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Jason Schwartz talks with former Republican Party Chairman GENE VIGLIONE on his insights into current affairs on Maui as well as conversation about LIGHT BRINGERS, a West Maui based help organization that has provided superb meals to homeless and hungry people.
Summary & Transcript Below…
[00:13] Introduction and Guest Background
The program opens with a warm welcome to the audience and introduction of Gene Viglione, a longtime friend and inspirational figure. Gene’s extensive political background is highlighted, including his role as a former chairman of the Republican Party in Hawaii. The host reflects on their initial political alignment differences—he was originally Green Party while Gene was Republican—but emphasizes how their ideas often overlapped beyond party lines. This sets the tone for the discussion, which will focus on ideas rather than political labels. The scenic setting in IaoValley’s Kepaniwai Park adds a relaxed ambiance to the conversation.
[02:08] Political Landscape and Election Season Insight
Gene is not running for office but is invited to share his perspective on the current political environment in Maui. They discuss the unexpectedly large field of candidates running for mayor—13 in total—which Gene interprets as a sign of heightened political engagement and interest. While the multitude of choices might seem overwhelming, it reflects a community eager for change and involvement. Regarding county council races, Gene remarks that the candidates are generally good and the public is energized, attending forums and becoming informed. The conversation touches on the collective desire for cooperation among diverse groups to address local challenges.- [04:37] Community Needs: Jobs and Economic Solutions
The discussion turns to the pressing issues faced by the community, particularly the need for jobs and economic revival. Gene and the host agree that while many candidates claim to have solutions, concrete plans will be more transparent after the election when the actual
officeholders are known. The host introduces the concepts of barter and trade, explaining that modern economic exchanges extend beyond traditional notions and include credit systems. They envision a system that could stimulate the local economy by leveraging existing resources creatively, proposing the ambitious idea of generating “unlimited jobs” through localized economic networks. This idea aligns with the concept of Maui becoming a model of self-sustainability, a theme some mayoral candidates are promoting.
- [06:22] Voting and Representation Concerns
Gene stresses the importance of voter participation, reminding listeners that all nine county council seats are up for election, which impacts local governance significantly. The topic of district voting is revisited, noting that although it was previously dismissed, it is now gaining traction as communities seek more direct representation. The conversation highlights how many political ideas once considered ahead of their time are becoming relevant today. This includes renewable energy and sustainable growth, which are seen as critical to Maui’s future. - [07:17] Historical Context and Renewable Energy Vision
Gene recalls a historical moment during the Gulf War when he wrote a letter to the editor promoting solar energy and mass adoption of renewable resources in Maui. Despite initial lack of widespread attention, this early advocacy laid groundwork for future community initiatives like the Maui Arts and Music Association. The narrative describes a shift from old-style politics and unchecked growth to a current period of reassessment and slowing development—a “brick wall” moment. This shift is prompting individuals and the community to reconsider priorities and return to fundamental values. - [08:32] Reassessing Priorities and Returning to Basics
The guests agree that the community is now focused on reevaluating its direction, both personally and collectively. There is a shared belief in the power of cooperation and returning to core principles as a pathway to progress. The host announces plans for a regular political discussion show to maintain engagement beyond election cycles, emphasizing ongoing dialogue and community involvement. The conversation also touches on the importance of addressing social issues continually, not just during campaign seasons. - [09:55] Helping the Needy and Homeless: Community Service Focus
Gene highlights his passion for assisting the needy, homeless, and children, emphasizing that many in the community lack advocates. He mentions the Lightbringers, a local group in Lahaina dedicated to this cause, and acknowledges the ongoing efforts of people like Victor, who have been committed to service for decades. The discussion explores the practical ways they help—providing food, social service connections, and support for those struggling with addiction or hardship. The sentiment is that no one should “fall through the cracks,” and that compassionate, personalized assistance is crucial. - [11:00] Understanding and Supporting the Homeless Population
The conversation addresses common misconceptions about homelessness, noting that many homeless individuals are not addicts or mentally ill but ordinary people who have encountered difficult circumstances. Gene explains the importance of compassion and basic support—such as providing showers, shelter, and simple acts like giving rides to appointments—that can significantly impact lives. The challenges of finding housing, especially for those with pets, are also discussed, reflecting the complexity of the issue in today’s economic climate. - [13:00] Personal Motivation and Philosophy of Service
Gene shares a personal philosophy on life’s measure of success: it’s not about wealth or recognition but about the number of lives positively touched. This belief fuels his dedication to community service. The host and Gene agree on the value of increasing compassion in society and the fulfillment gained from giving selflessly. They encourage listeners to embrace this mindset and get involved in helping others. - [14:21] Story of Transformation and Hope
A poignant story is shared about a man nicknamed “Mercedes,” a quiet homeless veteran who served in Vietnam and faced severe trauma and tragedy. Through the support of Gene, Victor, and their community efforts, Mercedes was able to rebuild his life, find employment, and transform from a troubled individual to a helper of others. This narrative underscores the power of listening, empathy, and support systems in changing lives. It highlights that everyone has a story and deserves a chance. - [16:44] Community Giving and Encouragement to Act
The host reflects on the intangible rewards of generosity and encourages the audience to consider how they can contribute to local efforts. They stress that many acts of kindness go unnoticed but are vital. Gene points out that while social services exist, they often serve narrow needs and that many people feel stigma or fall outside the system’s reach. Grassroots help and personal involvement are needed to fill these gaps. -
