Victim of Hawaiian Electric's War on Medical Cannabis

Who is Scott Goold

Scott Goold was born in 1957 in the deep south. His father served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean conflict, returned to port call in Hawai'i on numerous occasions, played basketball under the deck of their aircraft carrier to relieve stress, and earned a scholarship to play college ball after the war.

Father and Son

The university denied Black athletes to be on scholarship or play for the school. Scott's mother was majoring in education, and the abject racism traumatized his young parents. Unable to transfer, they left immediately after graduation and focused on civil rights during their careers.

Scott was raised in rural Idaho, where he learned to rope a steer, brand calves, buck bales of hay and move pipe on a farm. His father was a high school basketball coach and counselor of troubled young men. His mother taught first grade at a predominantly Black primary school.

Scott also loved playing baseball and basketball. Scott laughs about his childhood and recommends friends watch Napoleon Dynamite, as the cult classic captures the charming innocence of SE Idaho dominated by Mormon lifestyle.

Scott was a lanky, geeky boy until he reached his sophomore year in high school. He grew to about 6'5 and added a significant amount of muscle. The school promoted him to varsity — first player in history — and teaming with Native American Lakota tribe member, Byron in the Woods, they guided the squad to the state championship game.

As the Goold family didn't have a lot of money, his father sat him down for a Dad-Son talk just prior to his junior year when Scott was 15 years of age:

Proud of you son. Had a great first year. Colleges are showing interest. You're a good kid; you've earned the respect of your classmates (elected Sophomore Class president); earned straight-As; and will be the team leader this year.

Your mom and I could use your help. We have enough money to send one of you to college (Scott has two sisters). If you can earn a scholarship, we can send your sister the next year. And, this will give us enough money to send Dianne by the time she graduates. (minimal financil aid during those years)

Your family supports you. You can give back if your keep working hard.

Scott took his father's words to heart. Trained daily. On Friday and Saturday nights, when other kids were at parties, movies or just hanging out, he would go to his high school gym. He had secretly copied the master key to the school doors. Would park in a dark area, sneak into the building, and practice under only the exit and emergency lights to not alert authorities.

His close friend worked at a Mexican fast food spot. He would finish training, meet her by closing time, help clean, and she would let him eat as many tacos as he wanted ... usually about 8-10.

Scott had outstanding high school and college careers. His performance earned him tryouts with the NBA and offers to play in South America and Europe.

Scott says being outside the country matured him to understand and appreciate the privilege of America, and hardship faced around the world. He enrolled in graduate classes off-seasons and finished a PhD program in political science at the University of New Mexico.

Beginning in 1990, Scott volunteered with DOH programs to encourage youngsters to avoid alcohol, tobacco and illicit substances. His athletic background helped him connect.

In December 1991, teammate Lance Milford lost an entire portion of his family (Cravens) due to a head-on collision with a drunk driver Christmas Eve. Devastating! Scott signed with M.A.D.D. Scott does not drink alcohol to this day in part due to that horrific incident.

In 1994, Scott began co-directing HoopCamp.net in Beaverton, Oregon. Nike had sponsored him as an athlete and now assisted their camp for Special Needs athletes. They developed the nation's first unified basketball camp format.

Coaching and Co-directing HoopCamp

The previous year, Scott agreed to assist coaching the Chinese women's national volleyball team. They started 10th in the world. Earned the bronze medal in the 1995 World Games held in Honolulu; and silver medal in the 1996 Olympics.

Coaching with China's Womens Olympic Volleyball Team

Why Medical Cannabis?

Scott shares a story explaining why he began advocating for medical cannabis. He had accepted an analyst position with workers compensation in 2006. As a specialist in survey research, the agency partnered Scott with their linguistic expert Alicia to develop a questionnaire for injured workers in both English and Spanish.

Alicia was charming, bright, proficient and a dedicated professional. She was also dying of cancer. For real. She had lost a number of previous attempts to squash the malignant tumors. The cancer had returned. She was terminal — months to live, not years. She needed to continue working for income, her heath insurance, and as a single mother, to provide for her two children around ages 9 and 11.

Scott's coworker was fading. They had a project to complete. Alicia was dying before his eyes! How can work be more important? However, it simply had to be. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings the two made progress. Wednesday afternoon was chemo and treatment. Thursday, Alicia was too sick to come in. Friday was always a maybe.

What does one say to a coworker on death row? "Hi, good morning!" "What's your pain level?" "What's new?" It was always uncomfortable for Scott — for both of them.

The pair needed to sit close to share a computer screen. Frequently, Scott would hold Alicia's hand. There were no words. Just seemed to help Alicia to have human touch. Her eyes were clouded from pain. Smile forced. The entire agency knew. Everyone was sending love and positive energy. Alicia was dying; they were all dying along with her. Her pain was their pain.

