Robin Knox (SeaLily) -South Maui Council Candidate 2014. Jason Schwartz and Airielle Pearson interview South Maui Council candidate Robin Knox AKA SeaLily to give the people of Maui County a chance to get up close & personal. Jason commentary 11/25-: “Knock Three Times: on the Political Glass Ceiling, Robin… thinking to run again… or, if duty calls…?
Summary & Transcript Below…
Introduction and Background of Robin Knox / Sea Lily
Jason Schwartz introduces Robin Knox, a candidate running for Maui County Council in 2014.
Robin Knox has been active in Maui for eight years, originally invited by her Buddhist teacher, Prema Desara, to address water quality concerns.
She was motivated to move to Maui after hearing about local water pollution causing health issues, despite her background as an environmental scientist and belief that U.S. laws like the Clean Water Act should prevent such problems.
Knox’s primary focus is on clean water protection and why the Clean Water Act is not fully implemented in Maui.
She emphasizes the importance of implementation over enforcement, highlighting that laws exist but lack sufficient programmatic implementation, staff, inspectors, and proper resource use.
Knox proposes better utilization of existing bureaucracy and training county employees, especially environmental specialists, to improve water quality management without creating new bureaucratic structures.
Challenges in Environmental Enforcement and Political Realities
Knox explains difficulties in influencing tenured government employees who have job security and cannot be easily directed by council members.
She suggests that policy and procedural reforms, rather than wholesale changes in law, could streamline environmental protection efforts.
Knox recounts her experience uncovering that Maui County was injecting untreated wastewater into groundwater, which then surfaced at popular shorelines, posing public health risks.
Despite her professional warnings and published research, the county has been slow or resistant to action, leading to a Clean Water Act lawsuit filed by Earth Justice.
She identifies the ongoing issues with injection wells and environmental activism (e.g., Shaka Movement opposing GMOs) as signs that current environmental protection efforts are ineffective.
Knox stresses the need for leadership willing to say difficult truths and act decisively despite potential backlash.
Achievements and Vision for Maui’s Water Resources
Knox highlights her accomplishments:
Leading a 45-expert state-wide group convened by the Department of Health to improve water quality assessment.
Authoring a paper clarifying Maui County’s wastewater compliance status.
Writing a South Maui watershed protection plan making it eligible for federal funding (one of only two priority watersheds on Maui).
She advocates for watershed protection plans across all watersheds to safeguard vital water resources.
Knox emphasizes her extensive experience in environmental problem-solving across 20 states and 10 EPA regions, boosting her confidence that Maui’s problems are solvable.
She calls for collaborative, non-polarized approaches rooted in mutual respect and shared responsibility, invoking the Hawaiian concept of community unity and cooperation (“we’re all in the same canoe”).
Voter Engagement and Broader Problem-Solving Approach
Knox encourages voter registration and explains that Maui County voters can vote for council candidates from any district, not just their own, emphasizing the power of voters to influence change.
She discusses her systems analysis approach to problem-solving, which applies to environmental, social, and organizational issues.
Knox addresses homelessness on Maui, sharing personal experiences and insights:
Recognizes the complexity of homelessness, including links to mental health.
Points out societal stigma around mental illness and inadequate mental health support.
Notes that homelessness is not solely due to newcomers but also affects long-term residents and native Hawaiians.
She critiques the superficial treatment of homelessness, such as banning people from public spaces rather than addressing root causes, likening it to squeezing a toothpaste tube where problems displaced reappear elsewhere.
Integrated Water Resource Management and County Government Structure
Knox critiques the fragmented management of water resources in Maui County: drinking water, stormwater, flood control, wastewater, and reuse are handled separately, despite being parts of one system.
She introduces the concept of Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) as a more effective framework.
Knox suggests possible structural changes such as forming working groups or even amending the county charter to create a Department of the Environment to unify water management functions.
She acknowledges that the existing Department of Environmental Management has broader authority than currently utilized and that new leadership could improve its effectiveness.
Knox states she could serve effectively both in legislative roles (Council) and administrative roles (e.g., head of Environmental Management), emphasizing that the Council controls the budget and policy direction.
Holistic Governance Philosophy and Environmental Justice
Knox stresses the importance of holistic governance and addressing all parts of a system together rather than ignoring or shifting problems.
She opposes simplistic “against” stances and prefers constructive problem-solving aimed at improving projects and policies rather than outright rejection.
She highlights environmental justice concerns, pointing out disparities in the placement of affordable housing near agricultural pollution (smoke, dust) versus market-rate housing in pristine areas.
