Tom Brower, a five term Democratic State Representative in Hawaii, has launched a personal crusade against the homeless in his district. He is crusading against the homeless, not against homelessness. The mean-spirited lawmaker has embarked upon his own form of vigilante justice by taking a sledgehammer to shopping carts being used by the homeless. Yes, instead of proposing laws to increase affordable housing, to improve employment opportunities for disabled veterans, or to expand mental health services for people in need, Representative Brower has taken it upon himself to violently demolish what little property the most vulnerable members of his district have. When asked to comment, Brower told Hawaii News Now “I got tired of telling people I’m trying to pass laws. I want to do something practical that will really clean up the streets.” His practical solution is to be a one man demolition team who rips apart what little possessions they have by wielding a sledgehammer and a bad attitude.
Apparently, Mr. Brower lacks the creativity or compassion to actually find legislative solutions to address the problem of homelessness. So because it is so hard for him to think up meaningful legislation that might actually begin to address the problem, he resorts to a harsh and vindictive public relations stunt that simply reveals how much contempt he has for people who are struggling and have no place to live. Since the task of drawing up common sense legislation is too complex for Brower, perhaps he is unfit to serve as a lawmaker and he should give up his position for somebody who can get propose constructive rather than destructive solutions to the problem.
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As a state representative, holding a position of privilege and power, Representative Brower is doing a great disservice to his community by showing himself to be nothing but a vindictive bully, bereft of any sense of empathy or compassion. Brower should resign immediately, and if he refuses to he should be removed from office by any legal means possible. If that is not possible, Democrats need to find an opponent to run against Brower in the next Democratic primary, because he has no business representing the party. If Democrats do not field a primary opponent, then voters should be encouraged to vote for his Republican opponent if one emerges. Whatever it takes, short of stooping to his level and taking a sledgehammer to his office, Hawaii needs to find a way to get this man out of politics. The homeless problem needs to be confronted with compassionate and intelligent proposals, not with mean-spirited gimmicks and a sledgehammer.
Keith Brekhus is a progressive American who currently resides in Red Lodge, Montana. He is co-host for the Liberal Fix radio show. He holds a Master’s Degree in Sociology from the University of Missouri. In 2002, he ran for Congress as a Green Party candidate in the state of Missouri. In 2014, he worked as a field organizer for Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick’s successful re-election bid in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District. He can be followed on Twitter @keithbrekhus or on Facebook.
