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Sports

[{"type":"text","text":"LAS VEGAS — What does money do to a man? "}]

Conor McGregor has earned lots of it during his rocketship to superstardom, a rise to prominence that began with the UFC in 2013. 

In 2021, Forbes named him the world's highest-paid athlete after he earned $180 million following the sale of a majority stake in his Irish whiskey company, Proper Twelve. In 2018, he was ranked fourth after taking home $99 million, a chunk of it coming from his 2017 boxing megafight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. 

On Saturday, McGregor will make the walk against 

 for the main event of UFC 329. It will have been five years since McGregor stepped in an octagon, his most recent bout cut short due to a leg fracture against Dustin Poirier on July 10, 2021. 

 just as easily as the cash. Perhaps his most publicized transgression with the law was when an Irish court found him liable of sexual assault in 2024 for a 2018 incident in a Dublin hotel with a woman named Nikita Hand. McGregor's appeal was denied in 2025, and he was still required to pay the equivalent of $257,000 in damages. 

In spite of the ruling, the UFC welcomed McGregor back with open arms. On Wednesday, about 100 journalists from all over the world mobbed McGregor when he made his media day appearance at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. For many, it was the first chance to speak to McGregor following his half-decade hiatus as a fighter. One of the the first questions asked was whether his money became detrimental to him. 

"Obviously," McGregor admitted. "Obviously. You know, 2017 double weight (UFC) world champion, Floyd Mayweather bank. And then I launched an Irish whiskey. I didn't drink heavily, if at all, in that time of my life. I was an athlete at the top of my game. Next thing you know, thousands of thousands of bottles in my garage, 'Sell this, Conor.' God gave me these lessons. That's it. I was trapped and caught, and it is what it is. I trust in God. I trust in my journey, and I trusted the truth. The world is against the truth, then I am against the world, that is where I stand."

McGregor has received the full celebrity treatment during fight week. Dozens of cameras have followed his every move while the organization has promoted his return, choosing him and Max Holloway to headline International Fight Week, the UFC's signature event each summer. While McGregor remains the sport's most iconic name and face, he has lost supporters along the way. How should fight fans approach his return while grappling with his issues away from the canvas? 

"I continue to fight. I know the truth, and I know that lying lives are an abomination to the Lord, and I know that anything known in darkness will soon come to light," McGregor said when asked about the rape case. "And I trust in God that it's coming. You best believe it's coming, and I look very, very forward to the day."

McGregor, 37, had just one UFC fight under his belt when he defeated Holloway, 34, in 2013 via unanimous decision. McGregor earned a reported $24,000 for that fight, while Holloway pocketed $14,000. In a rematch 13 years in the making, money pales in comparison to McGregor's desire to return to his element. 

"The excitement is going to be off the charts on Saturday night. The performance is going to be off the charts," McGregor said. "I have some shot selection here, and some set of moments that I planned. I'm excited to showcase it."

As for Holloway, money certainly remains a motivating factor. Although UFC 329 fight purses have yet to be disclosed, Holloway is expected to earn his greatest payday yet due to the magnitude of McGregor's return. 

"I'm fighting for money. I'm a prize fighter," Holloway said. "If you wasn't fighting for money, you're an idiot, right?"

In Holloway's most notable moment as a UFC fighter, his last-second knockout of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 in April 2024 earned him $600,000 in bonuses before he even got to his base pay for the fight. 

The victory over Gaethje opened new doors for Holloway as the 

. With Gaethje earning the UFC's lightweight belt with a stunning TKO over Ilia Topuria on June 14, Holloway knows his options are plentiful if he secures an exciting victory on Saturday. 

"Who would have thought that Conor was even coming back after what happened with the injury? It's just big," Holloway said. "I finally get to right the wrong, and I'm looking forward to it. He's a killer, and I'm looking forward to seeing the best Conor McGregor on July 11, and hopefully I get a SportsCenter No. 1 spot up there.