Knox advocates for raising environmental quality standards everywhere rather than segregating communities by income or race.
She frames life as a shared journey with everyone in the “same canoe,” calling for cooperation rather than divisiveness.
Personal and Spiritual Identity, Campaign Approach
Knox shares the story behind her spiritual and campaign names:
“Lily” symbolizes rising from darkness to bloom, referencing her Louisiana origins.
“Sey” is her mermaid or community name known by many on Maui.
She embraces both her scientific background and spiritual beliefs, acknowledging that in current times, science and spirituality can coexist in public leadership.
Knox values listening, dialogue, and respect for diverse viewpoints as key to effective governance.
She emphasizes her commitment to service, offering her skills and talents humbly to the community without personal financial gain to date.
Jason Schwarz and Ariel (her longtime spiritual colleague) praise Knox’s intellect, heart, and capabilities, urging voters to support her.
Knox encourages voters to think beyond popularity and focus on integrity, skills, and substance in candidates.
She reminds voters that Maui County’s voting system allows voting for all nine Council seats island-wide, not limited by district residency, empowering voters to support candidates like her regardless of geography.
Knox emphasizes confidence in Maui voters’ ability to choose capable and honest representatives.
The interview closes with affirmations of Knox’s dedication, problem-solving abilities, and heartfelt commitment to Maui’s environment and people.
Jason and Ariel reaffirm their support and encourage the audience to consider Knox seriously in the election.
Key Insights
Clean Water Act Implementation Gap: Laws exist but are not effectively implemented on Maui due to bureaucratic inertia and resource misallocation.
Systems Analysis Approach: Knox applies a scientific, holistic method to address environmental and social issues, emphasizing integrated solutions.
Environmental Justice: Affordable housing and environmental health must be addressed together to avoid disproportionate impacts on vulnerable communities.
Homelessness Complexity: Root causes are multifaceted; simplistic displacement tactics only worsen the problem.
Government Structure Challenges: Fragmented water management and entrenched bureaucracy hinder effective environmental protection; reforms and leadership are needed.
Community and Collaboration: Success requires overcoming polarization and working together as a unified community.
Voter Empowerment: Maui’s unique voting system allows island-wide choice for Council seats, widening options for voters.
Encouragement to vote based on integrity and skill, support endorsements
Glossary
Term
Definition
Clean Water Act
U.S. federal law governing water pollution to protect water quality.
Implementation vs Enforcement
Implementation involves putting laws into practice via programs; enforcement is legal action against violations.
Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM)
Coordinated management of water resources across different uses and sectors.
Environmental Justice
Fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race/income with respect to environmental laws.
Systems Analysis
A method to analyze complex systems by looking at interrelated components holistically.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Why is the Clean Water Act not fully effective on Maui? A: Due to lack of proper implementation—insufficient staff, resources, and coordinated programs—not because the law is absent.
Q: What is Robin Knox’s professional background? A: Environmental scientist with experience in Clean Water Act implementation and environmental problem solving across multiple states and EPA regions.
Q: What are the main environmental issues Knox focuses on? A: Water quality, wastewater management, watershed protection, and integrated water resource management.
Q: How does Knox approach homelessness on Maui? A: As a complex systemic issue linked to mental health and economic stress, requiring compassionate, comprehensive solutions rather than displacement.
Q: Can voters on Maui vote for candidates outside their district? A: Yes, Maui County allows island-wide voting for all nine Council seats, enabling voters to support any candidate.
This summary encapsulates Robin Knox’s campaign message, professional expertise, and vision for Maui’s future grounded strictly in the provided transcript.
