Comments on the Akaka Bill?

[mel]

Re: Comments on the Akaka Bill?

Thank God that this thing will be going down in flames. The Akaka Bill is bad for Hawaii, and certainly bad for business and potentially taxpayers. Let it die, let it die.


God Bless America!

[shaveice]

Re: Comments on the Akaka Bill?

a naive but sincere question: the many comments from those who posted here clearly reflected the idea that the u.s. gov would screw the native hawaiians if this thing went through. if so, why didn't they follow through and get this passed when they had a chance to?

[pzarquon]

Re: Comments on the Akaka Bill?

Simple. Republican lawmakers, the White House and the DOJ think the Akaka Bill gives native Hawaiians too much. So they're against it. Several local sovereignty groups - who favor something closer to independence than the current Native American model - think the Akaka Bill doesn't give native Hawaiians enough. Voila, no momentum, and an increasingly likely sad and unremarkable death for the bill.

The native groups who opposed the bill will cheer, of course. But I'd give their chances of getting something anywhere near as concrete anywhere near the Capitol after this as practically nil. A pity.

Equally sad, Akaka was hoping this bill was going to be his great legacy, a lasting gift to the Hawaiian people. If it fails, whether or not you liked the bill, it's clearly going to be disheartening for such a long political career to end on a down note.

[Glen Miyashiro]

Re: Comments on the Akaka Bill?

Republican lawmakers, the White House and the DOJ think the Akaka Bill gives native Hawaiians too much. So they're against it. Several local sovereignty groups - who favor something closer to independence than the current Native American model - think the Akaka Bill doesn't give native Hawaiians enough. Voila, no momentum, and an increasingly likely sad and unremarkable death for the bill.

The native groups who opposed the bill will cheer, of course. But I'd give their chances of getting something anywhere near as concrete anywhere near the Capitol after this as practically nil. A pity.

So in other words, they (the Hawaiian sovereignty groups) would rather be right than win?

[pzarquon]

Re: Comments on the Akaka Bill?

So in other words, they (the Hawaiian sovereignty groups) would rather be right than win?

Essentially. Though it's just one uninformed, misguided part-Hawaiian guy's opinion. I've got my OHA card and Kau Inoa T-shirt, sure, but I generally fall into the hugely unpopular "realist" camp among kanaka maoli.

The Akaka Bill was way, way inadequate for folks looking for independence and just compensation, and I totally understand where those groups are coming from. But speaking solely for myself, I'd have rather a broad coalition of groups show unity behind the bill, to at least get a firm stake in somewhere before looking to climb a little further. It wouldn't have been much, but it would have been something.

There's no telling what another twenty years may bring. Perhaps a more effective, charismatic, unifying leader among native Hawaiians, perhaps a more sympathetic administration, perhaps a better deal... but as generations pass, I fear we're more likely to see momentum fade. There'll be fewer idealistic independence activists, and more Westernized slackers like me!

[shaveice]

Re: Comments on the Akaka Bill?

thanks pzar for your reply: clear and very understandable...

[Miulang]

Re: Comments on the Akaka Bill?

The sad thing about the sovereignty movement is, as Ryan says, there is no consensus even among the kanaka maoli about what they want. But maybe the kanaka maoli "movement" is just a reflection of our current society: as Americans, do we all agree on what would be best for this country? Of course not. So maybe it's unreasonable to expect that the kanaka maoli would ever all agree on the type of governance they want.

It might help, though, if more non-kanaka maoli would be interested enough in knowing how/why the kanaka maoli have come to this point in their history. I doubt the kanaka maoli can have restored that which was taken away from them through the devious moves of the American government without help from the outside. They need to have the kokua and aloha of many others who also cherish the kanaka maoli legacy and don't want it to become extinct. I think it would also help if there were a couple of really charismatic kahunas or others who could rise above everyone and bring healing within the kanaka maoli people so that they can move more closely together as one unified group.

The concept of onipa'a is only as strong as the reasons for standing strong. And if each faction insists on doing it their own way, the kanaka maoli will never regain what is their birthright.

Miulang

[drewb]

Re: Comments on the Akaka Bill?

here is a letter I read in the West Hawaii Today newspaper (big island)

"Failure in Congress may spell violence"

The claim by certain Republicans in Congress that they oppose the Akaka Bill, (Hawaiian Recognition Bill), because it would expand gambling and short-change American Indians out of federal funding is a "crock."

