Thread by @HawaiiDelilah

Late last night mainland time, shortly after sunset Hawaii time, I tweeted this:

https://twitter.com/HawaiiDelilah/status/1332194045779533824?s=20

I'd like to detail what happened in this thread.

I live in a mixed occupancy community on the ocean. Some locals like me. And some units that get rented out to tourists, which may be owned by part-time mainlanders. The grilling area is community-based and shared. /2

I wanted to go to California for Thanksgiving to see my sisters, brothers in law, & MOST IMPORTANTLY!! my nephews and my niece. But I decided to stay my ass home alone to be pandemic-responsible. /3

So after all day on the beach smelling other people's turkeys (none for me), and finally going out there to grill my steak -- yes, my fucking steak because there is only one me and no turkey for 10 people because none of us SHOULD BE gathering like that... /4

Where was I? Oh yes, I was making the fucking best of my damned steak. I was turning that super-duper grill to 500 and waiting for it to heat up so I could throw that marbled ribeye bad boy on there. /5

And then comes this woman wearing a mask around her neck like neckwear instead of on her face and over her nose. She is using the lighters at the grills to light her candle but she is less than 6 feet from me. /6

I have a malfunctioning heart valve so I can't risk ever getting coronavirus. Also, I live in Maui. You have to wear a fucking mask. mauinow.com/2020/11/03/mau… /7

So I say to her - politely -- "Mam, could you please put your mask properly over your nose?" I honestly just expected her to pull it over her face, get out of my space, and then do whatever... either observe the law, or observe the law until out of my sight line. /8

Instead, she looked at me defiantly and said that she would NOT wear her mask properly. I said succinctly: "It is the law." Those were my exact words. No more. No less.
She again said "I'm not going to do that." I repeated: "It is the law." /9

She responded, "You know what I am going to do?" Then it turned into a bad movie. I was living IN a surreal twitter meme. She moved into my space, maybe 1 foot & a half away from me, ripped off her mask, & smirked at me. Then she said, "it will be your word against mine." /10

It took me a few seconds to get my wits about me, but as she was walking off, she was yelling something at me (I don't know what) but I got a photo of her walking off to send to the police and property management. /11

I saw the property manager while I continued to grill my steak... because a girl has got to eat. I told him what happened & to his eternal credit he was super-responsive. By the time I got back into my place with my steak, he had sent me an email for an incident report. /12

Here's the thing: Earlier in the am, I was on my lanai looking at whales AND dolphins. No shit. That really happened. My neighbor & his wife below were also viewing this magnificent sight. He's a cancer survivor & he said to me, "We are opening up too soon. It is dangerous."/13

I remember thinking "Well, we also have to rehab the economy but yeah, on the most isolated islands in the world? Damn right this is dangerous." I have a heart valve issue. My neighbor just got through cancer. And we have a #covidiot staying here refusing to wear a mask? /14

Again: Am I clueless about the need for smart thoughtful tourism? NO. That's what we want and need. But you can't come here and then blithely ignore the law. It is insulting to Hawaii, It is neo-imperialism. It is irresponsible. It is harmful. It is dangerous. /15

We are so blessed to have access to a beautiful piece of earthly paradise, it is shocking to me that anyone would not give it due respect. And by that, I mean the respect to the land of Hawaii, its people, and its laws. /16

All of us who call Hawaii home -- the most isolated islands in the world -- either short term or long term -- have a responsibility to treat it with consciousness, grace, and lawfulness. /17

I'll just say that after what happened, I could not talk about it. I didn't want to tweet about it publicly. I told my friend @_EthanGrey that I felt weirdly ashamed. As if I somehow caused it to happen. And then I said to him... /18

"You know what’s weird? I feel ashamed this happened. I thought about why I should feel ashamed & I realize because she violated me. In a sense. I am having all the reactions of one who feels physically violated & it is my word against my violator’s." /19

But he told me that I should tweet it publicly because it would be therapeutic and a public service, So that's what I am doing. /20

Bottom line: We are in a pandemic. You can't "ride it out" in someone else's backyard & not give a damn if you kill them. That's Racism 101, Colonialism 101, Don't be an asshole 101. And on THANKSGIVING??? /21

I mean, pick up a God damned history book and read about the global spread of disease and the imprint of colonial expansion. /22

I beg of you: Be responsible. Wear a mask. Hawaii is not your damned playground. It is a real homeland for American citizens who are entitled to lives of their own. Show Hawaii some fucking respect.

That. Is. All. Hawaii Delilah says peace out. /end

@ThreadReaderApp unroll, you sexy app you. Mahalo in advance.