One Deeper Look

So after days of writing out frustrations met when attempting to unite our people to win one solid victory, it has come to my attention that we need to have a deeper look into ourselves.  

Not only to those who I have been targeting, but all of us.  Every last one of us need to really look inside and fix something.  

Did you ever wonder why we have generational curses?  
That is not just a coincidence. We ALL want to think that we had the most pono ancestors, but the truth is that there is good and bad in every demographic of people and even within one person, there is good and bad.  If you think for one second that your lineage made it through thousands of generations of existence and not one of them ever made a mistake or were pilau, you are lying to yourself.

Did I bring this up to shame you? 
Not at all.  I brought this up because no matter how you pray, we all need to pray for our ancestors, the same way we'd like to think they are rooting for us. We each need to ask our ancestors to squash whatever hakaka they had with others.  

Its pathetic when we have bloodlines who refuse to admit their origins and relations to the rest of their bloodlines, because of hewa 29 generations ago.  That is absolutely ridiculous, but yes, we have families like that.  They don't even admit the hewa, they just deny who they are altogether, as thought they only popped into existence 28 generations ago and were here the whole time.  You see, this kind of behavior keeps the curses coming!

What about the part where family land is being split into 1/28 to all the mo'opuna but because they don't like eachother, taxes don't get paid, land is disgraced and families torn.  How stupid is that?  If I had access to my family lands, and I didn't want my addict cousin on it, I'd make legal stipulations for the sake of the future generations - you know, like how our ancestors thought of us?  Yeah.. like that.  Then I'd keep that section clean or possibly grow food on it.  Even if you hate and forbid that person from ripping the rest of your family apart, you can share with them the food you grow on their portion of the land.  I hope that doesn't hurt your pride too much, because Lord knows, Hawaiians get pride bigger than our bank accounts.  Pride is evil, by the way. Let's take a deeper look into ourselves and remove that root.  We can. We are working on ourselves together.  

What's Hawaiian and what's American?

Where does one draw the line between the cultures of what's Hawaiian and what's American?  Who gets to be the judge of that?

Well, everybody has opinions, so we aren't going to get into that, but we can get into the factual part or the contemplation of how people come to those judgments.

What's Hawaiian?  No you don't have to spend every day in the lo'i to be Hawaiian, and you can more accurately call it Kanaka Maoli for political correctness, if you go by American word trickery.  

I'm simply not Hawaiian for the same reason I'm not Oriental.  I'm not a luxury vacation or an expensive rug.  You call it however it suits you, but for the ease of everyone's understanding, let's just stick with Hawaiian for now.  There's a greater point to this scribe, than what's politically correct.

The Stockholm Syndrome Effect or Americanization is the dominant culture here, regardless of the color of people.  Everybody has adapted to the American way here.  Look around you.

When did Hawaiians require a collegiate degree to have an intelligent conversation?  Once again, on our quest to becoming American.  Let's face it.  Ever since they came, our people not only welcomed them, but we quick to absorb their ways like a freshly squeezed glass of lemonade.  Look at our true history.  

Its okay, but that leave us another reality to face: 

What identity are we defending and why are we defending sacred landmarks that we equally neglect?  Where does that come from? 

What's the point in going to halau if you walk out and live a totally different lifestyle?  How is that honoring sacred hula? 

Why aren't more people involved in the preservation of all symbols of our identity?  What marks are we missing? 

Parents, we have a shortage of Hawaiian Studies teachers and programs.  All we have are the money programs.. but what about a real Hawaiian cultural center with active afterschool programs? 

We talk about the shame of it, but our keiki attend public schools and they are forever pushing stem but not all the cultures that make up their student body?  Meanwhile, these kids pledge allegiance to a false flag and when do we tell them the truth?

Is it Hawaiian to put monetary gain over your land and people?

Is it Hawaiian to litter our islands and claim that a state worker will clean up after you?

Is it Hawaiian to sell your RP lands just because you need a few bucks for now, when so many are fighting to get theirs?  

Is it Hawaiian to give up and give in? 

Is it Hawaiian to give ALL our problems to Ke Akua and not do any of that work for ourselves?  I thought the Christian God we assumed was the kind of God who only helped those who help themselves?  So, what's going on there?

When did Hawaiians discover rum?  That's American and so is the love of drinking.

 

Recognize Who You Are

Recognize who you are

Don't you wait for them to see

You are a descendant of

Queens, Kings & Ali'i

Konohiki.

You do not need

Recognition

From 

Anybody

But yourself.