"This guy has unlimited money, and he has a lot of connections. Yeah, he's coming back from a crazy injury. He supposedly found God. His kids are gonna be here at the fight. ... I'm getting ready for the most dangerous Conor McGregor we ever saw, and nobody's told me otherwise."

Despite the three years of youth Holloway has on McGregor, the Wai‘anae native joined the organization a year before McGregor did. And while McGregor has sat out the last five years, Holloway has fought eight times in that span. 

Nearly every other fighter on the 329 card was asked about the bout between McGregor and Holloway, with the vast majority backing Holloway due to his activity. Others gave simpler answers.

"I'm backing Max because I like him," said former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker, who will take on Nikita Krylov in the main event of the prelims. 

One of the longest running traditions in the sport has been fighters clamoring for a McGregor bout after a big win, knowing the kind of prominence and financial windfall the fight would bring. McGregor was asked about Gaethje, who said he would attend the fight on Saturday in hopes of challenging him.

"Get in the queue," McGregor replied as he brushed off a question about the UFC's new lightweight champ. 

Holloway's potential next move with a victory? Another McGregor fight to complete the trilogy. 

"I'm gonna put my paws on him, and I'm gonna make him wish that he didn't come back," Holloway said. "Actually, no, I'm not gonna make him wish that. I'm gonna make him think that he can do it one more time, so we can rematch at the end of the year."

Conor McGregor Max Holloway 070826

<title>Max Holloway, Conor McGregor take to the mic and reflect ahead of UFC 329</title>

The two mixed martial arts stars and Saturday's headliners were the main attraction of UFC 329's media day at T-Mobile Arena on Wednesday.

Max Holloway, Conor McGregor take to the mic and reflect ahead of UFC 329

Kam Napier Headshot

A. Kam Napier

Government & Politics

If you’re a street junkie, shooting up heroin in Chinatown, the State of Hawai‘i has your back. It’ll take our tax dollars and turn them into clean needles, so you can keep on shooting safely.

Fentanyl addict? Go for it! Chances are you’ll never get busted for public intoxication (though it’s a crime), or possession (a crime), and if you overdose, the state will once again turn tax dollars into Narcan to save your life. All your emergency rooms visits? Not to worry! “The people” have you covered with their tax dollars and inflated insurance premiums.

If you’re an alcoholic, the State of Hawai‘i just doesn’t care. Legislators drink, after all, they’re not going to go after their own Heineken and Merlot. Just don’t drink and drive, that’s the only area where we see public policy put any time and money. Everyone seems perfectly confident that ID checks at the liquor store are keeping booze out of the hands of children.

Love pot? Lucky you live Hawai‘i! Hawai‘i loves pot and Hawai‘i loves you! It’s de facto legal, based on how often you can smell pot in the open. And it’s trivially easy to go the law-abiding medical marijuana route. Tell a doctor you’re anxious, get a prescription and it’s off the pot pharmacy you go. Enjoy! After all, we’ve hashed this issue out for years now and all sensible people agree that drug prohibitions never work. You have to respect people’s choices and just legalize and tax their habit.

But if you’re a smoker who’d like to quit smoking cigarettes by going to a safer but similar alternative, this same State of Hawai‘i has just two words.

, Gov. Josh Green just signed a law that as of January 1, 2027, will ban “99.9% of disposable vapes” in Hawai‘i. Flanked by public health officials and the obligatory Child For Whom We Do This, he positively beamed with pride.

Over what, exactly? Doctor Governor Green should be aware that if harm reduction works for hard drugs, it certainly does with nicotine. The UK’s NHS (formerly known as the National Health Service), which is beloved by American Democrats as an ideal model of universal health care, has 

“In recent years, e-cigarettes have become a very popular stop smoking aid in the UK. Also known as vapes or e-cigs, they're far less harmful than cigarettes, and can help you quit smoking for good. … Many thousands of people in the UK have already stopped smoking with the help of an e-cigarette. There's evidence that they can be effective. A 2021 review found people who used e-cigarettes to quit smoking, as well as having expert face-to-face support, can be up to twice as likely to succeed as people who used other nicotine replacement products, such as patches or gum.”

