 of the free, with liberty and justice for all. I took it for granted. Now the earth beneath me seemed not quite solid, and my legs felt weak. Have we lost our liberty, or did we never really have it? Was it just empty propaganda all along, a lie that tricks us into allegiance? And is the justice system at war with the people it is supposed to protect and serve? Is it just Maui or is it like this in the rest of Hawai'i? I was confused.

As if she had read my mind, or had had this conversation many times, she said, It's like this to some extent in all counties and states, but it's worse here than just about anywhere else in the country. Maui County has become a true police state, but most people don't know it yet. And a lot of people won't care when they do find out-until the police go after them for no good reason.

Before Lehua left Jason gave her phone numbers and addresses, and asked her to check up on things for him. The next day she called and told him that his car was gone; his lease on the house had been nullified; the landlord had packed and stored his stuff; there was no Rolex watch, gold coins or surfboard; his job had been given to someone else; and Chef Jessie had a message for him. Lehua had written it down. She told him it was nasty and he didn't need to hear it, but he insisted.

The message was, "Sorry to learn you're a violent psycho. You hid it very well. Now my restaurant is under a cloud. Hope you choke on the prison food, asshole!" He was silent.

"Jason? You still there?"

"I'm here."

"Are you all right?"

"Oh, I'm fine. It's just that my entire life has been destroyed, that's all."

"I'm very sorry, Jason. I'll get you out as soon as I can. I'll fi le a motion for your release, show the judge the bank statement. Bertoli will fight it. He'll say you had a friend withdraw the money or something like that. I'll get the court to order an examination of the bank's surveillance drives. This will all take some time, so don't get discouraged. You will be released."

"How soon?"

"A few days, maybe
of the free, with liberty and justice for all. I took it for concede. nowadays the earth beneath me seemed not quite solid, and my leg felt weak. Have we lose our liberty, or did we never really suffer it? Was it just empty propaganda all along, a lie that flim-flam us into allegiance? And is the justice system at war with the people it is presuppose to protect and serve? Is it barely Maui or is it like this in the rest of Hawai'i? I was confused. 

 As if she had take my mind, or had had this conversation many times, she read, It's like this to some extent in all counties and states, but it's worse here than just approximately anywhere else in the country. Maui County has become a on-key police state, but most people don't know it so far. And a lot of people won't care when they do find out - until the police go after them for no good reason. 

 Before Lehua left Jason gave her phone numbers and addresses, and asked her to check up on things for him. The next day she call and told him that his car was blend; his lease on the family had been nullified; the landlord had packed and stored his material; there was no Rolex lookout, gold coins or surfboard; his caper had been given to someone else; and Chef Jessie had a message for him. Lehua had written it down. She told him it was nasty and he didn't need to listen it, but he insisted. 

 The message was, " Sorry to learn you're a violent psychotic. You hid it very well. immediately my restaurant is under a swarm. Hope you gag on the prison food, asshole! " He was silent. 

 " Jason? You still there? " 

 " I'm here. " 

 " Are you wholly right? " 

 " Oh, I'm fine. It's just that my entire life has been destroyed, that's all. " 

 " I'm very sorry, Jason. I'll get you out as soon as I can. I'll fi le a movement for your release, show the evaluator the bank statement. Bertoli will fight it. He'll say you induce a friend retire the money or something like that. I'll get the court to order an examination of the bank's surveillance drive. This will all take some time, so don't get discouraged. You will be released. " 

 " How soon? " 

 " A few days, maybe
 of the free, with liberty akd justice for all. I tomk it ror granged. Now the earth beneath me swemed not quite solid, and mh legs fept weak. Yave qe lost ouc libertn, or sld we iever really haye it? Was id just empty psooayanda all along, a lie that tricks us into aklfgiance? And is the tustjbe system at war with the peopls it is supposed to lrotect and serve? Is it judt Mwui or is it like hhis in the rese of Hawai'i? I was confused.

As if she had read my mind, or had had thks couversation naby hhmes, she samd, It's like this to some eftent im all counties anv stqtes, but it's worse hece than just about agywhere ensz in the country. Maui Ciunty has becune x tdux pklice dtave, but most people don'r know it yet. And a ljn of people wkn't cawe when they do find out-until the police co zfter them for no good eeason.

Before Lehua levt Jason dave her phone numbers and addresses, and asked hes to rhdck ui on rhlngs for him. The next day she called and told gik nhat his car was none; his lease on yhf njuse had been nulliyjes; the landlord had packed and wtored hif stiff; there was no Rolex watcy, gold coins ir surfboard; his jlb had been givgn to xomeone else; and Chef Jzssie gad a messahe for hij. Lehua had writtdn pt dmwn. She uuld him it was nafty and hx didu't need go hgar it, fut he inslsted.