Kuleana is

A two sided coin

Privilege & Responsibility.

To enjoy one side, you

Must complete

The Other.

When we begin 

To shift our recognition

Others begin to see

They recognize

Too.

Arise

Focus on light

Become that light

Recognize who you are.

Maika'i

Its really nice that we can all unite on one thing.  

Its okay to be who you are and to be loved.

We are loving and accepting people.

We will come together one day.

Just who knows when?

Maika'i.

There is still a lot of good things happening.

We got four in Maui County, two aging out of position. 

Our children are smarter than they ever were before, thank youtube.

Times are changing and each generation is a little more savvy than the last.

I think we'll survive just one more day, and hope that we get out of the westernized box.

More of our children are being educated with an increasing Hawaiian Studies Program.

They are wanting to be involved now, more than ever, in our communities.

Our future is certainly going to be much brighter than  us.

But we have to invest in their futures.

We must learn from them.

The time is now.

Maika'i. 

Niele Much?

How many Hawaiian-Americans call you and want to know all of your business so they have something to talk about, but get mad at you when you ask a question or expose them for something?  Ever notice how many of our people will do that?  Why?

Yeah, people are going to tell me that this post shouldn't have been written and I will certainly beg to differ and ask you to reach into your college degree or KS westernized education to show me where our people did not observe strict and pono laws.  Show me where we didn't keep things intact.  Show me where we turned our heads to remain silent when pilau things are happening around us. You can't.  Your degree can't.  All you can say is that when people were dealt with, they were dealt with and when we went to war, we were strong, fierce and brave.  But you cannot say that today's behavior was acceptable back then.

So why is it okay today? Get a few historical excuses, but no volunteers standing up to become a part of the solution? So we fight and fight for someone else to recognize us, but do we recognize ourselves? Honestly, do we? While we are too busy getting into degrading someone else to make us feel good, we are neglecting to look in the mirror. Put your blue light on and look in the mirror.

If you scared yourself, look a little deeper within, something's there.  Fix it.  Detox your body for seven days and pray intensely in the way you do.  Meditate - listen to the gentle breeze. If you didn't hear the message, then keep going.  Keep on your quest into yourself because while you were busy being niele, you fell into some dirty behavior. 

I tell you this as family who loves you should.  

Its time to start realizing ourselves.  

Its time to realize who we are. 

Its time to awaken and unite. 

The winds of change are here.

Let us prepare ourselves to receive blessings.

Open our hearts to the possibility that we are

Filled with Mana.

Let's open that can of worms

In the light.

Now

.

Kekahi i Kekahi

What does that mean to you? 

Do you think that is when you quietly malama a family member who is tearing their life apart?  When you don't say anything, but continue to help them while they take advantage of you?

Is it when those kids are suffering, so you buy them an ice cream but are afraid to advocate for them, for fear of stepping on toes? What about the suffering you see that child going through?  Ten years later, that be the same teen or young adult having kids while you shake your head that they turned out to be as horrible as their childhood was.

Is it when you need to have ho'oponopono with someone and you just keep hammering them on every social interaction they have on fb? 

Is it when you choose not to have time with your kupuna because you don't feel like cleaning their yard?  But you'll call them for money, though.

Just what is kekahi i kekahi?

It is when you are strong yet mild about adjusting unacceptable behaviors.

It is that gentle hand when we see our loved ones falling down. 

It is when we can dedicate one day a month to help someone in their yard - we all don't have a yard, you know.  So helping another with theirs, might help you teach your keiki how to malama ka 'aina. 

Kekahi i kekahi is when we come together without the slander, and remember that we are all here for the same reason.  It is the time where we kook at one another and respect one another's level and stance.

If we are going to achieve our inherent & unalienable rights as a people, then we might want to align ourselves as such because we are too soft on allowing hewa to happen before our eyes, while thinking that we don't have to take responsibility for what's ours to begin with.  

Aloha Kekahi i Kekahi

If you're not in the condition to raise your child, do not be selfish and keep them because you think that is what love is.  Let the child go where they are being nurtured and malama who is caring for them.  Don't make your child miserable. That's not love.

If you need an excuse to party all the time, please don't blame that on our culture and think that's alright.  Your kupuna'iwi are turning in what used to be their grave, before you allowed some corporation to build something on top of it, because you failed to malama their grave when it was there.  If corporations begin to see that we abandoned the graves because we don't have a westernized gravemarker to pinpoint the site, then the corporations are going to take the opportunity to monopolize our lands, exploiting everything Ko Hawai'i Pae 'Aina, while we bitch and complain over an American beer in the park somewhere.

