The original domain got poached a few years ago, and the code was online here for a while:
http://wetserver.net/hawaiimatters/new/index.html
The old website can be found on archive.org
I am Hawaiian; we are all Hawaiians
January 18th, 2010 by admin No comments »Talk given at GRIH Akaka Bill Panel 1/15/2010:
2010-01-15 Akaka Panel - Jere Krischel (2.2 MiB, 7,850 hits)
Killing Aloha
November 22nd, 2009 by admin No comments »AkakaSullivanKA111CongS1011HR2314Aug2009.pdf
An analysis of the Akaka Bill by attorney Paul M. Sullivan.
USCCR Letter Re: The Akaka Bill
August 28th, 2009 by admin No comments »August 28, 2009
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, Speaker
The Honorable John Boehner, Republican Leader
The Honorable Harry Reid, Majority Leader
The Honorable Mitch McConnell, Republican Leader
The Honorable Nick J. Rahall II, Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources
The Honorable Doc Hastings, Ranking Member, Committee on Natural Resources
The Honorable Byron Dorgan, Chairman, Committee on Indian Affairs
The Honorable John Barrasso, Vice Chairman, Committee on Indian Affairs
The Honorable John Conyers, Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary
The Honorable Lamar Smith, Ranking Member, Committee on the Judiciary
The Honorable Patrick Leahy, Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary
The Honorable Jeff Sessions, Ranking Member, Committee on the Judiciary
Re: Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act
Dear Distinguished Members of Congress:
Three years ago, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights issued a report opposing the
passage of the proposed Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act. Although that
report focused on an earlier version of the proposed legislation, that earlier version was
substantially similar to S. 1011. Specifically, the report stated:
“The Commission recommends against passage of the Native Hawaiian
Government Reorganization Act … or any other legislation that would
discriminate on the basis of race or national origin and further subdivide the
American People into discrete subgroups accorded varying degrees of privilege.â€
We write today to reiterate our opposition to the proposal.1 We do not believe
Congress has the constitutional authority to “reorganize†racial or ethnic groups into
dependent sovereign nations unless those groups have a long and continuous history of
separate self-governance. Moreover, quite apart from the issue of constitutional
authority, creating such an entity sets a harmful precedent. Ethnic Hawaiians will surely
not be the only group to demand such treatment. On what ground will Congress tell these
other would-be tribes no?
Some advocates of S. 1011 readily concede that the bill is an effort to preserve the
State of Hawaii’s current practice of conferring an array of special benefits exclusively
on its ethnic Hawaiian citizens—to the detriment of it citizens of African, Asian,
European or other heritage. In essence, it is an attempted end-run around the Supreme
Court’s decisions in Rice v. Cayetano2 and City of Richmond v. J.A. Croson Co.3 The
Constitution, however, cannot be circumvented so easily. And even if it could be, we
would oppose passing legislation with the purpose of shoring up a system of racially
exclusive benefits.4
In closing we would like to point out that in 1840, the Kingdom of Hawaii adopted
a Constitution with a bicameral, multi-racial legislature. The Constitution was signed by
two hands—that of Kamehameha’s son King Kamehameha III and that of the holder of
the second-highest office in the nation, Keoni Ana, the son of the British-born Hawaiian
Minister John Young. Its opening sentence, the substance of which was suggested by an
American missionary, was based loosely on a Biblical verse:  “Ua hana mai ke Akua i na
lahuikanaka a pau i ke koko hookahi, e noho like lakou ma ka honua nei me ke kuikahi, a
me ka pomaikai.†Translated, the passage might read: “God has made of one blood all
races of people to dwell upon this Earth in unity and blessedness.â€
It would be ironic to attempt to honor the dynamic, cosmopolitan Kingdom of
Hawaii by disdaining these words.5 We urge you to vote against the measure.
If you would like any further information or we can do anything else to assist you,
please do not hesitate to ask. We can be reached through the Chairman’s special
assistant, Dominique Ludvigson, at (202) 376-7626 or at dludvigson@usccr.gov.
Thank you for your attention.
Sincerely,
Gerald A. Reynolds
Chairman
Abigail Thernstrom
Vice Chair
Todd Gaziano
Commissioner
Gail Heriot
Commissioner
Peter Kirsanow
Commissioner
Ashley Taylor, Jr.
Commissioner
cc: Commissioner Arlan Melendez
Commissioner Michael Yaki
Download the original PDF:Â Letter on Akaka Bill Aug 28 2009
Senator Inouye’s Testimony to Senate Committee Contains Several Historical Inaccuracies
August 6th, 2009 by admin No comments »He Hawaii au – Keoni ‘Olohana
June 20th, 2009 by admin No comments »Keoni ‘Olohana was one of the ali’i who unified the Hawaiian Islands with Kamehameha the Great. As a close advisor to the King, he was appointed as the governor of the Big Island, and today his body lies in Mauna Ê»Ala, the Royal Mausoleum. His son was the Kuhina Nui to King Kamehameha the third, and his grand daughter was the beloved Queen Emma.
But the Akaka Bill will not recognize Keoni as Hawaiian. Keoni, regardless of his rank, stature or accomplishments would not be allowed a place in the Akaka Bill’s new government.
Keoni used to be called John Young, and his ancestors came from England. Although he and his family were instrumental in the creation of the Kingdom of Hawaii, the Akaka Bill would reject him simply on the basis of his bloodline.
He Hawai’i au; he mau Hawai’i kakou a pau. I am Hawaiian; we are all Hawaiians.
He Hawaii au - Keoni 'Olohana - MP3 (1.4 MiB, 5,802 hits)
He Hawaii au – Not enough (1)
June 20th, 2009 by admin No comments »Father Damien came to Hawai’i on March 19, 1864. Knowing full well the dangers of leprosy, he still asked to be assigned to minister to the lepers on Molokai.
Father Damien arrived at Kalaupapa on May 10, 1873. For years he worked among the lepers, until he himself contracted the disease and died on April 15, 1889. By any measure, Father Damien was a Hawaiian hero.
But not according to the Akaka Bill. Since Father Damien was from Belgium, the Akaka Bill would not consider him “Hawaiian.†Despite all of his works, and all of his sacrifice for the most needy people of the Kingdom of Hawai’i, the Akaka Bill would tell Father Damien he could not be a part of the new “Hawaiian†Government.
He Hawai’i au; he mau Hawai’i kakou a pau. I am Hawaiian; we are all Hawaiians.
He Hawaii au - Not enough (1) - MP3 (1.4 MiB, 6,210 hits)
once upon a krischel » An Open Letter to Barack Obama
June 16th, 2009 by admin No comments »once upon a krischel » An Open Letter to Barack Obama
A plea for racial equality from our first hapa-haole president.
Supreme Court Transcripts re: Apology Resolution
May 25th, 2009 by admin No comments »http://supremecourtus.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/07-1372.pdf
In what could be a turning point for spurious race-based claims to public lands in Hawaii, the SCOTUS heard oral arguments today centering around the Apology Resolution (PL103-150).