Our reporter asked Green about that. He replied with skepticism, saying, “The biggest problem has been getting an entire generation … innumerable middle schoolers and high schoolers hooked,” Green said. “Society has found ways to quit traditional cigarettes through medical means, through behavioral techniques; we should lean on those.”

Does he even hear himself? He said this while signing an e-cig prohibition law. Not medical means, not behavioral techniques, no, just the ban hammer. Meanwhile, actual tobacco cigarettes, the really dangerous ones we didn’t ban, remain perfectly available.

Then Green put Lola Irvin on the spot for further comment on our question. Irvin is administrator of the state Department of Health’s Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Division. As we reported, she said adults who have concurrently used traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes are less likely to successfully quit smoking, while young people who begin using e-cigarettes are more likely to transition to smoking traditional cigarettes.

[{"type":"text","text":"So much for harm reduction!"}]

Irvin seems unaware of the NHS findings I shared above about people successfully using e-cigs to quit tobacco cigarettes or reduce their intake. There are other studies.

Efficacy and Safety of E-Cigarette Use for Smoking Cessation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

,” for example, published in 2023 at The American Journal of Medicine. Conclusion: “Nicotine e-cigarettes were associated with increased smoking abstinence in comparison with non-nicotine e-cigarettes. Furthermore, nicotine and non-nicotine e-cigarettes increased abstinence compared with conventional smoking cessation therapies, and the absolute risk of [Serious Adverse Events] was low across all trials. Overall, these data suggest e-cigarettes appear to be more efficacious than conventional nicotine replacement or behavioral smoking cessation therapies.”

, published last November. “Nicotine e-cigarettes can help people to stop smoking for at least six months,” it concludes. “Evidence shows they work better than nicotine replacement therapy, and probably better than e-cigarettes without nicotine. They may work better than no support, or behavioral support alone, and may not be associated with serious unwanted effects.”

As for her arguments that e-cigs and vaping makes teenagers more likely to take up smoking real tobacco cigarettes, there are indeed studies that find teens given to try vices will try both vaping and smoking, sometimes in that order, sometimes the other way around. These studies find they’ll often also try pot and booze.

When you measure what youths actually do, however, the astonishing and wonderful fact is that 

peaked in 1997 at 36.4%, considerably higher than the adult rate that year of 24.7%. By 2021, the youth smoking rate dropped to just 3.8%, well below the adult rate of 11.5%.

That’s an 86% decline in just 24 years, across all ethnicities, sexes and grade levels.

And it has dropped even more since then, despite the arrival of e-cigs and vaping. As of 2024, according to the 

, just 1.4% of high school students reported any use of tobacco cigarettes.

, found that from 2022 to 2025, e-cigarette and tobacco cigarette use among youth further declined while nicotine pouch use remained low and stable.

In other words, we won the war on youth smoking, without any prohibitions at all. When our governor says that "an entire generation … innumerable middle schoolers and high schoolers" have just been "hooked" on nicotine, he is flat out lying. The exact opposite is true. 

Rather than declare victory and keep on with existing, obviously effective policies, Hawai‘i snatched a crisis from the jaws of success and enacted this ban.

Because they did so in part to “protect our keiki,” they had a student speak at yesterday's press conference, Maya Butts. The bathrooms at her school, Kalaheo High School, she said have become just “places to vape.”

That’s surely against school rules and is certainly already illegal, so this sounds like an enforcement problem to me. Except the enforcers failed to uphold existing law. Then she said:

“I’ve watched my smart, athletic friends completely lose their motivation. They got hooked on these devices that taste like candy, move on to other substances, then lose their spark altogether.”

I hate to break it to Butts, but if vaping makes her schoolmates lethargic and lazy, they aren’t vaping nicotine. They’re vaping pot.

