Hawaii News Now – KGMB and KHNL
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The debate over whether native Hawaiians should fight for sovereignty continues, and during the gubernatorial debate on Hawaii News Now between Governor Neil Abercrombie and state Senator David Ige, Governor Abercrombie stated that the Hawaiian kingdom does not exist.
While it may have not been a big shock to some, the governor’s comments have created discussions throughout communities and social media, with some stating his comments are ignorant and he is unaware of Hawaii’s history.
Political scientist Dr. Keanu Sai has completed doctoral research that is mainly focused on Hawaii’s continued existence as an independent and sovereign country, and has also had success in the Permanent Court of Arbitration concerning the dispute between the acting government of the Hawaiian Kingdom and a Hawaiian national.
Steve Uyehara was joined on Sunrise by Dr. Keanu Sai, who shared his thoughts and comments.
“No, the Kingdom doesn’t exist……”
Is that so, Abercrombie? All righty then! I could go on and rant so much about that response, but I’m not only gonna make it simple:
All righty then, Abercrombie. If the Kingdom does not exist and Hawaii is legally a part of the United States, care to explain how come the U.S. Government has not provided any evidence of that “fact”? Especially since OHA’s CEO Dr. Crabbe sent a letter in May of this year to the U.S. State Department basically asking the same question.
Hmm?
In conclusion, it is as what Dr. Sai stated; its based on ignorance, ignorance of not knowing Hawaii’s legal history. (Although honestly, I think he does know. The rest is obvious……) This is why education is the most extremist importance of this matter!
Aloha to all
Aloha Iolani,the blackbird knows,have you seen his you tube video,when he was salivating over the prospect of controlling kingdom assists,and he had the rest of the reps laughing in the House of Representatives and the American Samoan right next to him laughing also,check it out,he needs to go back to where he came from and it ain’t our homeland,he is a war criminal of the first degree,evil person.
Aloha, I was so glad to finally see Keanu Sai make his manao be known via KGMB news this morning. He made it clear that we are still a Hawaiian Kingdom using actual facts. This is historical and should be shared nationally, via CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, BBC etc. It’s amazing how the local news media will somehow just make it seem like just another story to improve their ratings and not really promote the true significance of this! Whomever is funding this blog aught to consider more visual educational promotion on primetime T.V. and other networks, besides Olelo T.V.
When i heard neil last night… argh!!!
But when I awoke this mornning
Saw Keanu… priceless 🙂
Aloha
Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono once again
Aloha Iolani, you go girl! Givvum!
I will share with you my request to Senator Hirono to support the HK as follows; also, posted on Congresswoman’s facebook page a request to support the reinstatement or restoration of the HK to make Pono a long overdue justice of 121 years, since the illegal overthrow in 1893 and the illegal and deceptive annexation of 1898:
Senator Hirono,
Thank you very much for keeping me informed and updated on your latest legislative actions. I’m concerned about President Obama’s recent Congressional request for an additional $4.3 billion (or was it $3.4 billion) to handle the influx of unaccompanied minors at our southern border because there is no requirement to focus on the root cause of the influx of these minors regarding why they are fleeing their country and no requirement to stem the influx by posting additional border security, such as the call-up of the National Guard, to help our U.S. Border Patrol handle this humanitarian crisis.
I’m also concerned about media reports that President Obama created this mass influx of unaccompanied minors as a result of his 2012 actions inviting illegal immigrants to file for temporary stays using the college education route as a reason for their stay and possibly file for U.S. citizen status after they complete certain requirements. Whatever the reason for this mass unwanted influx of unaccompanied illegal minors entering our borders, we must take immediate and effective actions to correct the cause of this influx and to not encourage future illegal immigration across our borders for explicit or implicit promises made in the past or the future.
Our U.S. border towns are outraged at the unbudgeted services required to support these unaccompanied illegal minors in the same way that we in Hawaii are outraged at our homelessness situation, especially when we hear rumors that other states are sending their homeless on one-way tickets to Paradise with the expectation of free services or word-of-mouth information that unemployed families can purchase one-way tickets to Hawaii with certain unreasonable and fantasy expectations that we taxpayers in Hawaii will be glad to support homeless families because we embody the aloha and ohana spirit of welcoming everyone regardless of their situations.
As you can see, I’m very upset and concerned about our growing National debt that has more than doubled during the last six years of the Obama administration from about $8 trillion to more than $17 trillion. I’m very concerned because this staggering National debt will create tremendous financial burdens on future generations and our out-of-control spending will eventually bankrupt our ability to sustain this unsustainable spending spree. We may end up financially like the European countries of Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece, Spain, et al and end up a second-rate country and no longer the only World Superpower.
I realize the U.S.A. gets very little respect from some countries, such as Russia, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Palestine, China, and the Islamic militants/terrorists. When we lose our number one position as the World’s economic power, we may start our journey on a slippery slope South that may result in other countries ignoring the U.S.A. as a do-nothing country that uses its mouth more than its military power. I always believed in President Teddy Roosevelt’s foreign policy of “Speak Softly but Carry a Big Stick.” We need to use diplomacy as needed and back it up with our military power as necessary. We can not allow other countries to look at our inability to take appropriate actions as being soft and weak, which is what Russia, China, North Korea, Syria, Palestinians, and the Islamic militants/terrorists may perceive our chaotic and inconsistent actions as weaknesses to be exploited for their benefit/opportunity. We must remain strong and show our resolve to back up our words with military muscle as required.
I also believe that we need to shore up our public education system that can produce effective future leaders who can compete with their counterparts locally and globally. We should not continue to focus our teachers on getting students just to pass standardized tests and forget about other basic skills of reading, math, communication and leadership, teamwork, character development, high standards of integrity and ethical conduct, et al.
I’m also concerned about the recent public hearings conducted by the U.S. Department of Interior regarding whether the Native Hawaiian community wants to reestablish a government-to-government relationship and receive federal recognition as part of the first step in reorganizing the Native Hawaiians. I testified at one of the hearings and supported justice for our Native Hawaiians who have suffered a prolonged occupation by the State of Hawaii and the U.S. Federal Government during the last 121 years, since the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893, the illegal annexation treaty of 1898 that was not ratified by the required two-thirds majority vote of the U.S. Senate (only a simple majority vote was used for ratification, which was an illegal annexation by deception), the Organic Act of 1900 that created the Territory of Hawaii referred to the illegal annexation, and the Admissions Act of 1959 referred to the Organic Act of 1900, which referred to the illegal annexation by deception. For the very first time, the Native Hawaiian community has spoken with one voice, Aole (No) to federal recognition, no to federal help, and no to occupation. Most of this information can be found on the Hawaiian Kingdom website, HawaiianKingdom.org, and its blog, and the textbook and DVD, “UA MAU KE EA Sovereignty Endures: An Overview of the Political and Legal History of the Hawaiian Islands,” by Dr. David Keanu Sai.
I apologize for expressing so many concerns and just appear to be rambling on and on.
I strongly believe that we need to transform our Country and get our people to be united in our fundamental democratic principles of freedom, equality, fairness, justice, compassion, and opportunities for all, since we are the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Mahalo nui loa,
George Tsuchida
tsuchidag001@hawaii.rr.com
(808)626-8707
Sorry George,you’re talking about the wrong country,America needs to pack up and leave,like they had to do in the Philippines can we say Clark air force base and subic bay,and pay the kingdom back rent,they are not the land of the free or just,or compassionate,just look what they have done to there own citizens and people in Iraq and Afghanistan,meddling in the affairs of sovereign nations,like dare we say Hawaii.
I would love to see a Dolebercrombie vs Keanu debate. I don’t think Dolebercrombie would show up.
The taxi driver wouldn’t be able to walk after Dr. Sai got finished with him,he would be back in his taxi.
Rajah dat!!!
Outstanding. I love it. Mahalo Hawaii News Now, Keahi Tucker for allowing the true facts to be told of the unrelinquished Hawaiian Kingdom nation state status by its subject matter expert, Dr. David Keanu Sai’s.
Aloha piha,
Doreene
Opps! Sorry I was just informed that Steve Uyehara was the interviewer. Kalamai ia’u.
Aloha no
Sad to see someone commit political suicide. It would have been wiser for him to say something like “I don’t know enough on the subject to say for certain”. I believe that to be a lie, however to say” no, the kingdom does not exist” is arrogant.
There might be legal recourse if their is evidence that he has been exposed to Dr. Sai’s research, as it is irrefutable. No idiot can hold a public office, under Hawaiian Kingdom Law. Might have something like that under Hawaii Revised Statutes?
Dr. Keanu Sai, what kind of Health Plan does the Aupuni Hawaii Dominion Kingdom have today & what happened to the Queens Care for kanaka maoli’s. I had Queens Care for a long time, then the State switched Me to the ‘Ohana Care in ‘2003…
Aloha Lono,
I wholeheartedly agree with you that the great U.S.A. has committed many, many injustices against many different ethnic and minority groups within the U.S. and against many different independent sovereign states, including the HK. I believe this arrogance, greed, and disregard for our people and people of other countries must be too much power going to one’s head that our anointed King (King Obama) believes he can unilaterally dismantle our Country and the governments of other countries, including the HK.
I regret voting for Obama because he was the only strong candidate at that time. Now, that I’m seeing Obama tearing the U.S. apart by redistributing the wealth for the haves to the have-nots, such as the controversial Obamacare to help the uninsured get health insurance is now costing the haves much more in their health insurance premiums and with less benefits.
He is also bankrupting the U.S. by spending like it will never end, specifically significantly more than doubling our National debt from about $8 trillion to over a stupendous $17 trillion and growing. He spends our precious taxpayer dollars like it was free (taxpayer) money growing on trees. And, that was just during the last 5-1/2 years of his administration. Do you believe that kind of spending is sustainable, and where do you think the money will come from to pay off that staggering National debt that will burden our future generations for a very long time?! We’ll take forever just to continue paying the interest on that debt! Hopefully, this will not cause the U.S. to end up financially like other European countries that could not control their free-spending habits, just like the U.S. – countries such as Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece, Spain (PIIGS). I’m also hoping that the U.S. does not end up as a second-rate power and lose its current lofty status as the World’s only Superpower.