00:02
Aloha I’m Jason Schwartz and I am here in 2014 can’t believe it’s 2014 2014 with Robin Knox hi Robin aloha hi hi Robin is running for Council many of you know Robin Knox because she has been on the scene here for all of us for many years and some of you don’t which is why we’re doing this show thank you for joining us here thank you for doing the show Jason I really appreciate it my pleasure you know people tell me that these forums that are out there they see so many candidates come and go with a
00:41
few questions it starts to become a big confusion and so I started this tradition uh two decades ago when I was running and found that no one knew who I was then then afterwards they said oh we wish we knew about you and we would have voted for you so that’s why we’re doing this it’s nice to have a chance to do more than a sound bite um many of the questions like that the newspapers ask or that different groups that are doing um you know endorsements they will only give you you know 50 words or 150 words
01:15
or whatever it is and you can’t always explain yourself or let people get to know you in that way so I’m grateful to have this way thank you now you been on Maui how many years eight years I’ve been on Maui eight years I was invited to come here but originally by my Buddhist teacher uh Prima desara and she um said to me my dear you must come to Maui so who could refuse an invitation like that I came and I met women who were literally crying about uh water quality on Maui and how their husbands
01:53
were sick from drinking water up country and how some of their family friends and visitors had gotten infections from swimming in the ocean uh Jason I had a hard time believing this because I’m an environmental scientists my whole career has been um making the Clean Water Act happen creating and protecting clean water and so I was like this is America we have laws to protect our resources this couldn’t possibly be true but they convinced me to come to Maui um to study the problem and after a brief visit I
02:32
knew that I couldn’t do this from the mainland I couldn’t do this just as a business um Enterprise that it was much more than that and so I moved to Maui to um find out why the Clean Water Act wasn’t being fully implemented here and to do what I could do um in service to clean water and to the world to protect Maui’s Water Resources any culprits can we point fingers we can point fingers and I bet that in your new role and right here your new role at Council can you do more than you can do
03:09
as a just a private citizen is that absolutely you know when I first came here and I started talking about water quality and clean water uh I was actually censored by institutions government groups and they said we don’t want to point fingers and I said of course not because you would be pointing the finger right at yourself we are all part of this and the only solutions are for all of us to be part of it and that’s why I found I can be effective in roles of leadership because I have this
03:42
experience of how to actually do this and there are a lot of people that want to do this can you pass a law to in to uh for example demand it we don’t have to pass a law the law exists all we really need to do is what’s called implementation not even enforcement you can’t enforce Law Without implementation you have to have programmatic implementation staff you have to have inspectors you have to write reports you have to do all those government type things but if you don’t have a big
04:13
budget then you do it the way I would propose which is by connecting the dots and making better use of the resources that you have um the county has many you know excellent people on staff um but they not many of them actually have environment education or training so wow um you can hire some environmental Specialists maybe especially at the top um someone to be in that position of responsible charge but you can also train uh you can develop policies and procedures that employees have to follow
04:49
so you don’t have to build a whole new bureaucracy to do this the bureaucracy exists we’re just not using it effectively I like that word the bureaucracy exists I have had a conversation at a re there was a realtor forum for a bunch of these candidates and we got they were jumping around tables and one of the sitting Council people said well we have to be careful on what we say to these administrative departments they’re all tenured employees and you can come and go as a council person and you can’t it’s
05:27
grounds for dismissal to order them to do anything from Council it’s a major deal so it’s like okay how do we get the administration to get on changing the rules so that we can have a more effective and streamlined Administration on Council do you have the P maybe you get to change the laws so that we can do that I think the council we again I don’t think there’s a big change in law that’s needed other than possibly the way the council does some of the ordinances you know we we try to do
06:00
Environmental Protection in Maui County by putting conditions on land use permits and other you know authorizations that Builders need to develop um I think there are more effective ways to do that simply by having more policy and procedures that streamline the work uh and I think everyone would appreciate that it’s more efficient use of our dollars I think the County Employees might feel more valued uh if they’re supported more doing this um you know often after I have testified to County Council many Professionals in
06:38
our community who work for developers many professionals who work for the county uh government have come up to me and said thank you for saying that I wanted to say that but I couldn’t because I’m scared of losing my job if I say it what is that scared of losing the job it’s it’s real because our it happened to me you know I as an environmental professional found out that the county of Maui was not disinfecting their Wastewater and that they were uh under a Safe Drinking Water Act permit they were injecting it into
07:11