But the ban is about more than health and protecting kids, Green said, and the text of the legislation argues. It’s about protecting the environment. In each disposable vape is a battery and these batteries are getting into the environment, they asserted, without data.

Setting aside the fact that I’ve never seen the gutters lined with thrown-away vapes the way one used to see cigarette butts, I’ll just note that this is the same state government that is forcing us to import batteries by the tons for our carbon-free solar future. A half-ton battery in every EV. Batteries the size of a Matson cargo container for the solar farms. All with no plan for their disposal or recycling.

OK, so if you dig into facts and find that there is no youth smoking crisis, and the stated rationalizations for the ban range from transparently bogus to logically inconsistent, what’s really going on here?

[{"type":"text","text":"Class warfare, that’s what."}]

Vaping nicotine is, by and large, a lower-middle class and working-class vice. Construction laborers, single moms working two or three jobs, people who ride the bus. People who rent. They have ambitions and aspirations constantly thwarted by Hawai‘i high cost of living and ridiculously unnecessary housing shortage.

They’re tired, they’re stressed. They turned, at some point in their lives, to Kool Milds and Marlboro Lights to deal with it all. They know smoking is bad, though, but quitting is hard. Smoking is a pleasure, it’s a consolation. It both calms anxiety and sharpens concentration.

Then, miracle of miracles, technology gave them a better choice. Tobacco-free nicotine they can inhale for the same soothing, sensual pleasures they got from smoking, with none of the known carcinogens, none of the pilau smell.

On the other hand, we have the upper-middle class and those who aspire to that status. Your governors, legislators, health department careerists and high school faculty. People with social capital and clout, if not vast wealth beyond the equity in their home that they own. Few to none of these white-collar, college-educated professionals ever smoked, or quit years ago. They know better.

[{"type":"text","text":"They took one look at vaping and thought, in unison:"}]

[{"type":"text","text":"“That looks stupid. That looks tacky. That looks low-class.”"}]

That’s it. That’s the whole mindset. All the people who pushed this ban won’t say it, because they know how it sounds. No one wants to be seen as a snob and a Karen, they want to hide that. So they prop up children as human shields, gin up a non-existent crisis and use health and the environment as fig leaves.

All those smiling faces at that press conference? That’s the look of people gloating in triumph.

[{"type":"text","text":"“We took something stupid away from the stupid people! Yay, us!”"}]

That’s all that happened yesterday, and Hawai‘i is a better place as a result. For them.

A. Kam Napier is editor in chief of Aloha State Daily. His opinions in Pipikaula Corner are his own and not reflective of the ASD team.

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Vapes i Stock 2232713126 16x9

<title>Pipikaula Corner: Hawai‘i's fraudulent vape ban</title>

On Tuesday, Hawai‘i Gov. Josh Green signed into law a ban on "99.9% of disposable vapes." It's a move totally at odds with the harm reduction strategies the state uses for all other vices, argues ASD Editor in Chief A. Kam Napier. And it's in response to a non-existent crisis, in that teen smoking and vaping is the lowest it's ever been in a quarter century.

Pipikaula Corner: Hawai‘i's fraudulent vape ban

Wai‘anae's Max Holloway signed the dotted line for perhaps the most prominent bout of his career, the fight agreement came with a new wrinkle.

worldwide superstar Conor McGregor (22-6) in the main event of UFC 329 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, July 11. The fight will take place at welterweight, Holloway's first foray into the 170-pound weight class. 

Of Holloway's 32 UFC fights, the vast majority have taken place in the 145-pound featherweight division. Holloway's 14 straight featherweight wins remain a UFC record, and he reigned as the division's champion from 2016 to 2019. In 2024, he moved up to the 155-pound lightweight division, winning the UFC's BMF belt against current lightweight champ Justin Gaethje. 

 via decision to Charles Oliveira in March, he got the fight he's coveted for the last 13 years. Back in 2013 when Holloway was 21 and McGregor was 25, the two fought at UFC Fight Night 26 in Boston, with McGregor taking the victory via decision. The two separately ascended to superstardom in the sport. 

