory words that I was called on social media afterwards. But to my niece, I had told the truth, because little kids know what’s right and wrong. We teach them that they're supposed to be nice and kind to everyone even when they're different. So she didn't understand why people would be so mean to me when I stood up on stage and said that Donald Trump should say things that he says. We had to explain later that sometimes people are angry and they don't know how to express it so they treat other people badly. We explained that sometimes people are bullies, but that you should they treat people with respect. We told her that you always stand up to bullies no matter who they are. And then — she watched a bully win the presidency of the United States. Now today, it's not about who you voted for. People cast their votes for a lot of different reasons. but no matter who your choice was, the fact remains a man wants the White House with anger and hate and our kids watched it happen. Now it's our job to let them watch us fight back. So I'm going ask you today to get involved. Testify at the legislature, run for office, help run a campaign, but do it with kindness. Show kids that everyone's voice matters even when they believe the opposite thing that you do. Teach them that everyone deserves respect, and let them know that in the end — love will always win. Thank you.
Rep. Bob McDermott (R-Hawaii) told Fukumoto, “You’re not speaking for yourself anymore." He’s correct. She’s speaking for the majority of the country. But back to the story. Chappell reports: The only Republican to vote for keeping Fukumoto in her leadership role was Rep. Cynthia Thielen, who said on the House floor,
"God I am sorry to lose our minority leader, someone I so deeply, deeply respect — the face of Republicanism as it should be, but it won't be any more."
Sounds like a leader— an actual leader. Rep. Beth Fukumoto (and Cynthia Thielen) would probably be welcomed with open arms into the Democratic Party. The move is being contemplated and reportedly, the decision will be determined after hearing from her constituents. Either way, this is a good thing — and another example of #Resistance. And we march on... ———————————————————————- State Representative Beth Fukumoto http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/memberpage.aspx?member=fukumoto https://www.facebook.com/repfukumoto/ http://www.bethfukumoto.com
Good analogy. Good question. Lois