Aloha Kekahi i Kekahi

In a community of 8000, a serious decision was made on another island.  Residents were upset, but did nothing more than complain amongst themselves and to their local rep at the store checkout, impromptu.  Some people even got drunk or high because they needed the excuse.  But only a handful of people got on the computer and sent testimony.  One kupuna went to the meeting and spoke out for his people.  But nobody else was there to back him up.  Hardly any emails were sent in, nobody complained where the powers that made the decision were.  People only got mad.

Misdirected anger.

But not Kekahi i Kekahi

Poi prices are on the rise, as our farmers are having to upgrade operations prior to trying to go commercial with their product, making it hard for everybody to reach and get.  In other news today, we don't have enough commercialized poi production going on.  Do we know why? Do we know why only certain varieties are accessible in the market? I'm willing to bet that if those who have land wouldn't mind hosting a monthly work day with pa'ina, which would make for a great family day together, as a common+unity.

Aloha Kekahi i Kekahi

You don't have to be the first to go at a 4 way stop sign and don't be afraid to wave to your distant cousin in opposing traffic. Is that a practice of the past?  What, we only pick up woofers along the roadside these days?  Still complaining about America but becoming more American every day, are we?  

You can help the woofer, but can you say hi to your cousin too? Our kupuna are always talking about that and frankly, maybe its that stinking phone always in our hand or that even stupider ego that keeps our different groups divided? 

When people don't honor the very values they call themselves protecting, it really does hurt our kupuna because after 30+ years of doing this, they can't even afford to put the torch down to enjoy retirement and go visiting family or something.  Our kupuna are too bogged down taking care of our responsibilities, our children, all the bills & taxes, and lending money to younger members of the family who aren't being fully responsible for themselves yet.

Each and every one of us is guilty of something, and one is no worse than the other.  You could probably name a bad parent, but if you are witnessing it and not helping it get better, than you are just as bad.  You could criticize a family for not taking care of its kupuna or kuleana, but if you are not stepping up, but you have time to talk about it, then you are just as guilty.

Let's practice together.  One step at a time,  change is never easy. Let us begin to tolerate one another's views.  Let us begin to wave at our local families, driving by.  Let us help that kupuna put their groceries in the car, or take the shopping cart back for them.  I promise that 20 feet of putting a shopping cart back will not make you an hour late or hurt you. It will bring you blessings for honoring your kupuna. Let us take one day every so often, to malama something or somebody.  I promise, it won't kill us.  It actually sustained our kupuna, but let me not bring up history unless I have a 12 point degree, for the westernized Hawaiian-Americans to verify.

I can't possibly know what I am saying, without one.

Aloha Kekahi i Kekahi

Let's practice using it the way we so easily say it.

Westernized Education

Once upon a time there was a conversation in a mixed crowd where we were discussing True Hawaiian History.  Ooh... touchy subject, right?  Well let us go ahead and open the dialogue for you.  So many are afraid to have these conversations and all the facebook groups in the world aren't going to change a whole lot.  They become a distraction in and of itself, when moderators spend more time moderating the page than participating in a discussion topic they intended to be a part of.  People from all walks of life, fake fb profiles, different education levels and backgrounds are all chiming in on a topic that only a small fraction of them have true knowledge of.  
     
Case in point: 
There are plenty fb groups concerning Hawaiian Immersion Schools, as there should be at least one.  The problem is not that there are plenty of that kind of group because chances are that either the admins of the separate groups are either working together or know nothing of the other group.  But what about the part where people who don't even live in Hawaii, find their way to make  it into the groups and no offense, but even if you are Kanaka Maoli, unless you live here or have a child in Immersion Schools, there really is no point of you being a part of that discussion.  

Public Disclaimer: 
This is not a complaint or exclusion.  This is factual reality and there is no reason to feel animosity at having to read this.  Please continue to read, if you just got upset over what you just read.  

Explanation:  
When the group was made, it was usually made to formulate some kind of action plan to make that situation better.  This applies to all groups - there is a reason for having umpteen of the same groups, which was because they couldn't keep the conversation on topic when hundreds of people were conversing or arguing with one another over petty off-topics. So making a difference gets a little hard.