Yes, I agree with you that the U.S. has overextended itself internally and externally! Look at the current humanitarian crisis created by Obama at our Southern border with Mexico. We cannot stem the mass migration of illegal immigrants crossing primarily into the Texas border, since its such a long border of over 1,000 miles and our lack of sufficient U.S. Border Patrol agents to stop the flow. Rumor has it that Obama created this problem by allowing illegal immigrant children to apply for U.S. citizenship using the College route to become a citizen. Now, Obama is asking the U.S. Congress for about $3 billion to $4 billion dollars primarily to house and feed the kids, and Congress is balking because Obama refuses to call out and pay for National Guards to help the overwhelmed U.S. Border Patrol, and it would only require spending just a fraction of what he wants to spend. This is just another example of King Obama spending our precious taxpayer dollars like there’s no end.
I can go on and on about all the things that Obama has done and plans to do in the near future, but I will just bore you to no end. I plan to watch the movie, “America,” that is currently playing at the Dole Cannery Stadium 18 and is about Obama remaking America by first dismantling America. Although I know what the many dismantlings that Obama has already caused and created, I want to better understand the big picture supported by the individual pieces because sometimes I can not see the forest from the trees. I was blind and now I mo betta see!
Mahalo and Imua!
Hi George, you seem to have allot of issues to share, could you please keep it focused on Hawaiian Kingdom issues? I don’t know how to reply to your messages. What exactly is your agenda here?
Aloha Frank,
I agree with you that I’m bringing up a lot of issues that may serve as examples of how our current Obama administration, i.e., U.S. Federal Government has created many situations of attempting to undo what his predecessors have done in creating the U.S.A. before Obama came into office. Some of these examples may have some relevance to the way the U.S. Federal Government may treat the Native Hawaiians in their quest for justice and restoration of the HK. A better understanding, perspective, and insight of what the Obama administration is trying to do in dismantling the U.S.A. can be seen in the currently playing movie, “America: Imagine a World Without America.” This movie brings up several historical truths that many people may not be aware of, including the history of why Obama is trying to dismantle the U.S. The movie concludes by asking the audience (people of America or the U.S.) to help restore the U.S.A. The movie makes a clear distinction between America as a location and America as an idea based on the fundamental democratic principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and the rights of each U.S. citizen to have equal access to these basic principles. I can envision the restoral of the HK in a similar way of restoring America, the idea, but including some more fundamental issues that the Native Hawaiians want, the restoral of their stolen lands that are currently illegally occupied by the State of Hawaii and the U.S. Federal Government among others. I’ve probably lost you by bringing up so many issues and concepts that are jumbled together. But, one day I will get a clearer understanding and vision and try to better articulate and share with you the connection between the restoration of the HK and the restoration of America. My mind is a little fuzzy right now, and I apologize for creating much confusion.
Mahalo,
George
Aloha Frank,
Please let me share my concept or idea for the restoration of the HK by sharing the following email that I sent to Professor Chang with a copy to the Editorial Page Editor of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser who requested Professor Chang to submit a 700 to 800 word commentary concerning his view on what he would like to see happen toward Native Hawaiian sovereignty as part of this Sunday’s Insight package that will include several perspectives on sovereignty from others:
Aloha Professor Chang,
I just saw this fantastic movie today, “America: Imagine a World Without
America,” by D’nish Sousa who also wrote “2016” about the actions President
Obama would take from 2012-2016 during his second term in office. What captured
my imagination was the concept of America, “the idea,” and not America the
location. Imagine a restoration of America based on a government of the people,
by the people, and for the people and based on the premise of all men are
created equal (aka equal access to) with the inalienable rights to life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I believe these words came from our
founding fathers of the Declaration of Independence with a lot of input from
Thomas Jefferson.
Can you imagine the concept of a Hawaiian Kingdom with a similar story line that
captures the passion, spirit, and self-determination of the Native Hawaiian
people, its culture, traditions, language and music, et al? How would you
envision a Hawaiian Kingdom (HK) in 2014 that restores the spirit and
sovereignty of the HK government of 1893?
I understand that many Native Hawaiians want the actual restoral of their lands
as it existed in 1893, using the international recognition and legal definition
of restoration and redress. Placing myself on the other side of the argument
for this example, from the perspective of the State of Hawaii, the U.S. Federal
Government and the non-Hawaiians, what would you consider to be a reasonable
restoration and redress for the Native Hawaiians that would be realistic and
practical as a legal and/or political settlement to create a “win-win” for both
sides?
As you are passionate about the restoration of the HK, I’m just as passionate
about the restoration of America and the quest for fairness and justice for the
Native Hawaiians who can respect America as it was back in 1776.
I don’t know if what I’m trying to convey even makes any sense or relevance to
the sovereignty issue, but deep in my heart I believe that there’s a connection
and I’m trying really hard to find that linkage.
Mahalo nui loa,
George Tsuchida
Thank you Keanu Sai for making my dad’s wish come true. Mahalo Ke Aku o Io ame Mahalo Ieasu Christo, Mahalo Dexter Kaiama ame Kale Gomapac…
It’s to bad that he’s not alive today to see it happen, Aloha..
Aloha Frank,
I’m back with a better articulation and connection of the restoration of America as it relates to the restoration of the HK that became much clearer after I discussed this idea with Professor Chang. I built on this idea and drafted the following for use by Professor Chang in his commentary that may appear in this Sunday’s Insight section as part of several different perspectives concerning the sovereignty issue; I apologize in advance for taking so long in expressing what I believe is the right thing to do for the Native Hawaiians:
The Greatness of America in the Restoration of the Hawaiian Kingdom
In the currently playing movie, “America: Imagine a World Without America,” the concept of America as an idea rather than America as a location was discussed, including what will it take to restore what made America great in the past, since the Declaration of Independence of 1776. Thomas Jefferson was one of the leading authors of the Declaration of Independence, and he and others envisioned an America based on a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, including the premise of all men are created equal (having equal access to) with the inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I believe that in order to restore the greatness of America that is grounded on the fundamental democratic principles of freedom, equality, fairness, and justice, and the Judeo-Christian values of compassion and helping others in need, America must restore the Hawaiian Kingdom, including its land, culture, traditions, language and music of the Native Hawaiian people who have been seeking fairness and justice during the last 121 years of illegal occupation and annexation by deception. This is very important to the Native Hawaiian people who believe in the Christian values that are embodied in their culture and traditions in what is called Pono or making things right.
The greatness of America can also be restored by reinstating the Hawaiian Kingdom as a sovereign and independent nation state as it was formally recognized by Great Britain and France on November 28, 1843 by joint proclamation at the Court of London, and the United States followed on July 6, 1844 by a letter of Secretary of State, John C. Calhoun. The Hawaiian Islands became the first Polynesian nation to be recognized as an independent and sovereign state.
The complexity of the restoration and reinstatement of the Hawaiian Kingdom as a sovereign and independent nation is probably so overwhelming to many people that they rather just sweep this sad story under the rug and just go on as if nothing happened. But, that is not what each of the affected Native Hawaiian people and their descendants feel about the restoration of lands that were stolen from them in the illegal overthrow of 1893 and the illegal and deceptive annexation of 1898.
In restoring America to the fundamental democratic principles of fairness and justice and its Judeo-Christian values of compassion and helping others in need, can the restoration of the Hawaiian Kingdom be the first step in making the Native Hawaiian people whole again by doing what’s Pono, and at the same time be seen by the rest of the World as a continuing shining light of freedom and justice that other countries can emulate as a World model, a shining beacon of hope like our Lady Statue of Liberty in New York City’s Staten Island that provides that beacon of hope that attracts many immigrants to its shore – the land of the free and the home of the brave! Isn’t this why so many immigrants have made America their home because of the golden opportunities of freedom and the ability to achieve your highest potential, such as becoming the President of the United States with President Obama as a good example becoming our first Black American President?
What would you consider to be a reasonable restoration and redress for the Native Hawaiians that would be realistic and practical as a legal and political solution to achieve a “win-win” for the Native Hawaiians and the American people who pride ourselves as the greatest people in the World because we care for all people who are in distress and need our help and support?
Mahalo and Imua!
Wow! I agree, some of the framers of the US Constitution did resist the intrusion of European wealth. Unfortunately, they failed.
We could debate, for a very long time, why America was created. One undeniable fact is that it was only possible by taking the lands from the Native Americans. Those lands were then offered to Europeans to settle, in a free for all.
My perspective, is not as glamorous as yours and based on history: Lord Jeffrey Amherst, Shea’s Rebellion, Trail of Tears, Tesla.
You use words like “reasonable” and “realistic” in regards to a solution to our illegal occupation. The de-occupation of or islands is the only realistic and reasonable solution. It only becomes unreasonable and unrealistic through an American lenses.
The illegal occupation is in violation of the US constitution. If Americans can’t understand that, then they become unreasonable and unrealistic.
There is no rush to have our Kingdom restored, that is an attempt to capitalize on our ignorance. The rush should be to cease the poisoning of our aina and the perpetuation of illegal acts. We need to educate ourselves, then decide how we emerge.
BRICS(Brazil, Russia, India, China, ,South Africa) is starting to look more like something our kupuna would have agreed with, rather than NATO, IMF and World Bank which they opposed.
When providing input on solutions to our problems, might help if you are wearing a malo.
Good discussions. Keep em coming
He’s an ignorant idiot… They still protecting the fraud of the united states existence here on the Kanaka Maoli Islands…
Aloha Tim,
I totally understand where you’re coming from and I don’t disagree with your perspective based on your understanding of history. The movie, “America: Imagine a World Without America,” presents other perspectives, including the misconception of Americans stealing the lands from the Native Americans. Who do you think first conquered the Native Americans and took their lands by physical force? It started with the Spanish Conquistadors who came to America looking for gold and silver, and continued with other European adventurers seeking “riches” to bring back to their countries. These included the Portuguese, the Dutch, the British, et al. Did you know that we are all immigrants in America and that we were first part of a British colony that was taxing the colonists until they revolted by creating a revolution, “No Taxation Without Representation!”