2. Two senior men share a moment of conversation outdoors in Maui, showcasing local community.
[17:45] Final Thoughts on Politics and Civic Engagement
Gene concludes by urging ongoing political involvement beyond election periods. He acknowledges the positive energy from having many candidates and voices but calls for less blame and more cooperative action between the private sector and government. He praises the community’s diversity and potential and reiterates the importance of staying informed and active. - [18:32] How to Connect and Support Local Efforts
Practical information is provided for those interested in supporting the Lightbringers or similar groups, including contact details for a board member at a local bakery in Lahaina. The tone is hopeful and inviting, encouraging community members to join in making a difference. 
[19:26] Closing Inspirational Message
The program ends with an uplifting, poetic call to “unlock the hope” within each person, emphasizing that change requires collective action and belief in a better future. The repeated chorus reinforces the message that nothing will change unless individuals take the first step to unlock their own hope and engage actively in creating positive transformation.
Summary:
This conversation blends political insight, community engagement, and social service advocacy, anchored by Gene Viglione’s decades of experience and compassion. It underscores the evolving political landscape in Maui, the importance of voter participation, and the power of grassroots action to address local economic and social challenges. Central themes include cooperation across political divides, the need to return to basic values, and the transformative impact of individual kindness and community support. The discussion invites listeners to be part of the solution by staying informed, voting, and actively helping those in need, ultimately fostering a more sustainable and compassionate society.
Transcript
00:13
Aloha! Welcome to another Up Close and Personal 2010. I have a terrific guest. And many of you who are looking think, where are those guys?
00:26
Now, that’s the Portuguese oven in Iau Valley in Kapaniwai Park. And I’m here with Gene Viglione. Welcome. Thank you. Gene Viglione, I would like to say, is not only a longtime friend. He has been inspirational. You don’t know this, maybe. No. He was always inspirational to me. Weren’t you the chairman of the Republican Party for a long time? A long time, yeah. Well, way back when, when I first started in politics, I was the Green Party guy when the Greens…
00:56
We were just starting in Hawaii in 1992. And for some reason, we met. We had a chance to meet at one of these local forums and sort of hit it off. I was in West Maui. I guess you were West Maui, too. And I always found it very interesting that in a world that talks about Democrat, Republican, Green as all separate, it seems that our ideas always sort of matched. Everything sort of, I thought,
01:21
wow, am I becoming a Republican? And then I’d meet with the Democrats and it would, wow, am I a Democrat? I came to understand that good ideas, they don’t categorize like the rest of the world categorizes. Good ideas are good. And Gene is a good idea guy with a tremendous background in history. Really, I appreciate having you here on the show. I appreciate you inviting me.
01:44
Now, you’ve got a little bit of light. It’s going to change over here. Down here in this nice spot, this is a beautiful spot in El. Looks like the wind has now died down. It stopped for us. It stopped. Want to stay here? Are we okay here? Yeah, I’m fine. Okay. So we’re going to have the… This reminds me of when the godfather, when he was out in the garden with the hanging trellis of… Yeah, but he died shortly after that. That’s right.
02:08
Well, you know, we’re not playing that movie. Someone was telling a joke, a reverend was telling a joke, a lady was all afraid in her dream. A dragon, are you going to kill me, Mr. Dragon? And the dragon said, I don’t know, lady, it’s your dream. This is your dream, you know. We’re living in a time where politics, Gene Viglione, if you haven’t figured it out yet, Gene Viglione is not running. No.