Credentials in Question:
Why is it that plenty Kanaka Maoli complain about westernization when they are really all about it?  How can you hate the hotels, the 5-star establishments, all the things westernization brings, but refuse to listen to sound & experienced logic without a westernized degree? You complain about too many Hawaiians act or think too American, but you do not reach into that book of genealogy you are so proud to have done, and learn the way your kupuna have been doing it for thousands of years.  It wasn't broken so why did you replace it?  Or do you mean that for every topic someone speaks or acts on, they need to have a $65,000 piece of paper to say they read the book? I'm not too sure about you, but with $65,000 I can build and read an entire library full of books, do the work, and become an expert with a brand new truck - that I own.  So you request American degrees for what?  To verify that UH teaches a modernized version of 'Olelo Hawai'i and it does not match our kupuna way of talking?  Or to have one intellectual debate and battle of degrees over where the 'okina goes?  Aaahhh.... you were the smarter one in that 3 hour debate on a public post last night! Yeah the one with 122 comments and every insult in the book, publicly aired, making both you and your opponent look stupid?  Yeah, that one.  Did we move forward in lokahi as a people after that?  Or do you not understand what lokahi is because I did not put the correct grammatical decoration on top the letter? These kinds of behaviors between our people is not the course of conversation we need to have to move forward.  But I do thank those who are always being that positive light with the positive outlook, holding the thresh-hold together. However, the rest of you cackling, arguing, pride stinking westernized thinkers need to understand that you are depressing the hell out of those who are trying to keep the light alive.  

Almost all of our educational systems breed westernized education and it is affecting everything within us. Already, we see battles of degrees and everybody is related to a scholar. Auwe... 

So many kupuna are putting up the front that everything is fine and getting better, while they sit on their back porches or at the sidelines of an event, and just want to cry.  They are tired.  They are ready to pass the torch and watch us move forward.  But because of pride or something Americanized to do that day, people don't show up to events, makua are happily sitting like teenagers at a family gathering, while kupuna are serving, organizing and raising their grandchildren without our help.

Recently, with integrity & identities respected, a young man sat in a circle with four extremely high profiled kupuna who have been doing this longer than most of us have been alive.  They all wanted to cry.  True story.  They mourned over their descendants generations getting so much worse, keiki being babysat by a smartphone and the younger parents aren't even responsible for themselves yet. How nobody listens to them or makes sure they have what they need to be comfortable.  They are sad that we are not keeping up with getting closer to who we are.  They did not say we couldn't use new tools, but they still want us to learn & teach the old way too.  They don't understand why we spend so much time complaining that corporations are taking away our land when nobody cares for the land we still have?  How come nobody is helping them transfer the lands over and open up the lo'i?  Why is the entire ohana fighting over their 1/28th of the land when they don't even pay the taxes, clean the land or file kuleana status at the Real Property Tax Office? Oh how hurt they are, that we have become so Westernized and yet they are left to blame themselves.  Auwe! 

They teared up talking about how ice has ripped through their children, grandchildren, nieces & nephews, dividing families, hurting their hearts.  They even talked about how so much depression has been the cause of the health problems. The grief is taking its toll on them.  They are trying to guide us, but they ended the conversation asking, 

"How can one fill a cup that is too full of itself?"

Manifest Hawaiian Destiny

Deployment means to bring forces into action.  Its just another word for organization, positioning, or activating a strategic plan to reach a goal.  In what we face today, our lahui is all over trying to protect our 'aina from the mass destruction happening around us.  We must take one good look at how we are deploying our actions to see what is the most effective.

We have to get out of this frame of mind that America is going to right her wrong.  She only invented the Constitution in 1776, so why has she been slaughtering First Nations long before then? Have you seen them do any good yet?  Any reparations?  Only Japanese got a little.  Big deal, and they took ours back because the oldest nissei was incapable of speaking for the family when needed.  They are not going to help us nation build unless its under their terms and totally beneficial to them, which would be more than what they already have now.  Think logic.  Think like one American.   She will never right that wrong.  We do have ways to succeed.  We all need to come to one page & the best way to get on the same page as maka'ainana is not always standing shoulder to shoulder in a sign wave with that person you don't like... no, no, no.  Well you can do that, but you don't have to.  You could save a lot of sign waving time if you just put your tax dollars in a non-profit organization or your church, and yes claim it on your taxes! The whole point is to take the money away from the hewa and give it to something like the Hawaiian Health Care Systems - Na Pu'uwai, Hui No Ke Ola Pono, Hui Malama, and the one on O'ahu & Kauai. Or you might want to donate to Civil Beat or the Animal Shelter.

I happen to know a few things.. 

