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An anti-tourist experience : Hawaii travel group tours island s ugly realities
Zeb Larson
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Iolani Palace, the royal residence of the rulers of the Kingdom of Hawaii, photographed on Friday, Jan. 22, 2021, in Honolulu, Hawaii.Sean Marrs/Special to SFGATE
Hawaii looms large in the imagination of the U.S. mainland as a tourist paradise: beautiful beaches and volcanoes, delicious food, and the spirit of “aloha,” a spirit of welcoming. But aloha is a complicated concept, and for some, the tourist industry sells the idea of Hawaii as uncomplicated and without any problems.
Hawaii’s natural beauty conceals some ugly realities. The islands’ economy is dominated by tourism and the military there are 143 bases or facilities and 41,000 active-duty personnel. The military controls 21% of the island of Oahu, and there are 115 different sites on the islands identified as having been poisoned by decades of ordnance testing and military activity. Meanwhile, Indige