02:37
No intention, sir. No intention on running, but I thought to bring Gene on to see what he thinks of what’s going on, because you’ve been on Maui now decades and decades, and you’ve seen change happen. In fact, we were talking about how the ideas I was talking about 16, 18 years ago, they’re not only still here. They make sense now.
03:03
Yeah, before we were ahead of our time. Now we’re going to be just in time. Sounds good. So what do you think of the political season here? What do you think is going on? It’s exciting. There are a lot of people getting involved, a lot of interest, and I just hope a lot of people get out to vote. Do you guys know what you want? Do you know who’s running for mayor? I think we have a baker’s dozen, 13 people running for mayor. Yeah.
03:32
How’d that happen? Makes it easy. Might as well get involved. It means something’s happened.
03:37
Well, I think that when I see 13, I think to myself, so many choices. It’s like splinters. They’ve got to come together, like the Hawaiian groups. There’s so many groups. They’ve got to come together and come to agreements somehow. What do you think? Do you think we’ve got a couple interesting candidates in the mix? I think all of them are interesting. I think a couple are going to stand out, and we’ll see what happens next month. That would be the thing.
04:06
Do you have any feeling for council races? Any interesting candidates you’ve met or any issues? No issues that I want to talk about are interesting. Everything is good. The people out there are good. The activity is good. People are stimulated by it. And people are getting out when they have their forums and seeing what’s happening, which is good. You see that? He’s right. People are suddenly interested. And what do you think the reason is? Because everybody’s hurting a little bit. Because we all need something. What do we need?
04:37
We need to come together and help each other and get some things going. Let something happen. Like jobs? Like jobs. Yeah, well, we’re going to talk on another show about the how-to because I think it’s a little premature. I think after the election, when we actually know who the players will be, then we’ll bring up ideas because many of these people are professing that they have answers to our economy and what’s going on here locally. Yeah.
05:06
Well, Jason, I think you have some good ideas, and I think that let’s pass them on to them at some point. Well, I was talking about the words barter and trade earlier. I used to think of barter and trade. I used to think of the Indians when they traded some shells, and what did they get? Traded for New York City.
05:31
And then the other thing was, well, how many papayas and how many corn can I get? GMO corn. We’ve got to be careful when we talk about that stuff. But how much can I get? This is not that. If you ever look at your wallet, most of you, you’ll go in here and you’ll say, that’s barter and trade, is it? That’s credit. What if all of it can be put in a system?
05:59
We’re going to have some shows and talk about this because I know we can stimulate our economy here and create, it’s a pretty bold statement, unlimited jobs. Unlimited jobs. Locally here. Locally here, yeah. And I know that we can be an example of self-sustainability. There are some mayoral candidates talking about that. In fact, one of them even…
06:22
you know, go so far as to talk about Maui Utopia, right, a Maui-topia, which we’ve been talking about a long time. But it takes action. It takes you getting out to vote. It’s remembering, for example, that you vote for all nine county council races, all nine. That also means you have nine representatives. Right now, if you live in Lanai or you live in Molokai, you’re thinking, well,
06:49
We need that because, well, we’ll see. We’re going to all have a conversation about district voting again 20 years later, because now people are clamoring, district voting, district voting. When we were talking district voting 20 years ago, it was more like, you guys are, no, you’re wrong. And a lot of these things that were ahead of our time in many ways are now just perfect. I mean,
07:17
Isn’t that amazing about renewable energy? I remember the day the war broke out with Iraq. Remember George Bush I? I like to think of him as King George. King George I. He and Dan Quayle, when they went into Iraq the first time,
07:36
If you looked at the Maui News, you’d see this large eagle with a full wing spread on the letter to the editor page. It was huge. Right under it, the first letter was my letter about solar energy and how to bring things en masse here to create self-sustainability. But no one saw it. Some people saw it. And then we formed the Maui Arts and Music Association. And then…
08:02
Things went on. We did live shows and things got better in the economy and all kinds of things changed. But we had this old style, old style politics, old style decisions making. And then something changed. Here in the last few years, what seemed like an unending period of growth ran into a red light. It’s a brick wall. A brick wall.