the groundwater but we found out that that groundwater which is naturally buoyant is popping to the surface right at the shoreline where everyone’s swimming where the coral is where the fish are and uh so as an environmental professional I have an ethical code and that code is protection of the environment and people comes first over everything so even though I knew that as a consultant there might be people who would not want to do business with me if I said anything publicly about it I was
07:44
also compelled by my ethics to testify to EPA um we did talk to the County Council and the head of the and uh we also talked to planning departments and division of Environmental Management a a group of scientists did to express our concerns about this um and we were asked to publish a paper on it so we did and when that paper was published EPA did agree with my professional environmental opinion um and they did order some actions um unfortunately the county has been so recalcitrant or slow to move
08:25
forward um that Earth Justice felt compelled to file a lawsuit a Clean Water Act citizens lawsuit and to me this is a sign we’re not working effectively um the fact that the dire Coalition don’t inject redirect effluent exists over that injection well uh scenario the fact that the Shaka movement exists over the GMO issue tells me we’re not being effective in our Environmental Protection programs I wonder if you heard that the fact that the Shaka movement is active talking about GMOs and that there’s uh talk
09:05
about injection Wells that are releasing affluent you call it affluent it’s it’s treated waste water but it has um if you don’t disinfect it it has uh disease-causing bacteria in it so she’s here eight years do you know that I’ve been discussing this subject for three times8 on Maui and we have people I can’t point fingers because it doesn’t help but there are people that have been in government for that whole period of time and let these problems continue whether they’ve been in Council or
09:40
Administration we don’t have people that make the big change that say the hard things even though they know it’s going to get them some heat well you know so that’s a big deal that’s what I’m all about I’m can do you know I I’ve only been here eight years but let me tell you what I’ve done in eight years for your water I met and led uh a a group for the Department of Health of 45 experts from across the state of Hawaii to talk about how do we better assess our water quality and how do we tell
10:15
when it’s too much pollution and action needs to be taken I wrote the paper that resulted in Clarity of the compliance status for County of Maui so that we now know what we need to do to move move forward in terms of wastewater treatment and reuse um I wrote a watershed plan for South Maui that makes our watersheds now eligible uh for federal funding we’re one of only two priority Weds on Maui one is in West Maui one is in South Mali and if I had my way Jason I would have every Watershed with
10:52
a watershed protection plan a plan for water quality because it is our our our life it is something that every business every person whatever their U political alignments may be or whatever their philosophy on life or whatever all of us need water and to me that’s where we’re wasting a lot of money time and energy not just on water but other related environmental decisions and I have worked in 20 different states on environmental problem solving and in 10 EPA regions so I know that it can be
11:29
done differently and I know that Maui is noi I know that Maui has more Talent more Capital more impassioned people than any place I’ve ever been so I have every confidence that environmental problems do not need to be this big ordeal for us this is simple we can do this and we have to do it all together we can’t be oppositional and polarized yes you have to stand your ground you have to have that ferocious compassion for what you believe and what you want but we also have to sit at the table
12:04
together and recognize each other as human beings who are all in this together the Hawaiians have a great saying for that we’re all in the same commity and we really are and if we’re all paddling in different directions not too good you know it’s an interesting thing I imagine if you’re watching this show you’re interested in seeing change and you’re probably going to be voting and if you’re not you have’t until July something coming up soon 10th 10th to register to vote in the primary but you
12:38
can also be registering even if you miss the primary to get to the final and you vote all around the island you vote for all districts so you could be in molai laai caloi and vote for Robin Knox Robin is your representative she would have a residency requirement District but she’s yours you’ve got nine Council people if you don’t like the person in your District you can go to anyone that you relate to here’s someone that actually listens understands you know many times I found and I don’t know if it was me
13:15
when I doing it but people run and they have one issue like you’ve been a champion and leader in water but is my way of thinking someone that understands how to analyze a problem could be valuable in lots of areas of our government in our Island any other areas that you can spot I mean I don’t expect you going into the seat to know the details of all these issues many of these people that are sitting on Council one two 3 four five terms they jump off they come back they’re not dealing with
13:50
these things and they didn’t know anything when they began or new limited that there’s another expression sometimes it’s difficult to remember you’re rich intention was to drain the swamp when you’re up to your in alligators well you know I’m from Louisiana and I’ve done uh engineering works in those swamps so I totally can relate to that people go with just tremendous drive to make change and then they sit among nine people and they figure now what am I going to do these
14:21