In American History, I learned about Manifest Destiny.  That was when they decided to expand as far westward as they can and at that time, they were only east of the Mississippi.  And look how far they made it.  Ugh, that makes me want to cry.  

*note to self: we only cry to hemo'ole the toxins in pain, then we seek spiritual guidance & imua.

Now if we use this same concept and add ourselves to a non-profit fit for our future, we begin the steps to strengthen our people, for as a nation we are only as strong as our weakest point.  We need to strengthen our core.  

Working together doesn't have to look like something out of fairy tale land.  Its when we activate ourselves, even if all we can do is bring home the neighbor's kid from school.  Neighbors are your closest ally by distance.  They are hoaloha & we trump all darkness with aloha.  

Maybe you don't have time, but do you have money to donate?  Actually you do because every tithing and donation you give is tax deductible upto 50% of your income.  That's one credit you should be taking because Amelika is only building the war machine with your tax dollars.  If you claim your donations & tithing, they have to give you that money back.  This means they cannot build a bomb with your money and the non-profits that serve us can do much more for us.  

Since we brought that up, let's talk about how different types of funding affect non-profit funding today:  

     1)   If its federal funding, that money comes with a set of federal laws that choke your purpose

     2)   If its state or county, you often get hit with 2 sets of requirements that might not be that bad, but it is stressful and still prevents your organization from truly doing what it wishes it could.  In other words, the guidelines that come with federal or state funding tend to be so restrictive that it disables the real intentional outcome tremendously.

     3)   If the non-profit is privately funded, it can do a whole lot more with that money, like run better programs and serve their true purpose.

You see, there are many ways to serve in our communities and it is important that we continue to manifest our sovereign destiny through every day works. Our torches are dropping left and right.  We know our kupuna are always a priceless pillar, but when they are gone, who is going to do more than tell a story about them?  Who is going to hold up their legacy? And when?  Remember that our efforts today, affect things for the next few generations.  What are we passing down to our keiki?

Let's define & perpetuate Manifest Destiny:  

•  

Definition of manifest destiny

1. :  a future event accepted as inevitable 
2. in the mid-19th century expansion to the Pacific was regarded as the Manifest Destiny of the United States; broadly :  an ostensibly benevolent or necessary policy of imperialistic expansion
3. 
   

Let's take a look at this Manifest Destiny

•  

Definition of manifest

1. 1:  readily perceived by the senses and especially by the sense of sight Their sadness wasmanifest in their faces.
2. 
   
3. 2:  easily understood or recognized by the mind :  obvious

•  

Definition of destiny

plural 

destinies

1. 1:  something to which a person or thing is destined :  fortune wants to control his owndestiny
2. 2:  a predetermined course of events often held to be an irresistible power or agency felt that destiny would determine their future

Kekahi Coalition

EVERYTHING WE DO IS GRASS ROOTS, SOMETIMES KALO ROOTS.

Living in times like these, we realize that in order for future generations to sustain, we are going to have to reverse the damage done in the universe.

So we decided to be the change. Our group consists of young leaders preparing for the sustainability of tomorrow. 

Since we realize that there must be balance for any ecosystem so survive, we are going to become that balance.

We recognize the duality of revolution where we must live between two realms to create the perfect catalyst of tomorrow's success.

We have to relate to today while building our tomorrow. 

 We often travel to learn through our works and that costs a lot. Since everything in life boils down to a learning experience that stretches comfort zones and builds character, we were faced with a decision. We had to choose whether to limit ourselves or to broaden our horizons to gain 'ike. Rather than ask for money, we decided to learn new talents & build a business, which is going to teach us a plethora of lessons to grow on.

Through sales at Ho'olale, we will be able to finance our own community service endeavors while we learn our culture & building sustainable futures. All of our products are made locally, of natural products.

Take the Credit

We were all taught to not take the credit. Where this statement had its place at one point in time, it does not serve us as a people where the IRS is concerned.  Why?  Well whether you are sovereign or not, you have a social security number, which is your account number in the United States account at the World Bank. It means that you are bonded property of the United States and no amount of perpetuating righteousness can change that - at least not how you are doing it.  Think about it:  America has only been written into existence since 1776 yet has been committing slaughter since the early 1600s, much like the missionaries who came here and took 5 generations to finally prime our islands for their seizure.  Well, it happened on Turtle Island prior to.  Although we learn their history, not ours, there is something there for us. It is the message on how to defeat what they are doing.  One only has to pay attention. This post pertains to every single body with a social security number.