08:32
So what do you think is happening with that? Well, I think people are just reassessing everything. Trying to reassess and say, where are we going? What are we doing? Not in the world, but themselves and their family. And trying to get things put back together the right way. Go back to real basic things and get things going right. See, that’s how we’ve got an adventure going on behind us. Well, you know, when you think going back to the same basics…
09:02
And that’s where I think, that’s where we always were agreeing. Because that’s, isn’t it funny? The basics is where we all can agree. If we go back to that, we’ll actually have cooperation. And that gets things done when there’s cooperation. Yeah. Well, you know, we’re going to have a regular thing here. We’re going to start talking politics.
09:26
on television besides when there are elections. That’s a good idea. They’ve been on radio, and, uh, McKillenanda has a show on Tuesdays called Maui Talks, which him and the public, you know, interfacing. But I think, uh, I’m ready to jump in that arena with different co-hosts and, uh, bring up, uh, some different subjects. Any subjects that are your favorites, like, right now? Well, mine always is trying to help the needy and the homeless and the kids.
09:55
Because there are people that don’t have any people routing for them. You know, I guess this is what, when I remember, when I got here in 1988,
10:07
There was a group in Lahaina called the Lightbringers. It still exists. Well, Victor and you are doing that for years. Yeah. And you have a team of people. What do you do? Well, what we were doing, we’re trying to get it back going again, is to just help people that are in need. Find out what the need is and do what you can to help. Whether it’s kids that need food or families that need some assistance or somebody that needs some social services, try to provide that for them, connect it up together.
10:36
try to help out some of the people that are on drugs and alcohol to get off it. You know, because there’s people that fall through the cracks, as Victor would say. Nobody should ever fall through the cracks. Well, you know, I never had a chance to talk to Victor until recently on the phone. And when he talked about the fact that
11:00
He and his wife chose the route not to accumulate. They chose a route to really be of service. And that’s many years of service. He’s an amazing person. He’s done it for 30 years. Helping people, just doesn’t care about anything except helping somebody else out. He was talking about having like a day shower. Somebody at night so they don’t have to go sleep in the bushes or something. Just a place to sleep.
11:29
in place to take a shower in the morning and get out. Because there are more homeless around here than I was going to say, than we care to realize. A lot of people, they don’t think they exist. And not all of them are drug addicts. Not all of them are mentally challenged. They’re regular. They just got to the point where a lot of people are one payroll away from being homeless. And it doesn’t take much to put them there. What does it take to help them? Well,
11:58
It just takes a little money and a little bit of compassion. One thing that is lacking is sometimes when somebody’s homeless, you need somebody to sit down with them one-on-one and just talk to them. Find out what it is. They didn’t wake up one morning and say, I’m going to be homeless. It happens. Find out what it is and see how you can do it at home. Especially in this time, I’ve seen people lose their houses. They’re renting for a while. It still seems very surreal. Right.
12:26
There’s no work. They have animals that they don’t… No one wants to be able to rent to them with animals. And in these times… What you just said was really interesting in that there are many social services around, but…
12:42
I have not really heard it put that, whatever it is that people need, you try to do. It doesn’t matter what it is, because it might be a little need. It might be something small. It might be they need a ride to get to Lahaina over to Wailuku to the social services place. But they don’t have the money for the bus, so they’re not…
13:00
They can’t comprehend you got to be there a certain time for the bus. Just give somebody a ride over to get them put together. What got you plugged into this? Besides the fact you’re a great guy, what got you? Because obviously you’ve been doing this a long time yourself. Somebody told me many years ago. They said, in this world, you’re only measured by one thing. You’re not measured by the amount of dollars you accumulate.
13:22
You’re not measured by the number of names you have on different buildings. You’re not measured. The only thing you’re measured about is the number of people that you’ve touched in a positive way. That’s the only true measure. I actually feel the same way. I find that that’s all that’s happening. That’s all that matters. Yeah. How about you? I hope that you’ll be…
13:51
Taking that to heart. You know, the compassion in the world. I’d like to see the compassion level go up and up and up and up. Well, there’s a story I got to tell when we were running my friends a few years ago. We would help the people that had nothing to eat. We set up like a food kitchen where they’d come and get something to eat. And one day this one fella came there. Big guy. Came there to get something to eat. He was wearing a seraphic. Big black guy. Never said a word. He got something to eat. Come back every day.
