Senate to Vote on Hawaiian Self-Rule Bill

[rcne]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050718/...an_recognition

AP National News 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." "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. Several thousand Hawaiians and non-Hawaiians signed an advertisement in support of the bill that appeared in last Sunday's Honolulu Advertiser. Lingle says it also is supported by the majority of the people of Hawaii, but opponents dispute this, touting a recent automated and unscientific phone survey in which 67 percent of respondents said they opposed the bill. Both sides argue over whether the questions were loaded. 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."

Patrick H - being from the islands - please keep us abreast of the developments..

[Nono]

Interesting. I await Pat's response. Would he be available for the prime-ministership in an independent government?

[PatrickHenry]

They don't let immigrants lead their political efforts, heh. There is actually a controversy in the Hawaiian community over this effort. Some see recognition (via this bill) as the closing chapter of the effort for a return to sovereignty. Others think it will entitle them to some of the Fed money that the Indian tribes get. It could be just a way of getting gambling into Hawaii. Right now, Hawaii and Utah are the only two states without some form of legalized gambling or lottery...

[rcne]

PH, thats what I had noticed. Representing each side on the NEWS were native Hawaiians. I've not seen anything else on the vote, and had not considered the benefits of the gaming industry in Hawaii.

Why would this bill be the closing chapter for sovereignty? I thought this bill would re-establish the sovereignty?

[PatrickHenry]

Quote by: rcne Why would this bill be the closing chapter for sovereignty? I thought this bill would re-establish the sovereignty?

Not at all. Sovereignty is a complex issue. Are the Indian nations sovereign? Can they make treaties with other nations? Are they able to formulate foreign policy for their own purposes? NO? Then they are not really sovereign... This would be limited sovereignty, which amounts to very little.

True sovereignty was what existed in the Kingdom of Hawaii, pre-1893. They Kingdom had treaties with many nations and a treaty of friendship and trade with the US which was dishonored by the US complicity in the overthrow of the legitimate government. Now the US seeks to formalize and legitimize their siezure of another nation, for which they have apologized by a congressional resolution. http://www.hawaii-nation.org/publawsum.html

This recognition via the Akaka Bill is an attempt to render the Hawaiian question in a likeness of the Indian Nations that were granted limited sovereignty. See this legal discussion of the concept: http://www.umass.edu/legal/derrico/sovereignty.html

And from an Indian point of view: http://www.airpi.org/pubs/leventhl.html

And some of the Hawaiian sovereignty advocates: http://www.hookele.com/non-hawaiians/chapter2.html#sov

Research this (with your own biases) and discuss how you would feel about Hawaii eventually becoming an independent nation again. Or being permanently subsumed by the mass culture of the US in the ongoing process of colonization of one of the earth's most beautiful pieces of real estate by the world's most powerful nation...

[bishop]

hawaii already gets about $1.56 in federal spending per $1 taxed.. the state/country/whatever would stand to lose a lot of money by leaving the union.

the "indian" link you posted reads as if they want similar status to native americans. it's replete with rulings about federal treatment of indians and indian reservations. cessation's something completely different.

[PatrickHenry]

Quote by: bishop the state/country/whatever would stand to lose a lot of money by leaving the union.

They also get the citizens off the hook for the US debt obligation. And likely the US would continue to lease Pearl Harbor.

Agreed that secession is not the same as the limited sovereignty that the Indian Nations have. That is what the Akaka bill is pushing towards. Restoration of Sovereignty could be labeled secession, although the context of Hawaii's admission to the Union is unlike any other state.

Off topic, did you know that Hawaii is the only state to have an official government holiday to honor a foreign king? Kamehameha Day, June 11th.

[castille]

Does this mean Hawaii is going to get full independence, or will function as a satellite state of the US? Or will the US just apologise and continue ruling?

Washington must be looking for some support for their Taiwan state, hehe.

[Mr.Vicchio]

ATZLAN is gonna have a field day if this passes....

[PatrickHenry]

You like the US siezing and holding other nations, huh, Vicchio? No self determination BS for you, huh? Just straight out Empire!

Good to know where you are coming from.