people don’t really understand me do you have a capacity it sounds like you do well first of all the method of problem solving the I’ve been trained in is known as systems analysis and um it’s used in computer technology to analyze those systems it’s used in environmental problem solving it’s also used in social problem solving because you can analyze any organization it’s a system so I do have a lot of observations about our system and for one thing there are a lot of symptoms uh
14:53
a lot of people are disturbed about the number of homeless people on our Island and that’s very disturbing to me um and you know I I think I I might understand the causes of homelessness on a firsthand basis because I myself and one you know my family is one of those families that um every month we’re hoping to cover our rent so that we’re not homeless and um you know we struggle with uh a I hear a lot of people say there’s a lot of mentally ill homeless people well there are a lot of mentally
15:26
ill people period you know and there lot people that get homeless and you can get mentally ill it’s hard not to be mentally ill when you’re homeless and you have that much stress on you but also mental health and mental Wellness is something we don’t concentrate on enough in our society we stigmatize a little too much huh yeah a lot of people don’t even reach out for help in these areas exactly and that’s why we have suicides and um you know the Maui times did an article on my
15:55
birthday um the friend of one of the uh writers at the Maui times committed suicide and on that very day I was on the phone preventing a friend of mine from committing suicide and we actually got to be one of the first benefactors or beneficiaries of the Maui police department’s training in this area they have done a great deal of of training about how to respond to these situations so I know that there are Urgent needs in our community for those kinds of uh healthare Services as well as well as physical healthare um
16:33
and it’s really all healthare you know and quality of life I just heard something go off that’s okay we’ll let it go um that’s really very big do you go into your seat in council with any specific tasks you’d like to do or just going in with an attitude anything specifically on task I hope to in the area where I have the most subject matter expertise and environmental to model a method of problem solving that we can use in all of our problem solving I I do want to advocate for things like
17:14
affordable housing um health care and other services that will keep our families in homes and will make for a safe environment and a good quality of life for all us my saying Jason is a clean environment is the foundation of a good economy which is the foundation of a good quality of life um it’s very clear to me and there are great many economists who have written on this and one of the things we undervalue you know is our environment our environmental resources and our Water Resources we have a tourism based economy we’re
17:54
trying to hang on to Agriculture and and and come up with new ways of doing doing agriculture that are you know part of that base of our economy but the reality is that you know tourism is a is a huge economic driver and it’s based on that it feels good to be here people are open and friendly aoha spirit is alive it’s incredibly beautiful environment climate water and that Feelgood is what our product is the quality of life that we all enjoy here is what people come here here to be part
18:30
of well the part about that that kind of tickles me in a negative way is because of that for example homelessness they’re locking people away from Beaches they find nowhere for people to go that are hanging in parking lots alongside of streets with no refuge you can’t sleep in your car can’t be at the beach you’re harassed it’s an ongoing problem because of the tour ISM so the tourism here they don’t want any of that to be seen but you can’t sweep it into the ocean you got to deal with
19:05
these issues you can see this is my eosp spiritual platform you know it’s you can use you can say the words are even the same about whether it’s pollution or a problem that we’re trying to make invisible you can’t just sweep it into the ocean the proof is in the pudding eventually it comes out I like so any problem can be looked at from a systems analysis like a like a tu of toothpaste if you have a tube of toothpaste with the top on it it’s a closed system um if you’re going to squeeze one end of the
19:37
tube because you don’t want pollution there or you don’t want homeless people there what’s going to happen when you squeeze one part of that tube does comes out somewhere else yeah it just pops up somewhere else it doesn’t go away it’s like a body right right so repress it here you want something to not be in the place that it is um you need to make a place for it now some people have suggested that’s exporting it out of our system you know we can give people tickets to go
20:05
somewhere else if they want to but I think a lot of the people that are homeless here are not people that just came here from somewhere else because they were homeless and wanted a good climate to be homeless in I think that there are native Hawaiian families There Are Hawaiians who have been born here and grown up here who if they’re not actually already homeless they’re on that edge of worrying every month if they’re going to make GS meat and if their family’s going to be home and you
20:33
don’t have to be Hawaiian I know people uh all kinds of people white pink blue and green and they’re all right on the edge of homelessness all the time yeah I take a broad view of the word Hawaiian whether you’re a resident citizen the reason I’m bring or native Hawaiian you’re you’re Hawaiian right now and uh my point is is what you made is people I’ve heard people that are at the homeless shelter say you know people come to this island and as you’re they’re on the plane they’re saying
21:09
where can I find the welfare office I want to get home food stamps there are people that do that but there are so many people that’s your point that are here you’re one paycheck away from homeless and around here when you you don’t have enough money to pay the rent because the wages are low because the employers don’t want to pay more wages the whole thing is nuts around here and we don’t seem to have uh an exterior someone coming in a consultant to the whole deal that someone takes uh listen to so