As Holloway prepared for one of the biggest opportunities of his career leading up to July 11, one of the names he turned to was his trusty strength and conditioning coach, Darin Yap. 

Yap, the founder and owner of Honolulu-based Tactical Strength, believes that even though Holloway is making a 15-pound leap from his last fight, it's important that he doesn't lose his best qualities in the new weight class. Known for his striking volume and stamina, Holloway's 3,681 significant strikes 

"We always try to be true to who Max is as a fighter, meaning that he's going to utilize his footwork, he's going to bring pressure, he's going to throw a lot of punches," Yap told Aloha State Daily in a recent interview. "The footwork, the hand speed, the endurance, those three things always have to remain constant, because that's who he is as a fighter. Every fight, regardless of the opponent, we always start making sure that we have taken care of those things, and then based on the weight class and who the opponent is, we can make adjustments from there. 

"He gained a little bit of weight so that he could be a little bit more durable, and then the weight always helps with the punching power, too. But like I said, we never want to sacrifice our speed and our endurance for size."

During a rigorous camp, Holloway steadily added to his frame in preparation for the welterweight bout. 

"We're trying to add a little bit of size slowly. I think the biggest difference for Max (at welterweight) is that he can eat more, and then him having that Polynesian frame as he starts to eat more, you can really see that body start to fill out," Yap said. "I know he's definitely a lot more happy when he's fighting at 170 but I think other than that, I don't think there's a whole lot of difference between (camps at 155 vs. 170)."

Coincidentally, McGregor held featherweight and lightweight belts with the UFC during his time with the organization. But unlike Holloway, McGregor has fought at welterweight three times. McGregor's return is heavily anticipated due to the fact that he hasn't fought since fracturing his leg in a July 10, 2021 loss to Dustin Poirier. Excitement for McGregor's return is prevalent, and the Holloway camp is no different. 

"The level of excitement is through the roof," Yap said. "We wanted this, we were hoping for it. We're really excited, but we're trying to contain ourselves, because there's always a chance that Conor doesn't show up. Come fight night, when both of those guys are in, at least we'll know Conor showed up, and that'll be some validation."

Yap, a 1995 ‘Aiea High School graduate, works with a bevy of athletes across different sports, genders and levels during his 65-hour work weeks. Clients range from the youth level all the way to the pros, such as Holloway and Cleveland Guardians standout pitcher 

Holloway and Yap first met when Holloway was a wiry teenager that had yet to sign with the UFC. Yap's first experience training Holloway ahead of a fight was in 2011, back when Holloway outlasted local veteran Harris Sarmiento at an X-1 event at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center. Yap says it didn't take long for him to realize he was working with someone special in Holloway. Fifteen years later, Holloway continues to cement himself as one of the greats in the sport.

"I'm just completely grateful to him that he allowed me to come on this journey with him. It's been such a great experience. He knows that it's just pure gratitude on my part," Yap said. "I'm just super happy to help him anywhere, any way I can, and just happy to be on this blessed express with him."

Darin Yap 070726

<title>Excitement for Max Holloway is 'through the roof,' says strength coach Darin Yap</title>

Holloway's strength and conditioning coach, Darin Yap, believes his 15-pound jump to face Conor McGregor on Saturday will be a seamless one.

Excitement for Max Holloway is 'through the roof,' says strength coach Darin Yap

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

To kick off the summer, The Kāhala Hotel & Resort is offering a 20% 

 and Seaside Grill. The discount can be applied to Plumeria Beach House’s a la carte or buffet menus (the discount doesn’t apply to alcoholic drinks). The restaurant is known for its open-air, casual atmosphere with ocean views.

Plumeria Beach House’s seafood dinner buffet is on Friday and Saturdays only from 5 to 8:30 p.m. It normally costs $97 per adult and $49 for children ages 6 to 12. With the kamaʻāina discount, it’s around $78. Buffet seating is limited to two hours per table.