14:21
I tried to talk to him. He couldn’t talk to him. So Victor and I, because he was big and black, we called him Mercedes. We gave him a name. And he’d come in every day and help out. Then we’d go out and pick up food from restaurants that we’d served. And so he’d come with me and help, never say a word. So finally one day, I’m in the truck with him riding, and I say, Mercedes, tell me your story. He says, no. I said, tell me your story. He said, well, he said, in 1968, I got back from Vietnam.
14:50
He said, I had my uniform on, lost a lot of my buddies over there. I was in San Francisco. I went in a bar to have a drink. And this guy down at the end looks at me and he says, you and MF and baby killer. I said, I can’t take it. I went down. I slammed his head into the bar. His eye popped out. He said, I went to jail for seven years. He said, I did the seven years in jail. I got out. I figured, well, I learned my lesson. I had to control my temper.
15:19
Got my life together, I got married. Had a nice woman, we had a kid. Moved to Connecticut, had a good job. And he said, I came home one day and my wife said, I’m going out with my daughter to get something. She slid on the back, black eyes, heard. My wife and daughter were both killed. He said, I gave up. And so we helped him along. And then he left. Got his life together. Went back to the mainland. He called me up one day.
15:48
And he said, Gene, he said, this is Dave Baker. And I said, who’s Dave Baker? He said, Mercedes. And I said, what’s happening? And he said, well, he said, I got my life together and I’m doing well. I got a job again. And he said, I’m helping people out. Things like that make you feel good. And just talking to them, people have a story. And they want somebody to hear it. And then you can see if you can help. And that’s what it takes in this world.
16:14
Well, it’s nice to know there are people that are doing what you do. I do it in a lot of ways, too. Sure. You know, I always look at my bank account and I wonder, where’s all that money? I found that I’ve been investing. You know, it’s a really good feeling. I don’t know exactly what it is in me. It just wants to give and give and give. But I’m glad it’s there. You guys have that. There’s a lot of people here on the island. There are a lot that people don’t know about. That we really don’t know about. Yeah.
16:44
And I hope that many of you who are big givers out there, some of you are giving, some of you have been thinking about it.
16:53
Let’s all be in touch and see what we can do about really giving more and finding a way to help. One way you can help is be involved here with what we’re talking about. There are so many people that can use a meal, a shower, a place to sleep. A shirt or pants, shoes, anything. And we all think that there are services out there abundant. But when you check all these services, they may fill a certain niche.
17:20
But a lot of people feel stigma with these organizations and stuff. And they also, at times, express that if they don’t fall into the right category, they fall through the cracks. I mean, that expression. Nobody should fall through the cracks in this world. Well, thank you so much, Jason, for having me on here. Well, I’m happy to have you.
17:45
I know I get a little about politics a little much. I can tell you, whoever is going to be our new mayor, whoever you are, by the way, could be the same mayor, actually. I think that the ideas need to flow from the private sector without, you know, sometimes people are very accusatory.
18:10
you didn’t do this, you did do this, you, you, you, you. I hope more of us will be involved and stay involved. I oftentimes make that plea. And then every two years, people are involved. But there are some terrific people in our community that are involved all the time. I want to be supportive of them.
18:32
I just am so thankful that we live in a place where we have so many choices. This time there are so many people running because people are interested. That’s fantastic. Remember the Lightbringers. Is there a way to get in touch with you guys? Sure. You can get in touch with, actually, Harold Hardcastle from the bakery over in Lahaina. He’s one of our board members. Just get in touch with him over at the bakery and we’ll make connections. The bakery in the industrial area in Lahaina.
19:01
You’re gonna love that stuff. Thank you for joining us, all of you. Thank you, Gene. Thank you. Aloha. The time has come to make a change
19:26
time has come to unlock the hope that lives in each and every one of us and we must do our part we hold the visions god dreams of our hands can heal the ones we love let’s gather round and let us make a stand
19:55
for you and me unlock the hope and there’s a better life unlock the hope there’ll be no turning back but nothing changes unless we unlock the hope the time has come to make a change
20:25
The time has come to unlock the hope that lives In each and every one of us And we must do our part We hold the visions God dreams of Our hands can heal the ones we love Let’s gather round and let us make a stand
20:54
for you and me unlock the hope and there’s a better life unlock the hope there’ll be no turning back but nothing changes unless we unlock the hope but nothing changes unless we unlock the hope
21:24
But nothing changes Unless we unlock the hole Unless we unlock the hole