21:46
you think that on Council you can be able to affect that and you’ve shown the things you’ve already accomplished well I think that my analytical skills will help us in the problem solving I also um I like to than a good listener and most of the work I’ve done like the Watershed plans and the the experts work group those were all facilitated um things that I led but and I might have been the primary author but the contents came from the people and I also have you know great skills in
22:21
writing rules that actually do what we want them to do and that’s uh I was a state regulator at one time it was my job to take a law that was passed by a legislative body and create from it rules that work to implement what that legislative body intended could you work for this mayor oh I can work for any mayor I’m bringing it up specifically every race when the race is over whatever if you’re on Council that’s a full-time job it sounds like you could be hired into the administration to
22:53
clean up their act that’s why I asked about whether on Council is your most effective role sounds like you could be effective in a few areas that’s powerful there are a lot of places where I’m effective one of them is an administrative hearings and Law Courts but I would rather solve the problem before we have to spend that kind of money um I would rather be on the ground floor of how the rules are written which is why I’m running for Council they write the legislation um I also know that the you
23:27
follow the money if you want to see how something works and the County Council votes on the budget and um has the right even to override the mayor if they have enough votes so I think um I can be effective on County Council I would not turn down an appointment to the head of division of Environmental Management but I will say one of the problems in our County Council and our County structure not the council is um that we don’t have integrated management of our water resources we treat drinking water storm
24:00
water flood control waste water water reuse as if these are all separate issues and there’s really only one water and and uh there is a whole school of Education and Training on Water Management called integrated Water Resource Management and our particular structure of departments is a challenge to that so we may need to have working groups or um maybe who knows possibly a an amendment to the Charter even to establish a department of the environment um we do have a Department of Environmental Management and I think
24:38
that their Authority is maybe broader than what they’re using so um the mayor or whoever gets appointed the new division of Environmental Management Chief does have the opportunity to make a difference there so yeah I could serve in an administrative role as well as in a um legislative role I’m hoping our mayor is watching because you know unless there’s some miracle happening here he’s going to be our next mayor as well and there are enough problems right now to keep us you know in
25:11
administrative problems so without a change in mayor we need a lot of help in administration I’m whether you be on Council or not I’m real glad to know there are people like you around that have the heart to get involved because I know people that also get involved then say I have had it with these people I’ve been fighting them and trying to get things changed for two decades that’s why I take my hat off the people like Mark shien Robin Knox um Bonnie Marsh Lauren Pang all the people that are
25:45
getting involved you know it’s very very important and Powerful for all of you to be involved you all vote wherever you are on the island you can vote for Robin Council if you like Robin KNX how you Jason even if you can’t vote you are a person of influence on this island and you can influence voters many people either can’t because of their they’re an immigrant perhaps or they choose not to vote but you can still influence people because you are a stakeholder you are part of this and you want your voice to
26:18
be heard what about holistic looks at the whole thing looks at everyone and says it’s not a throwaway you know many people think we can get it out of our close environment and it’s not our problem it’s their problem holistic means holistic all of it all of it so I hope in you’re hearing and listening closely this young lady has a lot to say and I can see I’m now in the Sun and you’re in the shade we’re going to try a little change of environment and watch this happen so one thing I think people
26:52
should know about me Jason is that I rarely stand up and say I’m a against that and the reason is that kind of turns it into a black and white decision and my experience in solving real world problems is there’s often a lot of areas of gray and we need to really dig into the problem more so it’s not that I don’t take a stand of uh being somewhat ferocious and compelling when I need to be but I don’t say oh that’s a bad project I look at it and say that could be a better project that’s
27:32
great so you don’t throw the baby out with the bath water exactly exactly we need housing we need affordable housing but we need it to be environmentally safe and sound um there’s a certain level of Justice environmental justice involved if we put all the affordable housing in kii where it gets bombarded by smoke and dust from agricultural operations um and we put the the you know full price market price housing in very beautiful environments um I have a little bit of an issue with that uh there’s several
28:08
ways to solve it though you could improve the environment to where you’re building the affordable housing by you know managing these impacts to people the the reality is the planet’s getting more crowded so is our Island and things that used to be far apart are now close together more and we have to address that but it doesn’t mean that you know corporations are evil or um certain people are devils and other people are angels um I that’s not my worldview I see us all as um having