If you did deep into why America was created starting with the American Revolution and the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 followed by a constitutional convention of the American Revolutionaries to create the Constitution of the United States, you will find that America was created by people who rebelled and revolted against their own Mother Country, Great Britain, and some of the brave and courageous revolutionaries were willing to sacrifice their lives to gain their freedom from oppression. Remember Patrick Henry who said, “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death?”
American History also shows that the American colonists were seeking their freedom to express themselves without fear (freedom of speech), freedom to practice their religion of choice (freedom of religion), and so on that are contained in the U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights. Would you like to live in any other country that do not allow all these freedoms?
What country in the World was not either colonized, annexed, or taken by other countries going back in those days when “Might Makes Right?” Russia continues to practice that policy by their recent annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. Do you want to live in a quasi-monopolistic country (evolved from Communism) like Russia where their leadership is not freely elected and where their people are still seeking freedom such as what America provides?
What about China? Did you know that the Chinese leadership is based on who you know and are not freely elected leaders representing their people as we have it here in America? Did you know that even though some of the Chinese people have risen from poverty that there are still many Chinese people who continue to be oppressed by their leaders? What about the oppression of China’s neighbors, such as Tibet and Mongolia? Do you really want to model the HK using China, a Communist country, as a model to emulate?
What about India? India was a British colony and gained their independence in the late 1940s. India has come a long way and their people are rising from poverty being the second largest country in the World, at least population wise and maybe even geographically. Many Indians come to America to get their advanced degrees and used to remain in America because job opportunities were more plentiful and available. However, the tide is turning and Indians with advanced college degrees are returning to India because of the growing economy is creating more job opportunities and the desire for Native people of India to return home and be part of building their country into a World Class economy. India still has a long ways to go, and many of the people in India are still living in poverty, and a recent article indicated that many children of India are malnourished because of poor sanitation – many homes in India do not have toilets so the sewage creates a haven for all kinds of bacteria creating a health hazard and resulting in malnutrition because the human body is fighting infectious diseases even though it’s getting lots of food to eat. Do you really want to use India as a model for the HK?
What about South Africa? I don’t know too much about this country, but what little I know does not impress me. Why? Because for most of its history, South Africa was controlled by a small minority of Dutch white settlers who oppressed the Native South Africans. Remember Nelson Mandela who fought for his people to be freed from the oppression and be allowed to create their own government run by their own people? I don’t know how much progress has been achieved since the Native South Africans were allowed to create their own government run by their own people, so I cannot give you more information than that. You can search the Internet and find out how the Native South Africans are doing and see if the HK may want to use South Africa as a model to emulate.
What about Brazil? I don’t know much about the history of Brazil, and I believe it was a former colony that won its independence from the Mother Country, was it Portugal? I do know that Brazil recently hosted the World Cup (of soccer) and they lost badly to Germany. However, they were praised for organizing the multi-billion dollar World Cup when many critics were saying that they were so far behind in their construction, etc. I do not know enough about Brazil, so again please feel free to search the Internet to determine whether Brazil may be a model to emulate for the HK.
When you’re done searching the Internet, talking to others, and so on, please let me know what you’ve discovered as a model country for the HK to emulate. I will still put my money on America as one of the greatest countries today because of the foundation on which it was created. America has evolved many times over, and many Americans take for granted their basic rights and freedoms and many forget their responsibilities and what made America great in the first place. I’m interested in restoring America to the greatness it once was with everyone exercising their responsibilities as good U.S. citizens, such as going to the polls to vote. Hawaii has the worst voting record in America – isn’t that shameful or is it because people are too busy and too cynical and cannot trust the politicians anymore and have become completely apathetic because they only care for what happens to themselves and their families and nobody else – very selfish and myopic attitudes that result in what we have today that needs to be changed?!
Those were my thoughts Got more for me to think about? These are healthy and thought provoking discussions. Keep it coming!
Mahalo!
We don’t need a model. We were given a nation. America is an oligarch not a democratic republic.
I have more to say on this one.
The model Hawaiian Kingdom will use is the Kingdom that existed before the US illegally occupied Her… she will be a neutral country state much like Switzerland… she will be cared for by her subjects, the offspring of the Kūpuna who used her resources in ways that supported both the land and the people… The Hawaiian Kingdom does not need your examples of other countries and if you would judge the low voter turnout, the US offered nothing on a ballot that supported the Hawaiian Kingdom subjects without serving the occupiers more… Given the great number of US MILITARY occupiers, perhaps they could answer your question on voter turn out… Obviously, your allegience to the US prevails as your best choice for freedom… I cannot continue to accept my indoctrination lessons and pass them on to my keiki… The US may be the worst example of FREEDOM… at least the people of Russia and China KNOW they are not free… Americans continuously drink the kool ade, and claim to be free, while their leaders annilate people all over the planet for oil or sugar, it is all the same… People like you might want to go home to your precious US, instead of living among we who refuse to drink another drop of US kool ade… Aloha ‘Āina
Aloha Susan, you’ve been able to articulate much of my mana‘o regarding what George Tsuchida has been attempting to brainwash us with on this blog. That’s why I had asked him previously what his agenda was.
The freedom he is talking about is just a fantasy. We really don’t have freedom in America. We are being controlled by the boogie men and woman hiding behind the invisible curtain asking us to eat and drink their poison till we are so delirious that we think we are free.
Who exactly is running this blog anyway? It seems to me that Keanu Sai himself aught to be the one replying to all of our replies, as well as Professor Chang, not others who appear to be interpreting where they are coming from!!
Mahalo for your comments… I also would appreciate having dialog with Sai, Chang, etc, but i suspect a two way discussion was never the purpose of this HK blog… My perception is that we common readers will learn from the blog and clarify through dialog with one another… Sai is constantly reenforcing that we are all waking up in our Kingdom after 2 to 3 generations of believing we were in the US, and that taking time to educate ourselves is key to the transition we will all experience… After all, this process has been acknowledged in the international law forum since 2001… I tend to want it all to change now, buy many of us are like the bears raised in captivity; when they open the cage the bear is afraid to step out… My 89 year old mother says she is American and refuses to accept we are now in the Hawaiian Kingdom… Her grandfather was one of the few men who brought the Democratic Party into these islands at the turn of the century…her great auntie helped bring guns over the pali and hid them in her home when a revolt against the insurgents was being planned… I am in dialog with people who are still rehashing Act 195 and DOI… Sometimes I have to go back to all the videos of Sai and Chang to reground myself and know that I am just waking up faster than many around me… For me this transition is such a gift… Being reared in a US military home with a Hawaiian mother and a California education that did not even discuss the history… I knew nothing of my Hawaiian history… geneology, yes… history, no…
Thank you Susan, your perspective is very appreciated. I am on the same page with you. Learning as I go and appreciative of all the wisdom past, present and moving ahead to a more sustainable future that is pono.
Aloha All,
Isn’t it great that we’re all allowed to express our own personal understandings, perspectives, and insights, including our own thoughts and ideas, without being censored, shut down or imprisoned for our freedom of speech – Isn’t this what most people in the World seek where they can be free to express themselves without fear of retribution, free to choose their own religion, free to do many of the things that America’s Constitution Bill of Rights provide all U.S. citizens?
By the way, I was responding to Tim Reis comments, “BRICS(Brazil, Russia, India, China, ,South Africa) is starting to look more like something our kupuna would have agreed with, rather than NATO, IMF and World Bank which they opposed.” Tim later commented that America is not a democratic republic, i.e., “America is an oligarch not a democratic republic.” I had to look up the specific definition of oligarch, and Merriam-Webster dictionary states, “ol·i·gar·chy noun \ˈä-lə-ˌgär-kē, ˈō-\
: a country, business, etc., that is controlled by a small group of people
: the people that control a country, business, etc.
: government or control by a small group of people”
I believe that many people may agree that America is an oligarchy ruled by a small group of people. Who are these people, and why have the American people allowed America to be run by a small group of people? I can only speculate that again MONEY TALKS and plays a significant role in the politics of America. This oligarchy perspective may have evolved with the growth and influence of large corporations run by a small group of people who have “hijiked” America from the American people by using their wealth to lobby our politicians who then become dependent on these few wealthy individuals who can control and influence the American legislative and executive branches of government. However, do you believe that a few wealthy individuals may be controlling the American judicial branch as well because these three branches of the American government were created to provide “checks and balances” to ensure that not one or two branches can control our American government?
I believe that when enough of the American citizens exercise their rights and responsibilities, including voting for their leadership in the legislative and executive branches, then we may see a transformation of the perceived American oligarchy to its proper status as a democratic republic that reflects the will of the American people, i.e., government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
That is why I believe we need to restore America back to its basic foundations created by the founding fathers of 1776.
I apologize for giving you a lecture on American history and civics, and I just wanted to make sure that we all have the same understanding to have meaningful discussions.
I fully understand your bitterness, resentment, anger, frustration, and whatevas (something I saw on a t-shirt), and I believe that before we can move forward towards the restoration of the HK, we must forgive and let go of our negative emotions that may cloud our thinking. We need to learn to play with the cards that are dealt to us, and we need to understand the golden rule, i.e., he/she who owns the gold makes the rules. Who owns the gold and who are the stakeholders that may be affected by any changing of the rules? And, don’t tell me that the descendants of the Native Hawaiians and non-Native Hawaiians who lived in the HK before the overthrow of 1893 or between the recognition of the HK as a sovereign independent nation in 1843 and the overthrow of 1893, should be the rightful owners of the gold because that may be one perspective recognized by international law. Another perspective may be the U.S.A. and the State of Hawaii based on the Admission Act of 1959 and the Organic Act of 1900 that were both based on the annexation of 1898.
If I were a judge in an international court, I may see the Plaintiff as the Acting Government of the HK represented by Dr. Sai, Professor Chang, and others, and the Defendants as the State of Hawaii and the U.S. Federal Government represented by their legal representatives. It will be very interesting to see how all this plays out and how long this process may take. Someone told me that in order for an international resolution by the international court to be effective and binding, both parties must agree and consent to the court’s ruling(s). This is where I do not have the legal expertise and defer to Dr. Sai and Professor Chang who have the legal mana’o.
