Are visitors not well liked in Kona? (rental, insurance)

[McFrostyJ]

Originally Posted by otterprods

No. I missed it but it sounds finny. Please summarize.

"Butters begins acting out at school, beating up a fellow student seemingly without provocation, and then later excoriating his male classmates for being stuck-up and disingenuous, save for Kenny, who he says is the only one with any dignity. When his parents learn of his increased anger, they explain to Butters that they are originally from Hawaii, that Butters is undergoing a biological stage that is similar to the instinct that compels salmon to migrate, and that he must make a solitary journey to his birthplace, to participate in a ceremony called hapanoa. They tell him that he is Hawaiian royalty, as his grandparents were in Hawaii at the time of "The King", and give him a "Mahalo Rewards Card" to assist him in completing his journey. When Kyle and the others hear that Butters is leaving, they urge Kenny, who is perceived to be Butters' "best friend" on the account of Butters' prior remark, to stop him, but Kenny ends up going with him.
When the two boys arrive at Kauai, they are greeted by a group of "native Hawaiians" (who turn out to be simply white Americans owning timeshares there), who take them to their chief, David. They are acquainted with Butters' parents, and use the Mahalo Rewards Card to receive discounts as native Hawaiians. They call Butters Keiki, and introduce him to their drink, chi chi. Butters' hapanoa is interrupted, however, by the news that the Mahalo Rewards Card is being eliminated, and that their points will no longer being accepted. The "natives" fear this will eliminate any distinction between them and the mainlanders, or "haoles", whom they intend to fight. Soon a war erupts between the "natives" and the U.S. Coast Guard, who bring them to nearly surrender by cutting off their supply of chi chi. Meanwhile, Kenny encounters the ghost of Elvis Presley at the abandoned Coco Palms Resort, who shows him a hidden trove of chi chi. Kenny brings this treasure back to the "natives", whose fighting spirit is renewed. The U.S. government decides to reinstate the Mahalo Rewards Card, and both Butters and Kenny are allowed to complete the hapanoa together. When asked if his anger has subsided, Butters admits that he is still jealous of Ben Affleck, who, in addition to being very handsome and married to Jennifer Lopez, is a good film director. When informed that Affleck is "just" married to Jennifer Garner, Butters' anger is assuaged, and he walks off into the sunset with Kenny, content."

Going Native - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[otterprods]

Originally Posted by McFrostyJ

Going Native - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That sounds pretty funny and actually quite insightful. ...almost worth watching an episode of South Park for (almost). I just like to see the kama'aina discount get lampooned on so cleverly. I go there to visit my Mom and she brags about how she gets to pay less for everything we do. So annoying.

My brother lives there too, and he's very good and subtle about the kama-aina discounts, and recognizes why it might make visitors feel less welcome, especially if your flashing it in their faces.

I always thought it would be good satire to go to the airport ad hand out 'stick it to you' coupons to the arriving tourists, granting them the 'aloha' of paying 10% more fore everything... but that would probably just come off as hostile, which is why I'm not a comedy writer.

[CyberCity]

Originally Posted by otterprods

My brother lives there too, and he's very good and subtle about the kama-aina discounts, and recognizes why it might make visitors feel less welcome, especially if your flashing it in their faces..

Perhaps sometimes the "I feel picked on" attitude is all in the mind of the person himself.

Why would someone fell less than welcome just because someone else is getting a discount? For example, a teen shouldn't feel less welcomed to the movies just because a senior gets a discount. An airline passenger shouldn't feel less welcomed just because someone else gets a frequent flyer discount. A Da Bus passenger shouldn't feel less welcomed just because youth (students) get a discount.

[otterprods]

Originally Posted by CyberCity

Why would someone fell less than welcome just because someone else is getting a discount?

In my experience, it's usually not worth explaining that to people who don't get it on their own, but I'll try anyways...

Those other things you mentioned are specific to certain age demographics (like seniors or students) which are inherently limited financially, or to someone who has earned a discount through past purchases (FF program). Or another case you didn't mention is a regular coupon-holder, who is someone who bothered to do some footwork beforehand and save a little. Kama'aina discount is different because it applies to all locals regardless of their financial means or purchasing patterns. Don't get me wrong, I understand that the Kama'aina is a good thing for locals struggling to make a living in a high-expense area, and also for the ones who may have more means but are doing the log flume tour for the tenth time because their step-in-laws-thrice-removed are in town, so I really don't have a problem with its mere existence. After all, Disneyland does the same thing for SoCal residents and it never bothered me when I was living there. It's the flaunting of it that's the problem. Just take your discount quietly and don't advertise to others that they're paying the inflated tourist price just because they're willing. Or DO brag about it if you want (by you, I mean' 'any person' btw) but then don't balk when people feel a little less welcome because of it, or when it gets made fun of by loudmouth cartoon kids.

[CyberCity]

Originally Posted by otterprods

In my experience, it's usually not worth explaining that to people who don't get it on their own, but I'll try anyways...

.... It's the flaunting of it that's the problem. Just take your discount quietly and don't advertise to others that they're paying the inflated tourist price just because they're willing. Or DO brag about it if you want (by you, I mean' 'any person' btw) but then don't balk when people feel a little less welcome because of it, or when it gets made fun of by loudmouth cartoon kids.

Well THAT IS the secret, and why I didn't "get it on my own". It's because I don't hang out with jerks who flaunt their discount.

[Kaiminani]

I got kama'aina tattooed on my forehead so everyone knows I get a discount.

[willowkim]

Originally Posted by Kaiminani

I got kama'aina tattooed on my forehead so everyone knows I get a discount.

Laughing out loud!! Awesome!

[KaraBenNemsi]

I feel always odd when I get discounts:

- The 'early bird' specials in restaurants make me look cheap.
- The 'senior citizen' discounts make me look old.
- Claiming the 'children' category for my teenage 6 foot boy makes me look like a liar.
- The Costco coupons make me look poor.
- The military discounts for my brother appear given to him because he's armed.
- The 'Buy 2, Get 1 free' make me look greedy.

And the kama'aina discount makes me feel that I am stealing a native Hawaiian right.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Originally Posted by KaraBenNemsi

..........

And the kama'aina discount makes me feel that I am stealing a native Hawaiian right.

Well stop that.

Businesses in tourist areas give a local discount hoping to get you to come in as a regular customer.

Repeat customers are important to a business, and it is not so easy to collect a healthy client base of repeat customers when a bunch of your customers are tourists.

The discount is a (hopeful) reward program for customer loyalty. That's what the businesses are trying to accomplish.

[otterprods]

Originally Posted by KaraBenNemsi

- The 'early bird' specials in restaurants make me look cheap.
- The 'senior citizen' discounts make me look old.
- Claiming the 'children' category for my teenage 6 foot boy makes me look like a liar.
- The Costco coupons make me look poor.
- The military discounts for my brother appear given to him because he's armed.
- The 'Buy 2, Get 1 free' make me look greedy.

That was funny.
...and coupon-clipping makes you look like 'crazy old cat lady' right?