Someone suggested medical cannabis. Wasn't legal in the state. Alicia had tried cannabis; but wasn't a user. She refused the suggestion, although she believed it would help. Alicia didn't want to stigmatize her children; didn't want her kids to think she was breaking the law. Alicia had so much courage. Facing the unimaginable, the horror of this aggressive cancer, she put her children first.

Alicia's cubical walls and computer were covered with pictures of her children, as well as pictures of Alicia with her children. Her kids were her only hope and life now. They were her motivation and reason to push forward. She told Scott that her only goal each day was to have just one more day with her kids; one more day, then one more day. Day-by-day, Alicia fought for just one more day.

Alicia endured tremendous pain, nausea, cramps, lack of appetite, weakness and general discomfort. She was tired; sometimes too tired to sleep. The stress of pain, the adrenaline her system pumped to keep her upright and moving, complicated her sleep pattern. Cannabis would have helped. Cannabis was illegal. America's policy failed Alicia.

In recognition of Alicia's heroic life, Scott joined advocacy groups and lobbied for legalization of medical cannabis. In part due to this story he told about Alica, combined with hundreds of similar accounts, the state passed compassionate use legislation the next year. Alicia never witnessed the success.

Keep in mind the policy of Asian women of Hawaiian Electric would be to fire Alicia for using cannabis. They wouldn't. Yet these compassionate Asian ladies fired Scott — coincidentally, Feb 2019 (shown in chart below). That's the discrimination White men experience in Hawai'i.

Coaching Asian Athletes

Scott has coached, assisted and trained thousands of athletes — many Asian females.

Defamation of Character

CEO Connie Lau reported that the Hawaiian Electric workforce was 70 precent male; however, Asian women dominate ranks of management. The ladies destroyed Scott Goold's professional reputation claiming he failed their drug screen; was a substance abuser; and thus, unfit for duty.

Scott's supervisor considered him to be a GOAT employee. Coworkers and customers rated his performance as excellent. The women failed to inform Scott of corporate rules, withheld information even when he inquired — and slandered his good name. Scott has a disability. He does not abuse drugs.

They stripped Scott of employment, took away his health insurance, and Scott is unable to work professionally on O'ahu due to the negative stigma. Had they informed Scott, this humiliation would not have occurred.

Supportive Project Manager Yingwei Kaplan at HECO Offices

Coaching Youngsters

Coaching with John Wooden

Coaching at BYU

Coaching and Sport-Related Injuries

Through a lifetime of sports, community service and coaching, Scott's body has collapsed. Suffered a broken right wrist, two surgeries on this left hand, full hip replacements in both left and right hips, quad tendon reconstruction in both knees, broken pelvis and dislocated shoulder due to an errant motorist March 2019, and just recently, surgery for ruptured Achille's tendon on left leg.

Scott has a permanent disability as his right foot has deformed from athletic competition and military training. Causes gait problems and injury to left foot.

Left Hip Surgery and Shoulder Injury

Right Hip Surgery

Knee Surgeries

Knee Staples

Achille's Tendon Rupture

Sports Pose High Risk for Athletes

We learned it was female NFL chief football administrator Dawn Aponte in an interview with ESPN being the middle person between coaches and referees at Paycor Stadium, who claimed players would be given 5 minutes to warm up and get back on the field after the medical emergency during the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals game.

Come on, ladies. You love the games, competition and entertainment. Please love and respect the athletes!

Where's the Love & Aloha at Hawaiian Electric?

Scott showered his coworkers, supervisors and managers, as well as the company and senior executives, with respect, love and aloha. In return, the Asian female management team fired him without discussion or compassion, and refused to speak with him. They demanded that Scott go away quietly and disappear.

Unlike most Asians who are sincerely kind, deeply compassionate and caring people, the female Asian management team at Hawaiian Electric doesn't care about the safety or health of their employees.

Didn't care enough to implement a legitimate substance abuse program, and discriminated against this legal medical patient by not caring enough to provide company policy, as required by their own rules.

"Too bad for you, Scott Goold. You lost!"

~Your Uncaring Hawaiian Electric Team

Athletes Appreciate Each Other

Teaching Korean Keiki to Swim

Although recently injured, Scott used his time in water therapy to teach keiki of a visiting family from Seoul, S Korea to swim. Shared story with his father, who served in the Korean conflict.

Scott told his father that he kept thinking how he helped ensure freedom for their nation as a younger man! S Korea has made huge progress since the war. Scott's father contributed to the success of these kids and their family. Scott heard from 13-year-old Bella today (2.27.23)

UPDATE 4.20.23: Scott heard from Lina, Bella's sister. Lina sent a couple pictures as they headed to school. Scott misses his Korean friends and being able to serve with his hanai HECO family.

UPDATE 6.1.23: Scott heard back from Lina (second from left).

Scott Goold will never forget the cruelty of Asian women at Hawaiian Electric: CEO & President Constance Hee Lau, Susan Li, Thao Tran, Liann Ebusugawa, Shana Buco, and current HECO CEO Shelee Kimura.