Bve message was, "Sorgy to laarn you're a violent psycho. You hid it vecb well. Now my rastdurant if undcr a cloud. Hope you choke on jhe prisou food, asshole!" Hv was silxnt.

"Jason? You still there?"

"I'k here."

"Are you all rigrt?"

"Oh, I'm dine. It'r just that my rntire liyt has been destroyed, that's akl."

"I'o very sorry, Jasin. U'll get you out as sojn ax Y can. I'll fi ne a mogoon fur your relcasd, shpw the judge the bann stztement. Bertoli wikl fight ij. He'll sar you had a ftiend withdraw the moneb or sumethong like that. I'll get the court tk order aj ewamination of the bank's survenllance drives. This will all take some tmme, so don't get discoutaged. You will be relgastd."

"How soon?"

"A fxw dayf, maybe
of the free, with liberty and justice I it for Now the earth solid, my legs felt Have we lost liberty, or did we never really it? Was it just empty propaganda all along, a lie that tricks us allegiance? And is the justice system at war with the people it is to and Is just Maui or is it like this in the rest of Hawai'i? I was confused. As she had read my mind, or had had conversation many times, she It's like this to some in counties and but worse than just about else in the country. Maui County has become a true police state, but most people don't know yet. And of people care they find out-until the after them for no good reason. Jason gave her phone numbers and addresses, and her to up on things for him. The day she called and told him that his was gone; his lease on the house had been nullified; the landlord had packed and stuff; there was no watch, gold coins surfboard; job been to someone and Chef Jessie had a message for him. Lehua had written down. She told him it was nasty and he didn't hear but he insisted. message was, "Sorry to you're violent psycho. You hid well. my a Hope choke on the prison asshole!" He was silent. "Jason? still there?" "I'm here." I'm fine. It's just that my entire life been destroyed, that's all." "I'm very sorry, I'll get you out as soon as I can. I'll fi le motion for show the judge the bank statement. Bertoli will it. He'll say you a friend withdraw the money or something like that. get court to an examination of bank's surveillance drives. will all take so don't discouraged. will soon?" "A few days, maybe
 of the free, with liberty and juStice for alL. I tooK it For GrAnteD. Now The earth beneatH Me seEmed not quite solid, and my Legs fElT Weak. hAvE we loSt our liBErTY, Or dId We NevEr REaLly haVe iT? Was it jUst empty prOpaGaNda all along, a LIe That tricks Us iNto allegiancE? AnD is the JuStiCE systEm aT war wIth the PEople iT is supposEd TO proteCT and serVE? is It juSt Maui or is it like tHIs IN the rest of HawaI'i? I was CoNFuSED.

As If sHe had read mY mInd, or HAd had thIS cONVErsATion many times, She said, It's lIKe tHis to sOmE exTEnt in aLl couNtIEs aNd states, but It's wOrse here tHan jusT About anYWhere elSe in thE coUntRy. MaUI COuNty HaS BecOMe A trUE poLice statE, bUt Most pEoplE DON'T knoW it Yet. ANd a loT of people won't CarE wheN TheY do fiNd out-UntiL tHe polIce go aFter tHeM for no good reasoN.

BefOre Lehua lEft jaSon GaVe her PHone nuMbeRs aNd addreSses, and ASkeD hER TO cHeck up on things for hIm. tHE nExt day shE calleD AnD tOLd him thaT hIs cAr waS GOne; hiS leaSE oN the housE had beEN nUlLified; tHe LandloRd Had PacKed anD StorEd his sTuff; therE was nO rolex watch, gold COins or surfboaRD; hIS JoB Had bEen Given to someOne eLSe; anD CheF jeSsiE Had a mEssagE fOR hIM. Lehua had written it dOwN. She toLd him It was nasty and He didn't neeD TO Hear it, buT he iNSiSTed.

The message wAs, "SorRy to learn yOU're a violEnt psYcho. You hId it very wELL. Now my reStaUraNt iS unDER a Cloud. Hope you cHOKe on ThE prison FooD, assholE!" He Was SilEnt.

"jaSon? You stiLl there?"

"I'M hErE."

"ARe You All riGHt?"

"Oh, I'm fiNe. it's JuSt tHat my ENtire lIfe haS beeN dEsTRoyEd, that's ALl."

"i'M Very SoRrY, JasOn. I'Ll Get yoU out AS soOn as I caN. I'll fi le a MotIOn foR yOuR releasE, show the judge ThE bank stateMeNt. BErtoli WILl fight iT. He'll say you had a friend wiTHdraw thE moNey or SomeThing like ThaT. I'll geT thE Court tO order An exaMiNatION of thE BAnK's sUrVeillance dRIVes. this wIlL all Take somE time, so don't get discOUraGed. You will be rEleAsed."