28:46
the gift of life and that being sacred and that we’re all here in the same canoe and we have to pull together to make sure that we all have what’s really needed um to have a good quality life and to reach our fullest potential you know you sound like uh you’re speaking from the same place that my friend and partner Ariel speaks from I understand you know Ariel for years she was there and practicing with uh Prema also in fact I think we should probably change through that soon we’re going to get Ariel on here you
29:23
know you know what I always think of when you say Ariel I think of joy in laughter because that’s why I smiled when you said her name because that’s that’s what one of the qualities that she embodies oh yeah yes in fact I’ve seen her do the prayer um with 21 aspects of Tara and she’s played uh laughter a few times there’s a reason she dances that praise all the time well that’s another thing and I’m sure you’ll talk about your uh the name that You’ seal for a lot of people know
29:59
you I hope that a lot of people understand that’s why it’s there on the on the ballot um you’re a really powerful candidate because you’re thoughtful caring holistic in your approach understand systems probably could do a bang up job of uh kind of stream lizing this deal I hope so Jason that’s why I’m running I I want to serve I’m offering my considerable talents and skills I don’t think it’s egotistical to say that um that they’re considerable I’m offering them to the
30:37
people of Maui County and the people of the state really as well um I’ve done that since I’ve been here and I know that I’ve improved um things by helping solve problems thank you you’re welcome um I’m gonna let Ariel jump on here but is there anything that um I’m not asking you is there anything that you know sometimes people get on my shows and say you know I really wanted to talk about this you’ve been pretty um by your approach you cover a broad range which to me is great because doesn’t matter
31:15
what they throw at you you’ve got the right tools to analyze and move forward that is a skill that I think we could put in every Council seat and mayor seat we’d be better off anything else that’s an issue specifically you might want to talk about don’t have to I just want to say that I have confidence in the voters of Maui County a lot of people who are in the business of politics as usual have told me I don’t have enough money and that it’s really all just a popularity contest that I shouldn’t
31:50
worry about substance I shouldn’t worry about what the issues are or get too you know worked up over the details of a platform because it’s a popularity contest and I really think that there are more intelligent voters out there who really do carefully consider their their um their vote they value their vote and they really want to know more about candidates and what kind of person they are are they a person of Integrity are they a person that has the skills needed for the job um I think that’s
32:25
more important than deciding based on issue how you’re going to elect a candidate um we’re all whole people this is a a holistic world that we live in and I have confidence in Maui County voters that um they will elect the best Representatives by themselves that’s you even the guy over there in molai and Lai remember you can vote in all nine districts so if Robin Knox has said things that strike your heart you can vote for isn’t that exciting it’s exciting it is exciting we all have a
33:02
say you know the district voting that was one of the issues we brought up way back when and it’s amazing people still believe we have District voting right now so often I hear people say oh I’m so sorry I can’t vote for her because I live in Kola you can right it’s very confusing but yeah I get to vote for all nine members of the council and I think that’s a power that I have personally that I’m going to use wisely and I encourage all the other voters to do that as well thank you all for joining us I’m
33:36
GNA do a quick switch and bring on a more beautiful uh host than me so aloha aloha beautiful Ariel it’s so good to see you it’s so good to see you too darling hey folks I want you to know that this is one wonderful woman sitting here that has so much to offer you so you know I know see Lily which is what I’ve known her as for many years which is why as Jason said it’s on the ballad if you’re wondering because so many people know her and her actions and her Deeds by that name right so but she is
34:30
one wonderful person how did you get that name see Lily well you know Lily is um the lily flower rising up in the deep dark swamp where it’s it’s all dark the sunlight’s blocked one little beam of sunlight comes through and hits the mud and the Beautiful native irises of Louisiana which are known as Flur de the lily flower grow up and so Lily is my spiritual name because I’ve undergone a lot of aders and risen from the mck in the mud to make great things happen and then of course coming to Maui true uh I became a
35:08
member of a spiritual community that uh worships in the ocean and um so sey is my mermaid name or my pod name um and there are probably more than a thousand people on Maui who know me only by that name so um it is on the ballot because I am common known by that name and I hope you can learn to appreciate the beauty of it even if it seems different to you what a beautiful story I love that I never heard that I don’t think if I did I don’t remember no I don’t think you did I was Lily when I arrived and the
35:44
Sea ly just arose yeah like I said I’ve known her as sea ly for so many years that a few years ago when people started saying Robin I said who Robin who yeah see I was in stealth operation with the government as Robin Knox but um right yeah I I do um have many aspects to me uh one of the challenges for a scientist in our society is you’re not supposed to be spiritual or even a politician but we are in times where uh pastors and people spiritual leaders like Maran Williamson are stepping into
36:26