I agree with Frank that we need Dr. Sai and/or Professor Chang to step in and reply to our comments so that we don’t just go in circles and create more confusion and misunderstandings.
Mahalo for your patience and restraint in helping me better understand the sovereignty issues that are very complex and challenging to reach a resolution that would be agreeable to the stakeholders.
u ask who the stakeholders are who may be affected by changing the rules, but then state that you don’t want to be told that it should be only a particular group. Whenever I see statements like this, I wonder how it is that someone can say it without commenting on the effects of how “changing the rules” effected the Hawaiian nationals 125 years ago; how it continues to effect their descendants to this day. You say that we all need to forgive and move on. But in that one statement, you show how limited you are to moving on. Moving on to you is only good if it works for you and the majority. Unfortunately, the majority of people are not Hawaiian nationals. That’s not to say that laws can not be changed once we have the opportunity to do so, but it’s not for anyone to put those limitations on us prior to that point. Everyone will need to become educated, true, but, international law was broken and it must be fixed within the structure of that international law no matter the public opinion. Opinion is politics. Law is law. This is not a question of politics.
Agent George,
Kanaka Ma’oli have a saying:
pa’a ka waha, nana ka maka, hana ka lima
Shut the mouth; observe with the eyes; work with the hands.
(One learns by listening, observing and doing.)
It’s the Hawaiian way of learning. Questions are discouraged, because if you pay attention, you already know what is going on.
You keep asking questions which have answers that are readily available in the videos, articles, or thoughtful comments of others posted in this blog.
It is clear your allegiance is to the U.S., and in that light, you seem to be preaching the wrong message, in the wrong place, to the wrong people.
Your questions & comments are neither thought provoking, insightful or constructive. Rather, you talk in circles, make no sense most of the time, display a lack of depth in your research, and make abundantly clear that you have a learning disability.
No more hand holding for you. You’ve failed the test.
Your two minutes are up. Braddah ova dea is holding up da PAU sign. Aunty Dawn has put her hand on your shoulder. It’s time to move on.
kulikuli kou waha nui,
Kawika
Mahalo nui brother Kawika!!! I second your motion for ‘PAU’… I could not have said it better!!
Aloha Kawika and Susan who both want me to PAU!
I believe that this blog does not provide a fair representation of the perspectives of the Native Hawaiian community who needs to voice their opinions and vote on which path or option is best for them. I believe this blog provides a skewed discussion of Native Hawaiian sovereignty and is therefore not a good representation of the voices of the Native Hawaiian community. I believe that both Dr. Sai and Professor Chang would have a better insight and a more balanced perspective of the desires of Native Hawaiian people and provide a fair representation of the will of their people.
I envision a restored government of the Hawaiian Kingdom that reflects the democratic principles of freedom, equality, fairness, and justice and embodies the Hawaiian values of kindness, compassion, forgiveness, respect for the kupuna and the ‘aina, pono, righteousness, et al that are all embodied in the Hawaiian culture and traditions that have continued for over a millennium.
PAU!
Mahalo!
Then why do you continuously refer to American examples? Which, btw, are poorly exemplified in the example of the occupation of Hawaii and the continued charade that Hawaii is the 50th state. You do realize that the further you attempt to bolster the righteousness of the occupying country; their historical principles, etc. the further you dig a hole. In that hole a Hawaiian national sees that their principles are all for nothing; that they would break every law including their own constitutional laws in order to gain what they want. It’s astounding that you speak as if the US is the only govt. where freedom of speech was/is tolerated. Ironic to a Hawaiian national where newspapers show that we were fully engaged in conversation. Recently, a doctor at UH Ron (can’t remember the last name) was posted on this site with the most interesting interview. He spoke about how research shows that the history up until recently, that was widely taught and quoted was based off of 6%of the non-native speaking population of Hawaii at the time of occupation. The other 94% was completely ignored and swept under the rug. That doesn’t sound like “freedom of speech” for all to me. It sounds like business as usual for countries who need to re-write a dirty history.
I suppose I will be simply grateful for your vision of a restored Hawaiian government. That must be a very big step for a lot of people. But “a skewed discussion of Native Hawaiian sovereignty,” this site is not. In order for that to be true, we would need to still be grappling with the idea of being sovereign. Most of those who read this regularly or comment, understand that we are born sovereign because it was not extinguished by the illegal acts that have taken place.
First things first, let’s get the keys back. After we air it out, let’s start talking about what we want to keep and change. Otherwise, it’s just rhetoric meant to cause ugly debate. And that’s not going unnoticed by anyone, no matter what guise it comes in.
Aloha Noelani,
Thank you for your insight concerning my perspective of the Native Hawaiian Kingdom, its people, and their rights for sovereignty. According to one or several of your colleagues, it must be my “learning disability” that makes me come back to this blog and get pounded by everyone for my misguided views and fantasy of a restored HK.
I may be the only voice on this blog that believes the greatness of America and the generosity and compassion of its people will eventually result in the restoration of the HK. I sincerely believe that America has been “hijiked” by a vocal minority who does not represent the silent majority, similar to any group of people who will have the really passionate and vocal minority trying to influence their silent majority who may have other thoughts and ideas of what they really want for themselves, their keiki and future generations.
I believe I represent the vocal minority of the American people who believe in the Hawaiiian value of pono and the HK motto. I only got educated on HK sovereignty during the last couple weeks after testifying at the DOI hearings in support of justice for the Hawaiian people. I may not have spoken the “correct” words that reflect HK sovereignty and may have misspoken several times about this subject, but please believe me that my heart is for the restoration of the HK and reinstating the sovereign, independent nation state of the HK.
My thoughts and ideas may appear and sound radically different from your colleagues, and I will continue to stand up for what I truly believe is the right thing to do. I’m not a young and inexperienced non-Hawaiian as I’ve gone through the school of hard knocks and survived over 30 years of working among people who do not look or speak like me in Washington, DC. I believe in collaborating with the experts, and thus have collaborated with Professor Chang in responding to Mr. Gordon Wolfe of Waikiki who disrespected the Hawaiian people in his Letter to the Editor of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, “Kingdoms Come and Go, Always,” which Professor Chang responded eloquently with his “Annexation Based on Illegitimate Act.”
An interesting Letter to the Editor, “Haole Landowners Overthrew the Queen,” by Allan Yap of Aliamanu, gave his comments as follows:
“There are heated debates about the overthrow of the HK by the U.S., but the true fact is that the overthrow was done by rich haole landowners. They created the provisional government that took away the rights of the Hawaiians away and put the queen in house arrest and illegally brought in the U.S. military. They did this because of money and to prevent the queen from taking back their lands and kicking them out. Even though the Hawaiian Islands were eventually annexed to the U.S. for political reasons, there was a growing fear that Great Britain and France would have colonized Hawaii and eventually would have taken over the islands. So, let’s blame the right people who did the deed, and hope the Hawaiians can get together and end up perpetuating the righteous path to Hawaiian independence and settle this peacefully.”
Another Letter to the Editor, “Hawaiians Risk Losing Designation,” by Anne Sabalaske of Kuliouou, provided the following comments:
“No one can undo the overthrow, annexation and statehood. If a Native Hawaiian government is not recognized by the U.S., if “indigenous people of Hawaii” status is not confirmed, the crises could soon begin for programs that are for “Hawaiians first” and “Hawaiians only,” putting them at risk of losing those designations through legal challenges based on racial discrimination. And the Nation of Hawaii will remain unformed. Please do not allow this opportunity for recognition to slip away because it may never come again (“Consensus would end U.S. effort,” Star-Advertiser, July 13). Light a very big candle rather than continue to curse the darkness.”
These non-Hawaiians may be part of the vocal minority, such as myself, who want the Hawaiian people to be treated fairly and receive long overdue justice and independence, even though this may not be the vision of Hawaiian independence shared by the vocal minority of the Native Hawaiian community.
I believe that rather than restore and reinstate the HK in one big sweeping action that may be pushed back by the silent majority of Americans and non-Hawaiians, it may be easier to “grease the path for a sovereign independent HK” by taking small, incremental steps that the opposition may not even notice and may therefore be more successful than just having it forced down people’s throat, whether they like it or not. Most people would tend to fight anything that’s just shoved down their throat without being given the opportunity to think and act and be given a choice or vote on a given topic.
Anyway and whatevas, those are my thought and ideas for today for whatever it’s worth.
Mahalo!
I know nothing of your learning disabilities and have only commented upon your limitations. The “pounding” is not for a misguided or fantastical view of sovereignty, rather your attempts to implore American patriotism. As for your feelings of sincerity involving the silent minority/vocal majority, etc…I can only look to the past to see how that turned out. The vocal majority (meaning there was not a 2/3 majority vote, American newspaper articles that are now being brought to light telling the stories of how Hawaiian nationals did not want to become part of the US, etc.) was unable to stop the vocal minority.
“I believe that rather than restore and reinstate the HK in one big sweeping action that may be pushed back by the silent majority of Americans and non-Hawaiians, it may be easier to “grease the path for a sovereign independent HK” by taking small, incremental steps that the opposition may not even notice and may therefore be more successful than just having it forced down people’s throat, whether they like it or not. Most people would tend to fight anything that’s just shoved down their throat without being given the opportunity to think and act and be given a choice or vote on a given topic.”
This may be your belief, but like I said, there are politics and law. It’s not for you to decide, rather an international court venue with a set of laws, not political opinion. As for your opinion however…like I said, you continue to dig your hole deeper. It took a sweeping action, basically, to shove it down the Hawaiian national’s throats, even though they DID NOT like it. They have continued to FIGHT it. THEIR VOTE on the topic was taken and it remains to this day, IGNORED. You spoke about rule changes in the game earlier, and again I say; the game rules were changed 120+ years ago. They aren’t something that are suddenly being attempted to be changed today. But, because of your “limitations,” in accepting this FACT, you are unable/unwilling to admit this very important detail. This is all very important to the perspective that you are attempting to advocate because you paint yourself as a martyr who is “pounded” upon by my so-called colleagues (whom I’ve never met).
