THIS past weekend, two Hawaii women basked in the spotlight as admirers cheered their excellence in respective endeavors. One was a beauty queen, the other a politician. One won a crown, the other has just begun her quest for higher office. Similarities between
a queen and a mayorYet both are alike in that each truly believes she can make a difference in a zany society.
On Friday night, 26-year-old Brook Mahealani Lee of Pearl City captured the Miss Universe title -- making her, technically, the most beautiful woman in this solar system and beyond.
Usually, I don't watch these contests for various feminist-based reasons. But on hearing the news flash that a Hawaii resident had triumphed in an international competition, curiosity and hometown pride won out.
When I flipped to the tape-delayed program on KGMB, the picking of the finalists was already in progress. Drop-dead gorgeous gals from all over the globe were strutting around the Miami stage in their low-cut evening gowns and precariously high heels.
But the big difference between the other contestants and Lee was that the also-rans were positively stunning and, boy, did they look like they knew it. Meanwhile, our Miss Brook looked like she was just having fun, and sincerely thrilled to be there.
The absolute best part, though, was when Lee told the audience that her wish was to eat everything in the world -- twice. It was a delicious skewering of pageant owner Donald Trump, who had threatened to dethrone the 1996 Miss Universe when she gained several pounds during her reign.
Lee delightfully put The Donald in his place. There's a lot of aloha crammed into that effervescent, long-legged wahine.
There's a lot of political savvy and determination crammed into another feisty lady, 43-year-old Maui Mayor Linda Crockett Lingle. On Saturday, she delivered the keynote address to a cheering convention of state Republicans at Waikoloa on the Big Island, thereby unofficially launching her anticipated campaign to unseat Governor Cayetano next year.
Although she's done a good job of running Maui County, her gubernatorial victory -- at this point -- seems elusive. Lingle has many strikes against her, including:
She's a Republican in Democrat-controlled turf.
Sounds grim, but consider this. A lot of people never, ever expected a Pearl City girl to grow up and become Miss Universe.
WHETHER someone has aspirations of running for office or for a crown, the pivotal point is not just thinking about it but actually pursuing that vision. This past weekend, one woman accomplished her goal while another is setting out to achieve hers.
When Brook Mahealani Lee took her victory walk, with camera bulbs going off and the crowd on its feet, she flashed the shaka sign in salute to her supporters and her island heritage.
When Linda Crockett Lingle took the podium at the GOP rally, and delivered a speech that stirred her party, she was the most beautiful sight that the Republicans had ever seen.