Throughout the last 180 years or so, our people have been getting lied to about everything that we thought we've learned.  Sure, after living and breeding their system for so long, we are well adopted as a whole, but for those of whom are knowing that everything concerning the de facto government is wrong, but don't know how to live otherwise, this can be a really scary time.  We wouldn't know what to expect or where to go.

Well we were all taught good and well not to do good things and brag about them, but I am going to tell you in this blog that you should tell, and I will provide factual reasons why you should.  I am not going to waste your time with my opinion because we all have one. You are not following this blog to hear my opinion.  You can follow my personal Facebook page to know what I think.  You read & follow this blog to be informed of something that is important to you.

Getting to the point: 
Doesn't your heart melt when you see whole communities of kids with no kind of enrichment program whatsoever?  What about educational cuts and all the funding sources for all the good stuff, get cut.  Are you satisfied with the bombing that is going on?  With the war games they play in our waters? Pohakuloa? Unexploded Ordinance sitting dormant under Giggle Hill in Haiku? 

Do you ever get mad at where your tax dollars are going, and you know that food stamps don't cost as much as they take?  Piss you off when you can't get rental assistance or school lunch, but they can afford new weapons of mass destruction? You're probably wondering where all of this is going.

Most of us either tithe to a church or donate to an organization at least once per year, but we don't do it for the credit.  In fact, we don't want your stinking credit for what we do in our communities. 


 Now I am going to tell you how this is wrong, on so many levels:

1)  Let's look at your paycheck vs cost of living - your gross pay is 100% of your paycheck.  Taxes combined take about 35%, leaving you with a little over half of what you earned.  Then insurance takes up to 20% leaving you with less than half of your earnings, and all you did was pay to not go to jail for tax evasion & insurance - just in case something goes wrong.  You generally take home only about half of what you earn per paycheck.

2)   Your rent or mortgage should be at 28% or less than your gross paycheck, but its usually much more.  You are left with less than 10% of your paycheck to take care of everything from utility bills, car payments, car insurance, households, groceries, school trips & events, holidays and everything else in life.  Um, I think you might have run out of money already.

3)   You are constantly told to have faith that if you donate or tithe full amounts, that you will get blessed, but where is the money you worked so hard all week?  Why don't you have that?


I think this right here is enough reason, because I can go on and on with citations and examples to prove my facts.  Now let's talk about filing your taxes... 

Did you know...

1)   That you can claim up to $500 per fiscal year for transportation to work and not get audited? But you should save every gas receipt in your house.  You can claim it all, as long as you can show stuff from work or school.

2)   That you can claim up to $500 per fiscal year for work clothing and supplies? This amount too, comes without audit.  But once again, save receipts.  

3)   If you don't live with your parents & you covered more than half the house expenses you claim head of house, not single This means that if you live alone or pay half the bills, you are head of household, for an additional $3000 credit

4)   Even if you only pay $20/month on your school loan, remain compliant and talk to them frequently.  Otherwise, you can say that you paid debt with your tax return - which is also good, but obviously not what we want with that lump sum.

5)   Make sure you do the dependent care tax credit to reimburse you for child care, paid errands to care for your children, costs of extracurricular activities, etc.

6)   Get Medicaid if you have no insurance.  This new thing is costly.

7)   Check your EIC no matter what

8)   Claim your moving expenses, First Time Home Buyer credit, solar energy or weatherization credit, and educational credits

9)   That paper you got from church in December with your tithings listed.  Get it out.  Now find the receipts or screenshots of all your charitable donations.  If you got  one for donating clothes, then add that up too.  You can claim up to 50% of your gross 100% earnings and be reimbursed from the IRS.  This keeps you from ever owing, as well as what we are going to explain below. Sip your drink and focus before continuing.  

You will claim all of that.  If you didn't do it for the credit, don't tell people and they won't give you credit.  But stop killing your family finances because you took the message wrong. Honestly.

When you claim that and they reimburse you, you just took that many dollars from their war system.  When you donated to that non-profit, you just empowered them to get stronger in your community so that they can help more people - local to your community.  Taking this advice strengthens your personal finances, as well as your community and you will be able to do more in your community next year.  

What you spend countless hours signing petitions for and testifying against is what your tax dollars paid for.  Nobody tells you that you have options on how to pay your taxes.  Take the credit and use it for bigger community works next year.  I will put citation links to testify to these facts below: 

Straight from the IRS:
https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc506.html

Tax Incentives: An Economic Basis for Charitable Giving
http://www.learningtogive.org/resources/tax-incentives-economic-basis-charitable-giving