One should not so easily believe that they might ask a nation to strategize for less, so not to disrupt the comfort level of the occupying citizen population. Such an ideal was not afforded the Hawaiian nationals. You preach forgiveness for this past injustice on one hand and advocate for baby steps with the other, and into that pitch, you throw in a dash of culture; as you envision a Hawaiian Kingdom that, “embodies the Hawaiian values of kindness, compassion, forgiveness, respect for the kupuna and the ‘aina, pono, righteousness, et al that are all embodied in the Hawaiian culture and traditions that have continued for over a millennium.”
This type of culture raping has really got to end. It’s disgusting and if you didn’t know it before, then shame on you, you seem educated enough to have known it. A culture is all of its components and not the bits and pieces that you choose it to be. Don’t forget that we were and always have been warriors, survivors, voyagers, etc. We are not just compassionate, kind and forgiving. We are not docile. We are fierce as any other people protecting their ohana. We would like to protect it in a pono manner, peacefully and diplomatically, but fiercely and not some half ass “don’t disrupt the occupying citizen population” manner.
Go ahead and continue to blah, blah, blah, blog. But you are no martyr. You are not being pounded upon. You are being respectfully disagreed with. Your “limitation” does not allow you to go past a point of : Hawaiians deserve something for their trouble, but only just so much. Kind of like a customer service credit when something goes awry. That limitation is then wrapped in a possibly sincere feeling of wanting to do something for them, but as pointed out, only just so much. Perhaps this helps you to alleviate feelings you have concerning the injustice you clearly see and acknowledge. But it is not a Hawaiian value that I’ve ever heard of; to acknowledge a wrong and give back only part of what you can to correct your wrongdoing.
Mr. Tsuchida, I wish you much success in your endeavors to get past your limitations. Truly, I would like to know what you could possibly sound like, if you do reach that point. Afterall, if you were truly in favor of a Hawaiian Kingdom, even if it’s not your perfect vision of it, then getting past this limitation should come naturally.
Peace
Thank you, Noelani.
With having expressed many times over his desire to “understand” and “help” Hawaiians, I hope he takes a moment to review his comments and realizes he instead appears to really need his own views be understood and his own suggestions of help be accepted.
I do hope he also realizes that while he’s grown frustrated that his ideas and thoughts haven’t been better received, they have been met with patience. He may not believe that, but it really has been true patience he’s received in return.
I share your interest in knowing his thoughts once he’s got past his current limitations of understanding. He says his interest was sparked a few weeks ago, so his journey may eventually take him to this point.
Hey guys, it’s this simple. The U.S. broke international law and has been occupying the Hawaiian Kingdom for apprx. 121 years. If
International Law dictates that all official acts done by the U.S. in the HK is void(Namibia exception), the U.S. must end it’s occupation and return the HK to it’s HK subjects, then that is what’s going to happen end of story. All other concerns are irrelevant at this time. Our Queen, HK gov’t, Kupuna and the present HK subjects have suffered and endured this HEWA for the last 121 years. Guess What? We Survived! So if the U.S. has to leave, then suck it up. You will survive just like we had to. ALL PAU
Aloha Kekoa,
If it’s so simple, then why has the International Law taken so long to require the U.S. to end its occupation and return the HK to its HK subjects?
I read most of the information in the Hawaiian Kingdom website and its Weblog just to get myself educated about the HK. The best information I could find concerning International Law and the HK is as follows:
In “The Vision of the Acting Council of Regency” by Dr. Sai, “The acting Council has participated in legal proceedings at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands, from November 1999 to February 2001, and has filed a Complaint with the UN Security Council against the U.S.A. concerning the prolonged occupation of the country on July 5, 2001. The Complaint requests the Security Council ‘to investigate the HK question … and to recommend appropriate procedures or methods of adjustment.'”
“Since the Spanish-American War of 1898, the HK has been under prolonged occupation by the U.S.A. On August 10, 2012, the acting government of the HK filed a Protest and Demand with 55 Annexes against 173 members of the UN with the President of the UN General Assembly regarding the U.S. occupation of the Hawaiian Islands. The Protest and Demand was accepted under Article 35(2) of the UN Charter, where a ‘State which is not a Member of the UN may bring to the attention of the General Assembly any (situation).'”
“On December 10, 2012, the acting government of the HK provided its Instrument of Accession acceding to the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) with the UN Secretary-General in New York City. By acceding to the ICC Rome Statute, the HK, as a State, accepted the exercise of the ICC’s jurisdiction over war crimes committed within its territory by its own nationals as well as war crimes committed by nationals of States that are not State Parties to the ICC Rome Statute, such as the U.S. The ICC prosecutes individuals and not States.”
“On June 17, 2013, the ICC received the HK acting government’s Referral to initiate criminal investigations and its Declaration extending the jurisdiction of the ICC to investigate war crimes committed on Hawaiian territory since July 1, 2002.”
Did I miss any significant Complaints, Protests and Demands filed by the HK acting government in the various international venues regarding the requirement of the U.S. to deoccupy the HK and return the HK to its HK subjects in accordance with specific International Laws that have been mandated?
I do not understand why International Law handled through the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands since 1999 to 2001, the UN Security Council since 2001, and again the UN General Assembly since 2012, and the ICC since 2012 have not required the U.S. to deoccupy the HK and return the HK to its HK subjects.
Do the Native Hawaiian people need to wait another 121 years for justice to be served, or should the Native Hawaiian people seek other options, including near-term, mid-term, and long-term resolutions?
Something to think about?
Mahalo!
It hasn’t been 121 years of effort to end the occupation at the international level. Like you said the first venue was in 1999 aprox. 100 years after the occupation started. Fifteen years is a short time do undo over 121 years of a completely corrupt system that doesn’t even know it’s corrupt, even the international community fell for this clandestine occupation. What does it matter how much longer it takes, we are on the right track and it’s gaining momentum. This matter does not concern you, it only concerns the HK subjects. You should not be meddling into the internal affairs of a foreign country. Your interloping on the behalf of the U.S. could become a problem down the road. You have no legal claim to this issue. No legal rights can be claimed if it stemmed from an illegal act.
Something to think about.
Aloha Kekoa,
Who said that I’m interloping on the behalf of the U.S. as I’m simply exercising my right to freedom of speech as an American citizen?
Who said that I want or desire any claim to this issue as I’m already retired and have a comfortable government pension that I earned with distinction?
Whoa! Please slow down!
You’re making a lot of assumptions and presuming that my involvement is strictly to profit from the Hawaiian people as I’m not that type of person!
All I want to do is understand the Native Hawaiian sovereignty issue and try to help the Hawaiian people achieve the long overdue justice that they deserve!
What’s wrong with that!
Now, you’re getting me all stirred up by making false accusations based on your assumptions and presumptions!
PLEASE DO NOT DO THAT AS IT IS VERY OFFENSIVE TO ME!
Whatevas!
PAU!
Mahalo!
Aloha George, first of all it’s not a native hawaiian issue. It’s a Hawaiian National issue for all ethnicities who can trace their parentage back to those who were Hawaiian subjects (nationals) prior to the overthrow. Secondly, you can practice your U.S. right to free speech over the internet as long as it doesn’t violate our rights as Hawaiian nationals. To start taking action on behalf of us Hawaiians before you have a clear understanding of what is really going on will cause more harm than good. Your posts are filled with things that need to be fixed in your own country, maybe you should start helping with that first. Just saying.
Aloha Kekoa,
I agree with you that there are lots of things that need to be fixed in America. One of the things that we in Hawaii need to fix is our worst voting turnout in all of America. To help get our people to vote in the Primary Election that was just held on August 9th, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser published my Letter to the Editor on August 6th as follows:
Voting Important for Country
“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country,” said President John Fitzgerald Kennedy that still inspires me after over 50 years.
You can elect trustworthy representatives at the local, state, and national levels, which will be very important in several closely contested primary election races. Electing trustworthy representatives will help restore our faith and trust in our political leadership that will eventually restore the greatness of America.
I believe we should restore a government that represents the will of the people and not the special interest groups and vocal minorities. We should restore a government of the people, by the people, and for the people that was created by our Founding Fathers over 238 years ago.
Your vote is very important! This is what you can do for your country.
George Tsuchida
Mililani
In addition, I will be giving a presentation to the local Lions Club concerning the Restoration of the Greatness of America later this month. My speaking notes are as follows:
SPEAKING NOTES FOR RESTORING GREATNESS OF AMERICA
CAN YOU IMAGINE A WORLD WITHOUT AMERICA?
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT WE TAKE OUR FREEDOM FOR GRANTED?
LUCKY WE LIVE IN AMERICA!
GOOD EVENING! THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO SHARE AN EXCHANGE OF IDEAS FOR RESTORING THE GREATNESS OF AMERICA. I WAS INSPIRED BY D’NISH SOUSA’S MOVIE, “AMERICA: IMAGINE A WORLD WITHOUT AMERICA,” WHICH PROVIDES A HISTORICAL DOCUMENTARY ABOUT WHAT MADE AMERICA GREAT AND TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO RESTORE THAT GREATNESS.
THE FORMAT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO USE IS TO FIRST PRESENT MY IDEAS AND INFORMATION THAT I FOUND ON THE INTERNET AND THE NEWS MEDIA. I WILL THEN OPEN THE FLOOR FOR YOUR IDEAS AND ANY QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. LION WINSTON HAS REMINDED ME THAT WE NEED TO WRAP UP OUR SESSION AFTER 25 TO 30 MINUTES, AND I WILL BE AVAILABLE AFTER THE MEETING FOR ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS. I WILL ALSO LEAVE MY EMAIL AND PHONE NUMBER WITH LION WINSTON IF ANY OF YOU DESIRE TO CONTACT ME SEPARATELY.
“ASK NOT WHAT YOUR COUNTRY CAN DO FOR YOU, ASK WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR COUNTRY,” SAID PRESIDENT JOHN FITZGERALD KENNEDY THAT STILL INSPIRES ME AFTER OVER 50 YEARS.
