Aloha Everyone:

When a giant in the field such as Tony Marsella takes time to respond to my comments about "Democracy, Human Development, and Mental Health," I think it is important to take notice... Tony's response underscores and expands my own words on this topic. Hopefully, his comments will stimulate on-going discussion of this important topic and more specifically to encourage us to think about, talk about, and act on the various forms of outdated organizational policies, practices, traditions and values that continue to be perpetuated in APA and ACA ... policies, practices, traditions, and values that undermine more vibrant and grassroots democratic participation and input into the policies and practices of these important professional associations.

I also want add a person reflection and comment about Tony Marsella and in doing so... promote an ethical consideration that is intended to help us think about the things we can do to promote the notion of a "beloved community" among the persons in this group and other groups we are involved in our lives.

When I came to the University of Hawaii 16 years ago... several multicultural experts mentioned to me that, although Tony is a well- respected scholar in the field of multiculturalism, he is not really an activist. Well, because I try to intentional serve the profession as a militant humanist in ways that reflect a heightened commitment for social-political-social justice activism and revolutionary change, I allowed the interpretations of others to influence my thinking about this well-respected individual... a great scholar but not a true risk- taking activist.

Over the years I have found that what I had heard was not at all accurate. In fact, I have and continue to learn about the many ways that Tony Marsella has risked his career and even physical safety in actively and publicly and consistently standing up for the Native Hawaiian poeple and standing against the continued forms of racism and cultural oppression that exist in Hawaii. I learned that Tony Marsella is a courageous man who bears the scars of a person who works for social justice in the streets and with the people. I have learned that Tony Marsella is, among the Native Hawaiian people, respected and known as one of the few White men who has routinely risked much to promote justice for the indigenous people of this occupied land. In fact, I do not know of any White man who has stood up so consistently for this indigenous group people.

I have also learned that gossiping takes many forms... that talking critically behind people's backs is a common phenomenon though not a really a highly honest/moral/ethical behavior in the sense of the beloved community-building efforts that Dr. King and bell hooks talk about.

I want to humbly acknowledge and apologize to Tony Marsella for allowing the comments of other people to underestimate my understanding of the person he is and the risks he has taken in the struggle for justice. I want to publically thank him for his response to my e-mail and all of his contributions and acts of courage...

I also hope that in sending this personal statement to all of you that we can continue the discussion that Tony and I have initiated... and perhaps more important to search our own ethical-moral core and make a commitment to demonstrate a greater level of honoring one another.. a true loving for one another as we are bonded by common values and goals and life purpose... and to refrain from the sort of gossiping and behind the scene conversation that led me to not realize the full contributions that one man had made in our struggle by listening to others who presented an incomplete picture of his humanity...

In the continuing struggle for justice and peace.,

Michael D'Andrea