Can a Hispanic State Be Far Behind?

[xrayzebra]

It this bill passes, how long before other ethnic groups want their own
exclusive government? Does this kinda put a chill down your back. And
does this tell some on this board about balkanization of the United States.
Yeah, diversity is really wonderful. Forget about an American culture.
Lets all have our own, as well as our own government, for each group.


Did anyone ask the Hawaiians?

By Mary Katharine Ham

Jun 5, 2006

If I told you there would be a bill coming to the floor of the United States Senate this week that would create a sovereign government based on race, would you believe me? You can be forgiven for being skeptical. It sounds ridiculous.

If I told you that when it comes to the floor—most likely on Thursday of this week—that it’s not at all unlikely that it will pass, would you believe me then?

It’s time to start believing. The Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act comes to the floor this week. Among its goals, according to a report from the United States Commission on Civil Rights:

--Recognize a right of the Native Hawaiian people to reorganize the Native Hawaiian governing en y to provide for their common welfare and to adopt appropriate organic governing do ents.

--Establish a commission to certify that the adult members of the Native Hawaiian community proposed for inclusion on the roll meet the definition of Native Hawaiian as “an individual who is one of the indigenous, native people of Hawaii.”

--Authorize the United States to enter into negotiations with the governing en y to lead to an agreesment addressing specified matters including the transfer of lands, natural resources, and other assets.”

After a briefing in January, the commission issued a report that portrayed the Akaka bill as “discriminatory and divisive.”

This bill has been skulking around the Senate for six years now. Unfortunately, when Hawaiian senators Daniel Akaka and Daniel Inouye go looking for supporters for something called the “Native Hawaiian Reorganization Act,” they find a lot of support from obliging fellow senators who assume the bill is a “Hawaiian issue,” and that the Hawaiian delegation can be trusted to speak for Native Hawaiians.

But one of the many problems with the bill is that no one has asked the Native Hawaiians themselves about this “Hawaiian issue.”

I spoke with Kilikina Kekumano and Leon Siu of the Koani Foundation--both Native Hawaiian activists opposed to the Akaka bill. They are opposed largely because the legislation seeks to deal with a Hawaiian issue without ever consulting the people of Hawaii about it.

Kekumano, who was adopted as a young girl by a mainland American family and now flies between her family’s land in Virginia and Hawaii while working on this issue, says the Akaka bill will create racial division in Hawaii where there has been none.

“I guess I got mad reading the newspapers…telling everyone that this is what the Hawaiians want,” she said.

It is not what they want, she contends. And, polls seem to back her up. A poll conducted by the Honolulu Star-Bulletin in March of 2005 showed that 74 percent of Hawaiians were against the Akaka bill and federal recognition.

A conservative think-tank in Hawaii, the Grassroot Ins ute of Hawaii, commissioned a survey in 2005, which showed that 67 percent of Hawaii residents were against the Akaka bill, and 48 percent of Native Hawaiians surveyed agree.

The Ins ute’s most recent survey shows that 70 percent of Hawaiian residents want to vote on the Akaka bill before it’s considered on a national level, and 67 percent of residents continue to oppose the Akaka bill.

That’s all Siu wants—a say. He pointed out that no hearings have been held in Hawaii on the current or any previous version of the Akaka bill, despite the immense impact it may have on the state.

“We’re not opposed to the government helping us do something,” he said, “but together as a community, we should figure out what’s best.”

Kekumano is concerned that the racial preferences and race-based government will create “at least strong animosity between the people who have always lived together…We don’t have specific barriers between race. This would create an incredible apartheid really,” she said.

Supporters of the bill claim that the Akaka bill will just grant to Native Hawaiians the same recognition given to other Native American tribes. Unlike other Native American tribes, however, Native Hawaiians were never a racially and culturally separate sovereign en y.

When King Kamehameha became ruler of all the Hawaiian islands in 1810, the Kingdom of Hawaii welcomed the contributions and participation of non-natives. Even supporters of the Akaka bill admit that the Kingdom of Hawaii was a minority ethnically Hawaiian. The Akaka bill would create a racially separate en y that has never before been separate.

I grew up in the South. I’ve seen my share of racial tension. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that you don’t create racial separatism where there is relative racial harmony. I can’t imagine anything more counterproductive.

The Akaka bill would be a disaster for all the people of Hawaii, according to Kekumano and Siu. It would divide them in ways they’ve never been divided, turn neighbor against neighbor. The majority of Hawaiians know this, and many Native Hawaiians agree.

“We can avoid a bad situation by simply letting Hawaiians have a say,” Siu said.

