Posted on 07/18/2005 6:05:11 AM PDT by Alex Marko
HONOLULU -- After six years of trying, Sen. Daniel Akaka hopes to finally see a vote in the Senate this week on one of the hardest-fought measures of his congressional career -- his bill to grant his fellow Native Hawaiians federal recognition. "It will have a historical impact," said Akaka, D-Hawaii. "It affects Hawaii, the Pacific, the nation." The measure is tentatively scheduled for debate Monday night and Tuesday, with a vote on Wednesday. Akaka and Hawaii's other Democratic senator, Daniel Inouye, say there are enough votes for approval. It would grant Native Hawaiians the same rights of self-government enjoyed by American Indians and Native Alaskans, and would lead to U.S. recognition of a native governing entity. The bill has the support of Hawaii's Democratic and Republican leaders of all races, including Gov. Linda Lingle and the state Legislature. ...
(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...
Hawai To Get Casinos.........
I say cut them loose. Give Hawaii autonomy as well as Puerto Rico and take away all federal tax money.
Agreed plus it would eliminate I believe 4 blue electoral votes!
You beat me. I couldn't type the word "casino" fast enough. Lurking here in Ledyard, CT - home of the world's largest Casino.
What's realy interesting and/or annoying is that the proponents refuse to submite this to a plebiscite..Polls sindicate that MOST native Hawaiians oppose this...So why is the GOP governor for it?
LOL, I didn't think of that. I would give them 2 years before they became a meth infested Haiti.
Agreed, just let them go.
This is nothing less than pathetic, this attempt to try and paint the Pacific Islanders as another persecuted victim group. Hawaii wasn't stolen from anyone against their will, they wanted statehood and they got it.
Let them have it as long as we don't have to pay taxes to support them.
Yup - They'll pave paradise and put up a park of slots!
I think Americans should be Americans. Not Native Americans, not African Americans. If you live in USA you are American, period.
And I am part Cherokee. And I have a black slave ancestor, Rufus Hargrove.
I say we are all AMERICANS, PERIOD!
I'm the son of immigrant parents. And i cannot agree with you more. I am pro-US first and foremost. No ethnic backround of mine or my parents or ancestors is relevant. I live, work and play in the US and will defend it to the bitter end.
Sorry, but long before Hawaii wanted and got Statehood, the kingdom was stolen. Only we didn't instigate it. No good reason to gloss over that basic fact.
What is not clear to me is what the native (meaning the first people) Hawaiians want and why they want it. Also from this article:
A group of mostly Native Hawaiians issued a declaration saying the bill "debases our sovereign heritage and our right to self-determination." It also said the bill "would attempt to label us with an identity as Native Americans that is not and will never be who we are as a people."
Kelikina Kekumano, who said she spends much of her time lobbying for Native Hawaiian rights, objects to the bill "because it makes us another Indian tribe."
The retired flight attendant is scheduled to testify Tuesday before a House Judiciary subcommittee considering an identical bill. The House last passed an earlier version of the bill in 2000, but it has never before made it to the Senate floor.
Also opposed to the bill is a group of mostly Caucasians who say it is race-based.
There are not a great many descendants of the original Hawaiians, so this kind of dissension is all the more stark.
???
Well, if he can talk them into voluntarily forfeiting their land and move to some barren reservation in Nevada or New Mexico, it's OK with me.
But I doubt if many native Hawaiians are gonna fall for that old scam....
A hundred years ago... maybe... but certainly not in this day and age.
But the Senate is full of idiots, so it's no surprise that this is an "issue" requiring national attention.
Well that could most certainly be argued, while its true that Statehood was voted on and passed. It is also true that a group of American businessmen essentually did overthrow Hawaii's ruler and set themselves up as the government.
I suggest you do a little more research because if one believes the American Indians were forced aside and their land taken by the USA, then your going to find out that the same thing was done in Hawaii.
What do you mean . . . far behind?
My understanding is some small number of Hawaiians want the kingdom returned. Start from there and proceed to existing race-based Native Hawaiian only programs.
Hope an Aloha Stater jumps in to explain what's really going on.
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