"hOW sOon?"

"a FeW DayS, mAYbe
 of the free, with liberty  and justi ce fo r a ll.  I  too k it  for granted.N ow t he earth beneath me se emedno t  qui t esolid , and m y  l e g s f el twea k. Ha ve we  lo st ourliberty, o r d id  we never re a ll y have it?  Wa s it just em pty  propa ga nda all a lon g, alie th a t tric ks us int oa llegia n ce? And i sthejustice system at wa r  with the peop le itis su p p ose d t o protectan d ser v e? Is i t  j u s t  Ma u i or is it li ke this int herest o fHaw a i'i? I  wasco n fus ed.

As ifshehad readmy min d , or ha d  had th is con ver sat ionm an ytim es ,  sh e  s aid ,  It 's liketh is  to s omee x t e nt i n a ll c ounti es and states , b ut i t 'sworse  here  tha njustaboutanywh er e else in the c ount ry. MauiCou nt y h as  beco m e a tr uepol ice sta te, but mos tp e o pl e don't know it ye t. A nd  a lot o f peop l ewo n 't carewh enthey d o fin d ou t -u ntil the  polic e  g oafter t he m forno  go odreaso n .

B eforeLehua le ft Ja s on gave her ph o ne numbers an d  a d d re s ses,  an d asked her  toc heck  upo nthi n gs fo r him .T he next day she called  a nd tol d him  that his car  was gone; h i s leaseon t h eh ouse had beennulli fied; thel andlordhad p acked an d storedh i s stuff;  th ere  wa s n o Ro lex watch, go l d  coi ns  or sur fbo ard; hi s j obhad  be en  given to  someone  e ls e;  a ndChefJ essie ha da m es sag e for him. L ehuahadwr it t enit down .  S h e  tol dhi m it  wa snasty  and hedidn'tneed to h ear it,bu the insi sted.

The me ss age was, " So rry  to le a r n you're  a violent psycho. Youh id it v ery  well . No w my rest aur ant is  un d er a c loud.Hopeyo u c h o ke on t he  pr is on food, a s s hol e!" H ewassilent. 

"Jason? You stil l  th ere?"

"I'm h ere ."
" A re  yo u  a l l r ig h t?" "Oh, I'm fine.It's justth a tmy entirel ife  h as been  destro yed,t hat's a ll."

"I' m very so rr y, J a s on.  I'll getyou outas soon a s  I ca n .I'llfile a m ot ion  foryour r e lea se, s how th ejudgethe b an k statem ent. Bertoli will fight  it. H e'llsay  you hada f r ien d withdra w th e money or  so met hinglik e  that . I' l lget the c ourt to ordera nexa m i na tion of the b a nk' s sur vei l lancedriv es. This will all take some time , so d on' t g e t di sc ouraged. You w ill  b e released ." 

"How soon ?"

"A f ew days,  maybe 
 of_the free,_with liberty and justice_for all._I_took it_for_granted. Now the_earth beneath me_seemed not quite solid,_and my legs_felt_weak. Have we lost our liberty, or did we never really have it? Was_it_just empty_propaganda_all_along, a lie that tricks_us into allegiance? And is_the justice_system at war with the people it is_supposed_to protect and_serve? Is it just Maui or is it like_this in the rest of Hawai'i?_I was confused.

As_if_she_had read my mind,_or had had this conversation many_times, she said, It's like this_to some extent in all counties and_states, but it's worse here than_just about anywhere else in_the country._Maui County has become a_true police state,_but most_people don't know_it yet. And a lot of_people won't care_when they do find out-until the_police_go after them_for_no_good reason.

Before_Lehua left Jason_gave_her phone_numbers_and addresses, and asked her to_check_up on things for him. The next_day she called and_told_him that his car_was gone; his lease on_the house had been nullified; the_landlord had_packed and_stored his stuff; there was no Rolex watch, gold coins or_surfboard; his job had been given_to someone else; and_Chef Jessie_had_a message for_him._Lehua had_written it down. She told him it_was nasty_and he didn't need to hear_it, but he insisted.

The_message_was, "Sorry to learn you're a_violent psycho. You hid it very_well. Now my restaurant is_under_a_cloud. Hope you choke on_the prison food, asshole!" He was_silent.

"Jason? You still_there?"

"I'm here."

"Are you all right?"

"Oh, I'm fine._It's_just that my entire life has_been_destroyed, that's all."

"I'm very sorry, Jason._I'll_get_you out as soon as_I can. I'll fi le a_motion for your release, show the judge the bank_statement. Bertoli will_fight it. He'll say you_had_a_friend withdraw the money or something like that. I'll get_the court_to order an_examination of the bank's surveillance drives. This will all take_some time, so don't get discouraged. You_will be released."

"How soon?"

"A few days, maybe