YOU CAN ELECT TRUSTWORTHY REPRESENTATIVES AT THE LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL LEVELS, WHICH WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT IN SEVERAL CLOSELY CONTESTED GENERAL ELECTION RACES. ELECTING TRUSTWORTHY REPRESENTATIVES WILL HELP RESTORE OUR FAITH AND TRUST IN OUR POLITICAL LEADERSHIP THAT WILL EVENTUALLY RESTORE THE GREATNESS OF AMERICA.
I BELIEVE WE SHOULD RESTORE A GOVERNMENT THAT REPRESENTS THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE AND NOT THE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS AND VOCAL MINORITIES. WE SHOULD RESTORE A GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, AND FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WAS CREATED BY OUR FOUNDING FATHERS OVER 238 YEARS AGO.
YOUR VOTE IS VERY IMPORTANT! THIS IS WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR COUNTRY.
DO YOU BELIEVE AMERICANS HAVE LOST THEIR TRUST AND FAITH IN OUR POLITICAL LEADERSHIP?
I BELIEVE AMERICANS HAVE LOST THEIR TRUST AND FAITH IN THEIR POLITICAL LEADERSHIP DUE TO A LACK OF STRONG AND EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP AS EVIDENCED BY SOME OF THE FOLLOWING MAJOR ISSUES:
FIRST, CONFLICTS IN UKRAINE & RUSSIA, GAZA, IRAQ, SYRIA, AND AFGHANISTAN.
SECOND, CONFLICTS WITH IRAN, CHINA, AND NORTH KOREA.
THIRD, DID YOU KNOW THAT OUR NATIONAL DEBT IS OVER $17 TRILLION AND OUR DEBT HAS MORE THAN DOUBLED FROM $9 TRILLION TO OVER $17 TRILLION DURING THE FIVE AND A HALF YEARS OF THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION? I BELIEVE THAT OUR SPENDING IS SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL, AND I’M CONCERNED THAT OUR CONTINUED SPENDING AND GROWING NATIONAL DEBT IS UNSUSTAINABLE THAT MAY RESULT IN A MAJOR FINANCIAL CRISIS SIMILAR TO WHAT HAPPENED IN SEVERAL EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, INCLUDING PORTUGAL, ITALY, IRELAND, GREECE, AND SPAIN. IS THIS ACCEPTABLE?
FOURTH, DID YOU KNOW THAT OUR AMERICAN EDUCATION SYSTEM IS RANKED NUMBER 17 IN THE WORLD?
OUR CURRENT AMERICAN EDUCATION SYSTEM IS MEDIOCRE BECAUSE OF THE FOLLOWING REASONS:
FIRST, WE SPEND THE MOST PER CAPITA, OVER $12,000 PER STUDENT EACH YEAR.
SECOND, MORE THAN 25 PERCENT OF OUR STUDENTS FAILS TO GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL IN 4 YEARS.
THIRD, MORE THAN 50 PERCENT OF COLLEGE-BOUND STUDENTS NEED REMEDIAL CLASSES.
FOURTH, MAJOR U.S. EMPLOYERS CANNOT FIND QUALIFIED AMERICAN APPLICANTS TO FILL THEIR JOB OPENINGS.
FIFTH, 66 PERCENT OF OUR EIGHTH GRADERS ARE NOT PROFICIENT IN MATH.
SIXTH, 66 PERCENT OF OUR FOURTH GRADERS ARE NOT PROFICIENT IN READING.
WHAT’S THE IMPACT OF A LACK OF EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE?
WE WOULD BE UNABLE TO COMPETE IN A WORLD ECONOMY AND OUR ECONOMY WILL SUFFER.
OUR NATIONAL SECURITY WILL BE JEOPARDIZED BY POOR ECONOMIC GROWTH AND A LACK OF COMPETITIVENESS IN THE WORLD ECONOMY. OUR PHYSICAL SAFETY AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY WILL BE AT RISK. WE WILL NOT HAVE SUFFICENT GLOBAL AWARENESS, AND OUR UNITY AND COHESION WILL BE AFFECTED.
IS THE STATUS QUO ACCEPTABLE?
WHAT CAN WE DO TO RESTORE THE GREATNESS OF AMERICA?
I BELIEVE OUR POLITICAL LEADERSHIP SHOULD REPRESENT THE WILL OF OUR PEOPLE. WE SHOULD ELECT TRUSTWORTHY REPRESENTATIVES AT THE LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL LEVELS. WE SHOULD ALSO ELECT A TRUSTWORTHY PRESIDENT EVERY 4 YEARS.
WE SHOULD EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY, SCHOOLS, TEACHERS, PARENTS, AND STUDENTS. WE SHOULD RESTORE A GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, AND FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WAS CREATED BY OUR FOUNDING FATHERS OVER 238 YEARS AGO.
FREEDOM IS NOT FREE AND WE SHOULD NOT TAKE OUR FREEDOM FOR GRANTED AS IT HAS BEEN HARD FOUGHT WITH THE LIVES OF OUR BRAVE AND COURAGOUS WARRIORS, SOME OF WHOM ARE SITTING AMONG US. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
I BELIEVE OUR SILENT MAJORITY SHOULD TAKE BACK AMERICA FROM THE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS AND VOCAL MINORITIES!
WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR TO RESTORE AMERICA?
I BELIEVE EDUCATION IS A VERY IMPORTANT AND CRITICAL FACTOR!
I BELIEVE WE SHOULD TRANSFORM OUR AMERICAN CULTURE MAKING EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE AS A TOP PRIORITY!
I BELIEVE WE SHOULD TRANSFORM OUR AMERICAN EDUCATION CURRICULUM TO INCLUDE SOCIAL AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT THAT SHOULD SERVE AS A SOLID FOUNDATION TO BUILD ON.
WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO INCLUDE OUR BASIC ACADEMIC SKILLS, INCLUDING READING, WRITING, MATH, SCIENCE, AND SOCIAL SCIENCES.
WE SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE BASIC COMMUNICATION AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS THAT CAN BE ACQUIRED AT TOASTMASTERS CLUBS.
IN ADDITION, OUR STUDENTS NEED TO BE TAUGHT BASIC LIFE-COPING SKILLS, INCLUDING PREPARING AND MANAGING A PERSONAL BUDGET, DEVELOPING COPING STRATEGIES AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION, AND SETTING AND ACHIEVING GOALS.
I BELIEVE PRESCHOOL EDUCATION SHOULD BE MANDATORY AS MANY STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT CHILDREN WHO ATTEND PRESCHOOL ARE MUCH BETTER PREPARED FOR KINDERGARTEN AND BEYOND.
I ALSO BELIEVE WE SHOULD PROVIDE TEACHER RECOGNITION AND AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE. WE SHOULD ELEVATE THE TEACHING PROFESSION SIMILAR TO PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS AND SCIENTISTS TO IMPROVE THE IMAGE AND RESPECT OF TEACHERS AS TRUE PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE DEDICATED TO TEACHING OUR FUTURE LEADERS.
WE SHOULD ENCOURAGE A COLLABORATIVE TEAM EFFORT OF PARENTS, STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND PRINCIPALS.
WE SHOULD RESTORE AMERICAN FAMILY TRADITIONAL VALUES WHERE THE FAMILY UNIT PLAYS A STRONGER ROLE IN THE UPBRINGING AND EDUCATION OF THE STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY IN THEIR SOCIAL AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT.
WE SHOULD PROMOTE RESPONSIBLE AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP, INCLUDING CULTURAL AWARENESS AND SENSITIVITY, VIOLENCE PREVENTION, VOTING, AND ETHICAL CONDUCT.
WE SHOULD ENCOURAGE SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY WHERE OUR FUTURE STUDENT LEADERS GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE BENEFITS OF VOLUNTEERING AT COMMUNITY PROJECTS AND AGENCIES, SUCH AS THE AMERICAN RED CROSS, HOMELESS SOUP KITCHENS, HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, AND SO ON.
WE SHOULD RESTORE PRIDE IN AMERICA BY RECITING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND SINGING THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH! ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
Mahalo!
I hope this will be a good start to fixing what’s wrong with America!
I would start with removing toxic by-products from your food supply. We are biological organisms that require approx. 24 nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Try comparing the ingredients you consume to the required nutrients. No wonder we, as a race, act like such idiots.
That is where I would start. Maybe people would start thinking more clearly. Just my 2 cents. Good luck on your journey.