Buffet highlights include seafood on ice — including oysters, snow crab and shrimp cocktail — and a carving station with the eatery’s signature garlic and rosemary-rubbed prime rib of beef.

The seafood station features ‘ahi sashimi, spicy ‘ahi poke, limu ‘ahi poke and mixed ginger scallion poke, along with assorted sushi. Diners can choose from ‘ahi nigiri, inari, dynamite California rolls and more.

Hot entrees include the fresh catch of the day, Thai-style fried chicken, scallop fried rice, salt and pepper shrimp, stuffed salmon and more. Meanwhile, the salad bar features Caesar salad, Nalo greens, Chinese chicken salad, summer watermelon feta salad, seasonal fresh fruits and more.

Desserts include Oreo cheesecakes, caramel walnut sable, fruit tarts, lilikoʻi crunch macnut cakes, cobbler of the day — apple was featured during our visit — and the Kāhala signature bread pudding with creme anglaise. The dessert station also features a self-serve soft serve ice cream machine with a toppings bar.

Diners will receive four hours of complimentary parking with a $50 minimum purchase.

https://www.kahalaresort.com/dining/plumeria-beach-house-menus-seafood/

Seafood buffet from 5 to 8:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays

Plumeria Beach House seafood station 061626

<title>Kamaʻāina can enjoy a 20% dining discount at The Kāhala Hotel & Resort</title>

To kick off the summer, The Kāhala Hotel & Resort is offering a 20% kamaʻāina discount at Plumeria Beach House and Seaside Grill. The discount can be applied to Plumeria Beach House’s a la carte and buffet menus.

Kamaʻāina can enjoy a 20% dining discount at The Kāhala Hotel & Resort

Located on Waimanu Street — upstairs from 

 recently celebrated its soft opening. The space is home to an apparel line and café, according to business owner Momo Sakauye.

Sakauye, owner of Dear you Honolulu clothing line, says she ran pop-ups for her apparel business, but always wanted to open a café alongside it.

“The clothing line has options for both babies and adults — someone special to you,” she says. “I have a basic menu right now (for the café) because I’m running it myself.”

The new café space features Sakauye’s apparel line along with drinks and pastries. The café’s name is inspired by the concept of a “blank canvas,” according to Sakauye.

“It’s like a white canvas; people can come here and create different memories,” she explains.

[{"type":"text","text":"Limited customer seating is available within the café."}]

The café menu currently features Americanos ($5.50), espresso shots ($5) and lattes ($6). Customers can enhance their lattes by adding caramel or honey ($1 each). Sakauye explains that she wanted to soft open her business with a smaller menu, but plans to expand the drink options. All drinks come in 12-ounce sizes.

Sakauye also recommends trying the café’s Ichigo milk ($6.50), or Japanese strawberry milk, a refreshing beverage that features housemade strawberry jam mixed into cold milk.

The café also offers a rotating selection of pastries. Options during our visit included butter croissants and a lemon yogurt cake.

[{"type":"text","text":"“It’s like a butter cake; it’s not too sweet,” Sakauye says."}]

The café is currently open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (closed on Sundays and Wednesdays). Customer parking is available in the building’s lot.

Open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; closed Sundays and Wednesdays

Blanc Nook Cafe business owner 060126

<title>Blanc Nook Café opens in Honolulu</title>

The cozy café recently opened on Waimanu Street; it’s located above Ry’s Poke Shack’s Honolulu location. The space is home to an apparel line and a café, and business owner Momo Sakauye plans to expand the café menu to include more drinks.

Blanc Nook Café opens in Honolulu

Higa headshot white shirt square

Sterling Higa

At 7:30 last Friday morning, 1,200 people filled the Coral Ballroom at the Hilton Hawaiian Village to pray.

They had come for the Prayer Breakfast Hawai‘i, now in its 47th year. Governor Josh Green and Maui Mayor Richard Bissen were in the room. So were Senate President Ron Kouchi and Representative Elijah Pierick. They sit on opposite sides of the aisle the rest of the week.

