NICK NIKHILANANDA - Freedom Voter Guide

Party:

Green

District:

13

Office:

State House

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Survey Responses:

S = Support
O = Oppose
NR = No Response

Life	S	O	NR
1. Prohibiting Abortion: Prohibiting abortion except when necessary to save the mother's life.		X
2. Taxpayer Funded Abortion: Allowing taxpayer dollars to fund organizations that provide abortion.	X
3. Physician-Assisted Suicide: Allowing voluntary physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill patients.	X

Candidate's Comments:

There are moments when a woman has decided, for spiritual, religious, moral or any other personal reason that she is not prepared to bare a child. This may have also resulted in a rape or incest; for example a ten year old being violated by numerous relatives. She MUST not be forced to continue the pregnancy. It is HER body; her choice! As to taxpayer funding, there are too many women who are from a lower socioeconomic level and can not afford to finance her medical procedure. As to physician-assisted “suicide”, it is wonderful that a few States, including here in Hawai'i, that a human being does not have to be tortured at the end of their life and can take control of their situation. When this happens, God has decided it is time.

First Amendment	S	O	NR
4. Conscience Rights for Creative Professionals: Allowing creative professionals (photographer, baker, wedding vendor) to decline to participate in events or create messages that violate their moral or religious beliefs.		X
5. Conscience Rights for Faith-Based Organizations: Exempting faith-based organizations from regulations that cause them to violate their sincerely held religious beliefs.		X
6. Free Speech on Campus: Prohibiting speech zones or speech codes that restrict where students can discuss controversial or unpopular issues on college campuses.	X
7. Donor Privacy: Protecting confidential donor information so individuals are able to privately support charities of their choice without fear of being doxed.	X

Candidate's Comments:

Each of these questions have subtle sections which makes it not possible to solely answer “Support/Oppose”! As to declining to provide a professional service, that must be illegal! Discrimination must not be allowed. If it is private behavior, then of course, one is free to make their personal preference. Similar to faith-based groups; if it is illegal discrimination, then again, must not be allowed. Too often individuals and organizations use that as an excuse to behave badly. Speech zones need to remain as free and opened as possible; in one's private accommodations, then of course one may say, behave and believe whatever they may want. We have rules limiting speech on the TV and radio airwaves; we do not have unlimited and open speech. Protecting one's personal information is very important; if a charity and/or group is receiving tax benefits, then as much as possible, information must be available to the public.

Family	S	O	NR
8. Women's Sports: Preventing biological males who identify as female from competing in women's sports.		X
9. Gender Identity Counseling: Allowing parents to obtain professional counseling for children struggling with gender identity issues to help them reach their desired outcome.	X
10(a). Protected Class for Sexual Orientation: Adding “sexual orientation” as a protected class alongside race, religion, sex, age, and disability in nondiscrimination law.	X
10(b). Protected Class for Gender Identity: Adding “gender identity” as a protected class alongside race, religion, sex, age, and disability in nondiscrimination law.	X

Candidate's Comments:

If a “male” legitimately identifies as a female, then they must not be prevented from competing in women's sports. There is a distinction between one who is not serious and one who definitely identifies as not their birth gender. Parents need to have an abundance of protection in being responsible for their children, until they reach maturity and independence under the law. As our society move forward and progresses, from days of slavery and people from Africa not even being considered a whole person, we are accepting the requirement for protecting those who have a different sexual orientation and gender identity from what had previously been the “norm”.

Education and Public Safety	S	O	NR
11. School Choice: Allowing the use of tax credits, vouchers, and education savings accounts to cover the cost of children attending the school of their parents' choice, including private schools.		X
12. Parental Rights for Opt-Out: Giving parents the ability to opt their children out of school materials and lessons to which the parents object.		X
13. Critical Race Theory: Allowing schools to teach children that America's laws, policies, and society perpetuate systemic racism and that people are either oppressors or oppressed, or privileged or marginalized, based on their skin color.	X
14. Parental Rights for Transparency in Education: Giving parents access to the curriculum and materials their children are learning in school and allowing them to decide whether or not their children should be exposed to certain ideas.		X

Candidate's Comments:

Each one of these questions has a “poison pill” part which again makes it difficult to answer either “support” or “oppose”. I would support the first question, except tax money must not be going to “private” schools. We must support our public school system, since in the United States we provide free education to all children up to a certain age. Parents need to have the ability to know what is being taught in their children's schools, yet it is not appropriate for parents to stop their children from being educated as a result of their biases, as long as the material is age appropriate, as decided by experts in the field. Education is to learn the truth about the history of the United States, not to indoctrinate our children into false information about our past, both the positive and what may, at first blush, seem negative. It is not up to the parents to stop their children from being educated.

Health and Welfare	S	O	NR
15. Medical Rights of Conscience: Allowing health care workers and providers the freedom to practice medicine in accordance with their personal beliefs and conscience.		X
16. Parental Rights for Healthcare Disclosure: Requiring schools to disclose to parents if the school is providing counseling or medical services to a child who desires to undergo “gender transition.”		X
17. Parental Rights for Mental Health Disclosure: Directing schools to inform parents of any mental, physical, or emotional health information and treatment that a child is receiving at school.	X

Candidate's Comments:

We can not have health care providers having different employees deciding what is an appropriate procedure or treatment. It is fine if one feels something is not personally appropriate for them and they thus have the option to not be employed by that business or company. Patients must expect that they will receive the care that they need and expect to receive. These last two questions again have subtle sections. Up to a certain age, parents need to and must be informed and knowledgeable as to their own children's medical situation. At some point, the child must have their own personal needs protected.