Aloha Tim, I whole-heartedly agree with you. Not only toxic products in our food supply, but also in our water we drink, the air we breathe, and non-food items, such as medications from our Big Pharma that maximizes their profits at our expense because I’ve read in so many different articles that we currently have the mana’o to prevent, reverse, treat, and sometimes cure some of the deadly diseases, including heart disease which is the number 1 killer in the U.S. followed closely by cancer. I almost have to believe or speculate (far out belief) that there may be some kind of conspiracy between Big Pharma that likes to keep us unhealthy to sell their medications and the food and agriculture industries that produce very unhealthy products, including fast-foods with all that saturated fats and high sodium levels to make their foods tasty and cheap, as well as beef chicken that are fed antibiotics and growth hormones, and the GMOs used by the agriculture industry to reduce their use of pesticides and herbicides in their wheat, corn, soy, fresh fruits and vegetables that should be washed thoroughly before eating or purchasing organic produce with less toxic chemicals. Toxic heavy metals, including mercury, lead, cadmium, aluminum (not really heavy but toxic to your brain), and others accumulate into very toxic concentrations over a long period of time until it’s too late when we’re diagnosed with terminal diseases, such as cancer, dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), MS (multiple sclerosis), et al, many of these have no cures since Big Pharma does not want to invest their profits in big investments with small payoffs. What’s the option or alternative to Big Pharma and its expensive meds? Many of our ancient peoples, including the Hawaiians, Native Americans, Indians (from India), Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, have their effective traditional herbs and natural remedies, including Tai Chi, Qui Gong, Acupuncture, Shiatsu, Reiki, Yoga, Meditation, et al. So, why are we not as bright as we should be, since we spend the most per capita in educating our students? I believe it’s a cultural element, where our American culture idolizes Hollywood celebrities and sports heroes, whereas Asian culture places a very high priority on education. That’s why we rank 17 in the World and 66 percent of our fourth and eighth graders are not proficient in reading and math, respectively. In addition, making preschool mandatory would give a big head start for our keiki when they enter kindergarten and beyond. Going back to food, remember Dr. Shintani about 10 to 20 years ago when he created the Shintani Diet to help Native Hawaiians reverse their unhealthy fast-foods diets causing obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other ailments? Dr. Shintani’s Diet is basically going back to the original Hawaiian foods that were much healthier than today’s fast-foods. Do you know why our Hawaii public education system has been trailing our national standards for reading and math until just recently when it received a Federal education “Race-to-the-Top grant of $75 million over 4 years, which Hawaii was the only state to spend or will spend all its grant funds in 4 years? I believe it has to do with our “diversity” as we have more immigrants coming to Hawaii than any other state, and immigrants come with limited English speaking abilities that may result in lower test scores overall. In addition, the “Felix Mandate” for Special Education required Hawaii to spend a very large percentage of their education budget on special needs keiki who are required to be mainstreamed with their counterparts, including keiki with Autism, learning and emotional disabilities, et al. I believe we spend at least 20 to 25 percent of our total education budget to comply with Special Education requirements mandated by Judge Felix. Good News is that Hawaii is catching up and has made the most progress during the last 10 years. Hawaii is only a couple percentage points behind the national averages for math and reading, which is significant progress. Going back to why top quality education is very important and what our education focus should be here in Hawaii as well as on the mainland. I believe we should stop focusing so much of our attention on having our students pass standardized tests, and instead focus on developing a more-rounded student by including in the education curriculum some basic things like social and character development, including integrity, trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness and equality, teamwork and teambuilding, citizenship, ethical and moral conduct, kindness and compassion and caring, helping others without being asked, courtesy, et al. I believe we should also include besides our basic academic skills of reading, writing, math, science and social sciences, some basic life-coping survival skills in the real-world, including preparing and managing a budget and a checkbook, developing coping strategies and conflict resolution, and setting and achieving goals. I believe we should also teach our students some basic communication and leadership skills that can be acquired through local Toastmasters Clubs. Of course, we need to include the arts and fine arts of music, paintings, drawings, sculpting, humanities and literature and poetry, et al, to ensure we have a really well-rounded student who can compete with his/her counterparts locally and globally. I believe parents also have a major responsibility in cultivating and nurturing the education and learning spirit within their keiki by reading early to their kids and making reading a big priority before preschool and continuing to encourage their keiki to excel in their academic studies as a lifelong learning experience. So, I jumped from toxic foods to educational culture and excellence back to foods and your health and back again to education. Sorry to take you on such a winding journey as my mind takes many detours on its quest for uncovering the truth. Many times we just respond to the symptom of a problem or issue and not attack its root cause or core of the issue similar to what we do in Western Medicine in contrast to Eastern and Alternative Medicine or Holistic and Integrative Medicine. Mahalo!
Aloha Luana and Noelani,
Professor Chang and two other perspectives regarding Native Hawaiian sovereignty were included in today’s Insight section of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Professor Chang advocated a path to Hawaiian sovereignty be founded in Hawaiian values of pono, kuleana, lokahi, and aloha. He also indicated that “We should have hope in this journey – hope that the American people will support Hawaii as they have in the past. I spoke to Professor Chang about whether Americans have a stakeholder interest in this sovereignty resolution, and he responded with a clear affirmation that he said he previously did not think was needed. When I asked him what I can do as an American to support Hawaiian sovereignty, he indicated that I should comment on the three perspectives discussed in today’s Insight section by reminding people of the compassion and generosity of the American people for others in need of help and support. I agree with Professor Chang that our American people, at least the silent majority, would agree to help the Hawaiian people achieve pono, kuleana, lokahi, and aloha by working together because Professor Chang in his commentary indicated that “One element of reconciliation is lokahi – many hands. Hawaiian nationals may lead, but American citizens who call Hawaii home, have their place as well – as they did in the kingdom. Who is to say that one cannot remain an American citizen yet love both America and Hawaii? Or, who is to say that one cannot be a Hawaiian national and love both America and Hawaii? The new nation will need all – everyone working together to succeed. Hawaii can choose the best of Hawaiian values and the best of American laws. We can pass laws uniquely suited for an island nation.” With those words by Professor Chang of wanting and needing American citizens to support Hawaiian sovereignty, it gave me hope and motivation to continue the fight for justice and pono. Mahalo!
Aloha. What do you mean by “support Hawaiian sovereignty”?
The “fight for justice” is a good thing in my perspective, but what I’ve understood of your perspective and even Professor Chang’s, who several weeks ago suggested, possibly off hand, that maybe Hawaiians could have the Big Island returned to them, is not justice. It is treading lightly so as not to upset the occupying population too much.
I never realized that Germany was still paying reparations for WW2 and will be for several more years, until recently. That realization has helped me to understand that even if the Deoccupation takes time, and reparations take time, it’s not a far out idea. It’s not something that hasn’t or isn’t currently happening for severe injustices perpetrated upon countries and people.
It’s nice to hear Dr. Chang’s message where law is concerned, but it doesn’t mean that I personally agree with his perspectives otherwise. Again, law is law and opinion, opinion.
As I said, I wish you the best in your efforts, but truly hope that by listening rather than attempting to be the teacher after an admitted three week crash course in something that many of those who comment here have literally spent a lifetime grasping; perhaps then you may find new information that will change your perspective.
Hawaiian nationals may lead, but American citizens who call Hawaii home, have their place as well – as they did in the kingdom. Yes, in the Kingdom Hawaiians lead and Americans as well as other foreigners that are resident aliens have their place as well. They are allowed to live and work here but not allowed voting rights or participation in gov’t, just like the resident alieans in the U.S. or any other country aren’t allowed to participate. Who is to say that one cannot remain an American citizen yet love both America and Hawaii? Or, who is to say that one cannot be a Hawaiian national and love both America and Hawaii? Yeah, we can be Hawaiian and love all countries, China, Russia, America, Argentina,Spain, … etc., we always did. The new nation will need all – everyone working together to succeed. Yes, it would be nice to see everyone working together but success is not dependant on that alone. Hawaii can choose the best of Hawaiian values and the best of American laws. Yes, we can choose whatever we want, we will only choose what is best, even it is from some other country than America. We can pass laws uniquely suited for an island nation.” Yes, Hawaiians always passed laws suited for our island nation. Unlike the U.S. laws we have now that violate Hawaiian values and culture for the sake of profit.
Yes, even without American citizens wanting to support Hawaiian Sovereignty I am determined and motivated to fight for justice and what is pono. Hawaiian patriots always did and always will.
E’o! Mahalo for that. This is why I read these comments. I’m just not that quick sometimes. I guess it really does take many hands, eh? Lokahi! Way to show how that works!
Aloha All,
I would like to share with you a letter that I sent to the Editorial Page Editor of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser with the hope and expectation that American citizens would extend their kind, generous, and compassionate spirit and hearts to helping the very patient and peace-loving Native Hawaiian people in their chosen path to sovereignty.
“The Greatness of America in Road to Hawaiian Kingdom Sovereignty”
Pohai Malamamalama (Circle of Enlightenment) is a Hawaiian expression that comes to my mind in my relatively short journey of better understanding the Hawaiian Kingdom sovereignty issue that is more challenging and complex than what I expected, since I first testified at the recent U.S. Department of Interior public hearings in support of long overdue justice and pono (righteousness) for the Native Hawaiian people.
What role should American citizens who live in Hawaii have in restoring the sovereignty of the Hawaiian Kingdom? According to senior University of Hawaii law Professor Williamson Chang’s commentary, “American citizens who call Hawaii home have their place as well – as they did in the kingdom.” (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, “Hawaiian Sovereignty: The Path Ahead,” July 20)
America is seen by people in other countries as a shining beacon of hope because of the compassion and generosity of the American people who provide support and kokua (voluntary help) during natural disasters and humanitarian crises.
I believe Americans who live in Hawaii and elsewhere will continue to support the Native Hawaiian people in their path towards Hawaiian sovereignty as they have done when the Kue petitions were brought to America and the American people supported Hawaiians and told their senators to veto the Treaty of Annexation. The American people with their generous and compassionate hearts will support long overdue justice and the right thing to do for the patient and peaceful Hawaiian people.
George Tsuchida
Mililani
Aloha!
I wanted to share a draft (Ninth Draft) that Professor Chang created in his discussion of the “Road of Sovereignty” for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. It was not published, but it provides a balanced perspective by presenting both sides, the left and the right, and more importantly it provides a potential roadmap of what’s next or the next steps for the road to sovereignty. I thought it was a great piece of information that educates the uninformed. Mahalo!
01 July 17 Ninth Draft 3:30
The question of the day seems to be: So Hawaii is occupied? What Next? What’s the Hawaiian path to sovereignty? If the United States does not have de jure [legal] jurisdiction over Hawaii [See my Testimony before the Department of Interior of June 23, 2014] and if the Kingdom of Hawaii still exists [see the work of Dr. Keanu Sai at hawaiiankingdom.org] Hawaii is occupied. Occupation is a status under the law of nations in which the occupying power [the United States] can never acquire the sovereignty of the occupied state [the Kingdom of Hawaii]. Under a system of laws, occupation, like being run over by a truck—leads to a process that strives to do justice.
What’s next? First, occupation must be recognized by the international community and the United States. Second, the laws of occupation must be respected requiring redress to the wronged state. Third, Hawaii, subject to reparations, redress, and restitution, would regain its status as a separate and independent nation.
I’ve heard all the arguments against this: They range from “practical realism:” “the United States would never return Hawaii? Or “You’re lucky the United States annexed you—instead of Russia or Japan.” The arguments are imbedded in self-centered inertia: “What’s in it for me or my family?” The responses even include a denigration of the Hawaiian people in “Hawaiians run Hawaii? Hah?