This “Hawaiian issue” will become a national issue this week. The Akaka bill’s attempt to create a race-based government is an hetical to American values. If the Senate knows that the people of Hawaii—even native Hawaiians—believe that, then maybe we can indeed avoid a bad situation.

Mary Katharine Ham is the former Senior Writer and Associate Editor for Townhall.com.

Copyright © 2006 Townhall.com

Find this story at: http://www.townhall.com/opinion/colu...05/199857.html

[Extra Stout]

This appears similar to the status of the various Amerindian tribes on the mainland. It does not appear that native Polynesian Hawaiians necessarily want that status, however.

The background for the status of the native tribes is that the USA hashed out treaties with them to maintain a nominal modi of sovereignty in exchange for removal onto defined reservations. In practice, this has made the tribes nothing more than glorified landowners on their "sovereign homeland."

It's not really applicable to, say, ethnic Mexicans in the United States. If some LULAC kook wanted to argue that it were, the retort would be that the United States already recognizes a sovereign Mexican homeland completely independent from the United States.

[xrayzebra]

^^Don't bet your swag on it. ES. One foot in the door is all it will take for
the whole mob to want in.

[Phenomanul]

^^Don't bet your swag on it. ES. One foot in the door is all it will take for
the whole mob to want in.

Based on the US occupation of Hawaii that led to its statehood, I believe the Hawaiians are en led to whatever they wish... As it stands they already suffer one of the highest costs of living of any of the 50 states... at no fault of their own.

You are one seriously paranoid cultural isolationist xrayzebra...

[Extra Stout]

^^Don't bet your swag on it. ES. One foot in the door is all it will take for
the whole mob to want in.

The door already is open then, and has been for over a hundred years. Yet our country hasn't balkanized.

People can tell the difference between the remnant of a conquered society and an immigrant wave.

[JoeChalupa]

I ain't worried about it.

shaka brah!!

[Extra Stout]

After checking the Cons ution...

I believe that the basis for this bill is the Commerce clause, which grants Congress the authority to regulate commerce between the Nation and the various Indian tribes. The point of question would then only be whether the native Hawaiians are to be considered an "Indian tribe," as the native Alaskans have been.

These tribes are considered distinct from foreign nations and the several States.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

You are one seriously paranoid cultural isolationist xrayzebra...

yes he is

[JoeChalupa]

I concur.

[DarkReign]

Hey, if its the same thing as Native Americans and their wonderful casinos...Outside of the affected people (ie Hawaiins), who cares?

If it is what X thinks it is (which I believe it is not), then yes...we should be concerned.

[xrayzebra]

You know if you folks aren't careful, you are going to hurt my feelings.

Sit back and let it all happen and reap the wind. What I am telling you is that
it has been proposed by militant groups in the past and all they need is one group
to get their own country/nation/state and they will all want their share of the
pie. You know like: We didn't cross the border, the border crossed us.

[Extra Stout]

You know if you folks aren't careful, you are going to hurt my feelings.

Sit back and let it all happen and reap the wind. What I am telling you is that
it has been proposed by militant groups in the past and all they need is one group
to get their own country/nation/state and they will all want their share of the
pie. You know like: We didn't cross the border, the border crossed us.

Native Alaskans already got the status being proposed for Hawaiians. And we all reaped the wind of... absolutely jack happening as a result.

[Extra Stout]

Right now there are 561 sovereign governments being managed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. If it becomes 562, the terrorists win.

[JoeChalupa]

I have more faith in the American people.

[Extra Stout]

I have more faith in the American people.

No, no, all the Hispanics on the southside are going to band together and declare themselves to be the previously unknown Puffy Taco tribe. Then they will turn the Southside into a reservation and build the Lucky Vato casino right on top of xray's property.

Stick that in your peace pipe and smoke it.

[DarkReign]

Native Alaskans already got the status being proposed for Hawaiians. And we all reaped the wind of... absolutely jack happening as a result.

Right now there are 561 sovereign governments being managed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. If it becomes 562, the terrorists win.

Comedy. Gold.






Btw, if this Hawaiin situation = the indigenous Alaskans, this is a mute topic for us.

It will obviously mean something for the native Hawaiins, and yes, I believe those individuals should be allowed to vote before Congress does.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

I wonder what whites would do if they were slaughtered to .001% of their current numbers in the name of "freedom" "order" and "justice" then reins uted back into the very society that slaughtered their men and raped their women.
I wonder.

[Extra Stout]

I wonder what whites would do if they were slaughtered to .001% of their current numbers in the name of "freedom" "order" and "justice" then reins uted back into the very society that slaughtered their men and raped their women.
I wonder.

Hispanics get to act morally superior because Anglos have been oppressing them ever since Cortez conquered the Aztecs.