The keynote speaker was Tony Dungy, the Super Bowl champion player and coach. He first came to the Islands in 1977 to play in the Hula Bowl. Dungy traced his life as a series of providential turns. A draft snub landed him on the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he joined Bible studies with future hall-of-famers like Donnie Shell. He met his wife through a church and later won a Lombardi Trophy in Indianapolis. Dungy saw God’s providence at work in his wife, Lauren Harris. She had once 

taught a Pittsburgh sixth-grader named Josh Green

Around Dungy’s testimony, prayer after prayer rose for Hawai‘i’s leaders.

A prayer breakfast for politicians may strike outsiders as odd. Why pray for the people in charge?

Because Scripture commands it. In 1 Timothy 2, Paul urges Christians to offer supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings for everyone in high positions. This is no New Testament novelty. Even in exile, God told his people to seek Babylon’s welfare and to pray for it (Jeremiah 29:7). They were to pray for Nebuchadnezzar, so the command does not turn on the ruler’s character. Jesus pressed the point further: pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:44).

The diehard Democrat may struggle to pray for Donald Trump. The diehard Republican may struggle to pray for Josh Green. Man is sinful, and only grace bends him to pray for his enemies. If a Christian refuses to pray for his leaders, he has a sin to repent of.

The host invoked 2 Chronicles 7:14, and Dungy returned to it: “if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Good politics, on this view, is not the fruit of clever strategy. It is the fruit of God’s blessing on a humbled people. The claim sounds shocking to a secular ear. The American Founders took it for granted. So did the chiefs and people of the Hawaiian Kingdom.

This is the ground the national press now patrols under the scarequoted label “Christian nationalism.” The label implies theofascism, but the framing fails on contact with the thing itself. The Christian nationalist loves God. He trusts that God blesses nations primarily through the gospel of Christ. Christ is a light to the nations, not a cudgel against them. But the Psalmist also foretells a day of judgment. Rebellious nations will be broken like pottery by a rod of iron.

The Prayer Breakfast has been gathering for 47 years. Christ has been a light to the Hawaiian nation for more than 200. Kauikeaouli took the throne as Kamehameha III in 1825. In his first speech, he gave his kingdom to God and committed his rule to literacy. Fifteen years later he issued Hawai‘i’s 

. It opened with a Declaration of Rights drawn from Acts 17:26: “God hath made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on the earth.” The Hawaiian kingdom asked God for protection and prosperity, knowing it could not secure either alone.

Where the gospel takes root, justice and mercy and ordered liberty follow. They are not side effects. They are signs of the kingdom.

So why would 1,200 people give up a Friday morning to pray for governors and mayors and senators and representatives? Because their Lord told them to:

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

Prayer Breakfast 1 16x9 Large

<title>Praying for Hawai‘i's leaders</title>

Last Friday, some 1,200 people gathered for the 47th Annual Hawai‘i Prayer Breakfast, including such leaders as Governor Josh Green, Maui Mayor Richard Bissen, Senate President Ron Kouchi and Representative Elijah Pierick. Attendees may have represented different faiths, different governing philosophies, they may even at times be opponents, but they came together seeking grace. ASD opinion columnist Sterling Higa talks about why that matters.

Praying for Hawai‘i's leaders

Alika Garcia

Alika Peleholani Garcia is co-founder of Kuleana Coral Restoration, the first Native Hawaiian-led nonprofit dedicated to coral reef restoration. Garcia is a longtime fisherman, firefighter and ocean steward.

<title>Alika Peleholani Garcia</title>

Alika Peleholani Garcia

Aloha Spirit

When corals are ripped out, we lose more than coral — we lose shelter for reef life, habitat for fish, and part of the reef’s natural ability to take the punch out of waves before they reach our shoreline. That loss affects our food systems, livelihoods and community health, says Alika Peleholani Garcia, executive director of Kuleana Coral Restoration.

Alika Peleholani Garcia

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