These self-serving fabrications are once again designed to detract from the real issue and circumvent their real intent.

There is now an insidious and committed effort by a group of right wing supremacists here in Hawaii and in Congress who have determined that allowing Hawaiians self-determination would present an additional roadblock in their attempts to create new case law that would begin to undermine the concessions won by Native Americans and Americans of color over the last 50 years.

This is what the continuous blockage of the Akaka Bill is about.

The overwhelming majority of Hawaiians are in favor of the Akaka Bill rather than independence from the United States.

The failure of the Akaka Bill to date and the Ninth Circuit Court's judgment against the Kamehameha Schools, however, have triggered a reaction among mainstream Hawaiians that justice for Hawaiians is impossible in America.

Should the Akaka Bill ultimately fail, this large mainstream of Hawaiians will have no alternative but to support the reclamation of their inalienable, sovereign rights by supporting complete severance and independence from the United States.

This is certainly an ominous sign that future conflict, potentially physical, will erupt like it did with the famous Massie case years ago, only multiplied a thousand fold -- white against brown, citizen against citizen, friend against friend, a mini civil war, forever shattering the ideal of American justice -- all this resulting in the continuing and further loss of credibility by the United States throughout the world.

The prospect of Americans fighting Americans is frightening indeed and only emboldens our real enemies in their resolve to destroy us.

Wake up America, before it is too late.

Rod Ferreira
Waimea

And here was my response that the editor of the West Hawaii Today refuses to publish in HIS PUBLIC forum.


In response to Rod Ferreira's letter in WHT 9.20.05 edition.

Mr. Ferreira,

I would gladly write to my elected officials from county council members to, state reps to congress asking that they support the Akaka Bill or to leave these islands altogether if it would spare us the violence you foresee.

I love these islands, I've spent over half of my life living here. There is too much violence in the world already. We in these islands should be setting an example for the world to see being that we are so very diverse in races and in cultures. Aloha, was the working philosophy of native Hawaiians and was presented as a gift to all the people of Hawai`i." All of Hawaii's citizens should share more "Aloha" and show the rest of the world how powerful Aloha can be...but first we need to drop our own stones.

I support the Akaka bill.

Mahalo, Drew Baird

Aloha ka kou malama pono

[Miulang]

Re: Comments on the Akaka Bill?

Mahalo for the thoughtful reply to the editorial, Drew. However, I seriously doubt there will be armed insurrection against the US government if the Akaka Bill dies (which I predict it will).

I asked the Northwest Representative of Kau Inoa, who I saw at a ho'olaulea on Saturday, exactly what would happen if the Akaka Bill died without being heard. She said the first thing that needed to happen is all the different kanaka maoli groups have to come together to decide what to do next. If history is any indication, that will be a nearly insurmountable task...akin to herding cats. I think intuitively all the kanaka maoli groups understand that there is strength in marching together for one cause; however, everybody has a different idea about what that direction should be. THAT's where the fighting will occur...within the kanaka maoli groups...before anything would happen to the US government. MHO.

Miulang

[kimo55]

Re: Comments on the Akaka Bill?

what would happen if the Akaka Bill died...She said the first thing that needed to happen is all the different kanaka maoli groups have to come together to decide what to do next.

all the groups should be working together now. not after the akaka bill dies.
they shoulda been less discordant all the while.

[Miulang]

Re: Comments on the Akaka Bill?

Oh. I forgot to add that the next day I got an email from the Kau Inoa wahine and she said they registered 96 more people just at that one hoolaulea. Kaleialoha was going to be speaking to another Hawaiian cultural club that afternoon, so she probably got more people to register. So maybe the indifference of the Mainland kanaka maoli is finally going away. I hope so.

Miulang

[Miulang]

Re: Comments on the Akaka Bill?

Malia Zimmerman of the Hawai'i Reporter wrote an interesting little piece on the connection between Harriet Miers, failed Supreme Court nominee, and the White House's supposedly "neutral" stance on the Akaka Bill.

"...Before she withdrew her nomination on Oct. 27, 2005 to the U.S. Supreme Court, Bush’s Chief Legal Advisor Harriet Miers acknowledged to a Senate Judiciary Panel that she advised President George W. Bush on the Native Hawaiian Recognition bill, known as the Akaka Bill, now pending before the U.S. Senate.