Let’s start with the last first. A future Hawaii would be run on Hawaiian values. Pono or righteousness would be dominant. A government based on race would not be pono. De-occupation and restoration are not about race. Citizens of the Nation of Hawaii included non-Hawaiian nationals.
As to non-Hawaiian American citizens who call Hawaii home –they would likely enjoy dual nationality or serve in government as denizens. They were harmed too. They have some claim to innocence. They too were victims of the misrepresentation and deceit by which occupation persisted. Most important, their contribution would be critical to a successful Hawaii. Making political participation race based was the idea of the United States and the State of Hawaii not the Hawaiian Kingdom.
Next, let’s avoid the cynicism of practical realism, both from the left and the right.
The left believes American will never do the right thing, that it has no respect for the rule of law, whether its own, and especially that of international law. America certainly is slow, but occasionally it does the right thing—slavery, segregation, women’s rights, labor etc. One must remember that it was the American people who listened to the Kue petitions and pressured their Senators to reject the Treaty of Annexation.
Moreover, not all Americans are bad. Cleveland demanded restoration. Of course, there are bad eggs. The Annexation of Hawaii was a terrible episode of American history, but like other incidents a few powerful American hijacked the constitution—think Iran-Contra and Iraq and Guantanamo Bay. Surely, the fates of these two nations are intertwined, the restoration of Hawaii compels the restoration of the “old” America. Are we too cynical to give America an opportunity to do the right thing.
The “practical realism” of the right include mostly people in Hawaii who benefit from the wrong—benefit from the illegal occupation of Hawaii. To them, Hawaii has been good to them, Hawaiians on the bottom, themselves on the top. They often say, “it was better that you were raped by the United States, you could have been raped by someone worse.” Where do we employ such sadistic logic? Not in criminal law, not in personal injury law, not in life itself.
People also doubt that we would live better lives. A separate and independent Hawaii could be free from American laws that prevent solutions to our most pressing problems. The cost of a single family home in 2020 will be 1 million dollars. Under American laws we cannot prevent international speculation in housing. Nor do we control immigration—even though we are the only island “state” in the United States. We are stuck with shipping laws that lead to an extraordinary cost of living and a lack of food security. What if we could start over, with a new country, picking the best laws of both the United States and Hawaii-aren’t we unique enough to deserve that right? How does that harm America?
What is the destiny of the Hawaiian Islands? It is to live in pono, in righteousness. The model of the Kingdom and the State of the Hawaii is the same: Ua mau ke ea o ka aina I ka pono”—the life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.” We are not living in righteousness. The government with practical control [the United States] is not pono. The proof of restoration lies in the laws of the United States—they never legally took the islands.
Historically, there were episodes were control was lost—the British took Hawaii in 1843,–but they admitted wrong and restored Hawaii. American pretended [and thus succeeded] in taking Hawaii in 1898. It took our sovereignty; it took our lands. President Cleveland promised restoration, but his will was hijacked by the next President. What does history teach us? What do our former Kings [Kamehameha III] and Queen teach us: fight with fervor, but have patience– for a government without pono can never win the love and loyalty of the people. Aloha Ke Akua.
George, I hope you obtained Professor Chang’s permission to post his message. It seems odd that you are doing it for him. What is your relationship with Professor Chang? Are you a consultant or something like that? The various perspectives from the left, right and those of us in the middle appear to make sense.
mahalo, Kuokoa
Aloha Kuokoa,
I agree with you that I should obtain Professor Chang’s permission to post his draft message, and I will do that as part of common courtesy. I’ve been working with Professor Chang, since I started educating myself about the sovereignty issue several weeks ago when I wanted to better understand the legal aspects from who I consider one of the legal kupuna on this subject with me being his student and messenger.
I indirectly indicated to Professor Chang that I intended to share his draft message with other people when I responded to his email that forwarded his ninth draft as follows:
“This is a very well written draft that provides me and others what the next
steps may be for the road to sovereignty. It also provides both perspectives of
the sovereignty issue that makes it a good journalistic piece of writing by
presenting opposing views and letting the reader decide what’s pono. Mahalo!”
Mahalo,
George
Mr. Tsuchida,
Do you and Professor Chang have an issue with returning to Hawaiian Kingdom laws that existed prior to the occupation, until such time as the proper, as per the Hawaiian Kingdom laws, population/citizens are able to make changes they feel are appropriate?
I also question the remark about denizens in government, and was wondering if you could provide examples of this in the U.S. (as I know that it is one of your more favored or well versed areas of knowledge) where this is the case. I was able to find information that indicates that internationally, denizens are more likely to be able to participate on a very localized level, but very rarely in national levels. Honestly, I’m not familiar enough with the Hawaiian Kingdom laws to say if it was allowed or not, so if it was legal prior to the occupation, then I suppose it would be legal afterwards.
In fact, I will just copy and paste the paragraph that stands out to me so that we can better examine it:
“As to non-Hawaiian American citizens who call Hawaii home –they would likely enjoy dual nationality or serve in government as denizens. They were harmed too. They have some claim to innocence. They too were victims of the misrepresentation and deceit by which occupation persisted. Most important, their contribution would be critical to a successful Hawaii. Making political participation race based was the idea of the United States and the State of Hawaii not the Hawaiian Kingdom. ”
I find this paragraph troubling. Here are my frustrations or thoughts:1) It mixes nationality and race together.
2)What about the Dutch citizen who lives in Hawaii? Would they receive the same sentiments? No? Because their country told them that Hawaii was not owned by Netherlands? So, they are here too, living the same as any other, but because their home government has been “more” straightforward with them, they deserve something different than the “non-Hawaiian American citizens who call Hawaii home”? I dunno.
3)It seems to me that all of the countries who had treaties with Hawaii at the time of occupation, understood clearly what happened. Simply put, they did not want to step in or mess with the U.S. Evidence is emerging that there was discussion as to where it left them in regards to the treaties that they had with the Kingdom of Hawaii, so they understood that things weren’t legitimate. That said…when the argument is made that “non-Hawaiian American citizens who call Hawaii home,” were “harmed too,” and they have “some claim to innocence,” because they were “victims of the misrepresentation and deceit by which occupation persisted,” I wonder very STRONGLY; how much of that claim may lie with other countries from which those people or their parents or grandparents, etc., came from? For example, my husband’s mother is nisei. Her government knew what happened in Hawaii but still allowed for their citizens to travel to Hawaii and gain citizenship. If we follow the logic of Professor Chang, the culpability would only lie with the occupier. However, I think his reflection brings up the point that other countries should possibly be called to justice as well. This is a really huge mess and not one that is as simply sorted out for me, as for Professor Chang.
Blessings over new lyrics to “God Bless America”
Any more suggestions?
“God Bless Hawai’i Now”
Land that we Love,
Please release her from your seizure,
So we can get on with Aloha…Mahalo♡♡
From the mountains, to the prairies, to the ocean, white with foam.
God Bless Hawai’i now,
Our Home Sweet Home…
George, you are a walking contradiction. If hawaii is occupied then apply the proper frame work of occupation, it’s laws and HK law. Their is no dual citizenship in the HK and a denizen has to be approved by the HK gov’t. for a specific purpose. Once that purpose has been accomplished then the HK gov’t can disolve that status if it so chooses. What the heck is a NON HAWAIIAN AMERICAN? It is just american citizen period. If you think americans for some reason were victimized by the U.S. then take it up with the U.S. and seek redress from the culprit. Don’t impose some type participation in the HK as compensation for the U.S. wrong doings. Technically, americans are here illegally. It is a violation of international law to import the citizens of the occupier into the territory of the occupied, so don’t push it.
Aloha Kekoa, you bring up a good point regarding the transition from being occupied to the new Hawaiian Kingdom Government. I seem to recall via a conversation by Keanu Sai that when the insurgents overthrew our Queen’s Hawaiian Kingdom Government that in order for the existing government employees to be allowed to keep their jobs they had to sign an oath of allegiance to the insurgents illegal government.
So I anticipate that in order to enable a smooth transition back to our Hawaiian Kingdom Government, the same process may need to be followed if that is the path that is approved by the new Government officials. Otherwise there would be allot of chaos to process essential government services.
This could mean that many non Hawaiian Nationals will still get to keep their existing jobs while there will still be many Hawaiian Nationals out of a job, unless they will be given first priority to obtain any new positions that are made available, or by those employees that don’t sign a new oath of allegiance to the Hawaiian Kingdom Government.
I would think that this process would also apply to all existing illegal Oahu, Maui, Hawaii, Kauai, City & County Governments too.
Some interesting issues to consider moving forward during the transition period. There will be many more that will need to be addressed in a logical, fair and peaceful manner.
Aloha Noelani, it would be difficult to win an arguement claiming that countries during the overthrow, fake annexation and fake statehood were liable for their complicity. Hence, the U.N. General Assembly (P&D)protest and demand. The U.N.P&D puts all countries on notice and now they will hold liability if they do not comply to their U.N. charter. Failure to comply is what lead to the HK’s complaint filed at the ICJ against some of those countries. This non-compliance is easier to prove and will produce the results that you were wanting.
Thanks for the clarification on that. I appreciate as always that it come back to a solid, legal conversation that has a real basis.
Aloha Kuokoa, yes in order to have a smooth transition this would be the best strategy. The initial change of oath is necessary to keep things moving smoothly but it’s only temporary, until a new HK gov’t is in place. We presently have a situation different than at the time of the overthrow. At that time the only ones working in gov’t were HK subjects because that is what the law required. That is still a requirement in HK law today. Once a new HK gov’t is in place I believe they would need to address that issue with those working in gov’t that took the HK oath but are not HK subjects.
Blessings over new lyrics to “God Bless America”
Any more suggestions?
“God Bless Hawai’i Now”
Land that we Love,
Please release her from your seizure,
So we can get on with Aloha…Mahalo♡♡
From the mountains, to the prairies, to the ocean, white with foam.
God Bless Hawai’i now,
Our Home Sweet Home…