politics and we also in a place where scientists are acknowledging their awe at the Divine creation that we live in and you know it would be hard not to be ODed by it um so I I think we need to recognize everyone as a whole person I you know just because you have a certain job doesn’t mean I know all your viewpoints and so I’m very open to talking with people that’s one of the great joys of campaigning for public office is really getting to meet people and talk with them and uh if you spent
37:01
the time to talk with me I really appreciate it and want you to know that I honor your time and your so folks like I said before she’s one Dynamite woman she has a great background and she has already done so many wonderful things to assist our Island and it’s all been from her heart it’s all been from her heart she hasn’t gotten any pay for all the effort that she has put into all the things that she’s done and I really admire what you’ve done Robin thank you’re welcome
37:38
it’s my truth you can tell remember Robin Knox can do I I don’t just complain I don’t just talk I can do and do and she’s really good at figuring out problems I’ve been in a spiritual group with her for many years so I know her well I know her mental capabilities and I know her beautiful heart so I’ll tell you I’m going to vote for Robin and if you’re one of those people that was talked about that cares and would like to see excuse me those kids are having a great time would like to
38:20
see a person on the council who cares and has a beautiful heart and knows what she’s talking about which is really important you know I suggest you look into this lady so thank you so much Ariel it’s my truth Robin I know what a great job you would do you know you will do excuse me I know a great job will I truly do have a heart for Maui and for the people of Maui and the resources of Maui and I humbly ask you to please vote for me and I will prove to to you what I can do for you that’s right and yes this is not a
39:01
commercial thank Jason you want to come in and say goodbye that is a commercial but that’s fine it’s your uh opinion which that’s right oh I said that it was my opinion it’s only my opinion okay Aloha everyone you know um thank you for joining us I know that running for an election takes a lot of Bravery most people uh you know they’re looking to find like you say political they look for all kinds of reasons than things that are wrong instead of what is right but I can tell you I don’t see anything
39:39
wrong about you I think only right I’m really glad that you decided to run because you know win or lose you’re part of our Island and very important to us I hope that um the voters of Maui County give you serious consideration and I’m real happy that um I’m here on like you thank you so much thank you I value my maana very much yes well Mahalo for joining us today and we know that you will look so well into using your votes with good heart and good mind God bless aloha aloha
We use cookies to improve your experience on our site. By using our site, you consent to cookies.
This website uses cookies
Websites store cookies to enhance functionality and personalise your experience. You can manage your preferences, but blocking some cookies may impact site performance and services.
Essential cookies enable basic functions and are necessary for the proper function of the website.
Name
Description
Duration
Cookie Preferences
This cookie is used to store the user's cookie consent preferences.
30 days
These cookies are needed for adding comments on this website.
Name
Description
Duration
comment_author
Used to track the user across multiple sessions.
Session
comment_author_email
Used to track the user across multiple sessions.
Session
comment_author_url
Used to track the user across multiple sessions.
Session
Google Tag Manager simplifies the management of marketing tags on your website without code changes.
Name
Description
Duration
cookiePreferences
Registers cookie preferences of a user
2 years
td
Registers statistical data on users' behaviour on the website. Used for internal analytics by the website operator.
session
Statistics cookies collect information anonymously. This information helps us understand how visitors use our website.
Google Analytics is a powerful tool that tracks and analyzes website traffic for informed marketing decisions.
Contains information related to marketing campaigns of the user. These are shared with Google AdWords / Google Ads when the Google Ads and Google Analytics accounts are linked together.
90 days
__utma
ID used to identify users and sessions
2 years after last activity
__utmt
Used to monitor number of Google Analytics server requests
10 minutes
__utmb
Used to distinguish new sessions and visits. This cookie is set when the GA.js javascript library is loaded and there is no existing __utmb cookie. The cookie is updated every time data is sent to the Google Analytics server.
30 minutes after last activity
__utmc
Used only with old Urchin versions of Google Analytics and not with GA.js. Was used to distinguish between new sessions and visits at the end of a session.
End of session (browser)
__utmz
Contains information about the traffic source or campaign that directed user to the website. The cookie is set when the GA.js javascript is loaded and updated when data is sent to the Google Anaytics server
6 months after last activity
__utmv
Contains custom information set by the web developer via the _setCustomVar method in Google Analytics. This cookie is updated every time new data is sent to the Google Analytics server.
2 years after last activity
__utmx
Used to determine whether a user is included in an A / B or Multivariate test.
18 months
_ga
ID used to identify users
2 years
_gali
Used by Google Analytics to determine which links on a page are being clicked
30 seconds
_ga_
ID used to identify users
2 years
_gid
ID used to identify users for 24 hours after last activity
24 hours
_gat
Used to monitor number of Google Analytics server requests when using Google Tag Manager
%20-South%20Maui%20Council%20Candidate%202014.%20 Jason%20Schwartz%20and%20Airielle%20Pearson%20interview%20South%20Maui%20Council%20candidate%20Robin%20Knox)