However, she would not discuss whether she recommended that the president support or oppose the bill, nor would she disclose her personal views on Native Hawaiian recognition.

In fact, a review of her questionnaire shows that when first asked by Senate Judiciary Committee members about her position on the bill, now pending before the U.S. Senate, Miers did not respond and left the question blank.

This prompted Senators to follow up with Miers saying, "This question was designed to help the committee learn more about your experience with constitutional law, and if most of it was gained during your years in the White House, it is important that we know more about the specifics of that experience."

Miers later confirmed that she dealt with "Issues concerning whether Congress may treat Native Hawaiians as an Indian Tribe, and therefore afford them special benefits without running afoul of the equal protection component of the Fifth Amendment's Due Process Clause."...

"...But just Miers' admission that she discussed the Akaka Bill with the president is significant because while the White House has maintained publicly it is remaining neutral on the controversial measure, Miers response shows the president was serious enough about considering the bill’s passage that he consulted extensively about it with Miers, his top legal advisor.

Though the president’s administrators were reportedly quietly pushing for the Akaka Bill, primarily at the request of Hawaii’s Republican Gov. Linda Lingle who aggressively lobbied him for his support on several occasions, Department of Justice officials and conservative Congressman have raised a number of concerns about the constitutionality of the bill...."

Hmmm...

Miulang

[Linkmeister]

Re: Comments on the Akaka Bill?

I get tired of hearing about "polls" from the opponents/proponents of the Akaka bill which purport to reflect the real feelings the general population might have about the legislation, so I wrote the following to the three TV networks and to the papers today:

Ladies and Gentlemen:

You would do your viewers a great service if you commissioned a non-partisan poll asking whether the respondents approved/disapproved of the Akaka Bill. At the moment we are subject to duelling polls from supporters like OHA and opponents like The Grassroots Institute, each of which has an axe to grind. There is no way of knowing the level of real support this bill has within the community without an independent poll.

Please consider it.

We'll see if anything comes of it.

[Jewlipino]

Re: Comments on the Akaka Bill?

I agree, OHA and GRIH are both aggressively spinning their polls to conform to their view of the universe. I'd like to see the Akaka bill put on the ballot so we can see where Hawaii really stands, or at least get someone who is actually qualified to create a proper survey to conduct one on the bill. The Akaka bill is good on the one hand because it attempts to do more than just pay lip-service to the commitments made in the past. It's important to honor those. However the conflict in the Hawaiian community reflects a painful blind spot common to indigenous politics. The basic assumption that independence is even an option (since generally when countries like the US gain control of a place they are understandably reluctant to hand control back over to the original owners) while idealistic lacks even a remote grasp on reality and history. I do not know all about what the State and Federal governments have promised to Hawaiians, but whatever was promised should be given. Unfortunately the last time I read the Akaka bill was something like nine months ago so I'm out of date, but the version I read could have been worse. I definitely don't agree with any measure that would ban future lawsuits as it would create a nation within a nation that would be inferior to the nation within a nation status granted to native americans. On the other hand it is arguable that the Hawaiian kingdom was considerably further along in development, industry, and world politics than were the native americans. In that case maybe it is more appropriate to regard Hawaiians in the same light as we do the (Spanish) Mexican landowners who lived throughout California and the southwest, whose land the US took and kept and has shown little inclination to give up. It's so easy to reframe this issue that if concerned Hawaiians do not organize to do something decisive they will get the scraps the government is willing to leave them and nothing else. So go on, keep arguing that the Akaka bill isn't enough and pay no mind to the fact that every year that goes by where there isn't Hawaiian solidarity of purpose more of their land is given away and developed for the profit of others. The pie keeps on shrinking but there is no consensus as to who gets to cut it. After all that I guess all I can say is, good luck.

Jewlipino

[timkona]

Re: Comments on the Akaka Bill?

why can't you get a loan based on what your house is worth?

The Federal Fair Housing Law specifically states that you cannot preclude people on the basis of skin color or origins, among other things. DHHL is designed to select based upon origins.

Speaking as an appraiser, I refuse to work on properties that have rules set up to violate Federal Law. Without an appraisal, how do you get a loan?