Posted by Tane on May 30, 2009 at 6:29pm in Politics
The Christian religion basically are followers of Christ which in itself
isn't a bad thing. The words of God is truth; but the interpretation and the
weakness of man will pervert God's message. The principles of government may
have its merits; but the abuse of power and misuse of the noble laws are prone to
man's interpretations and perspectives.
Mankind is not perfect and prone to mistakes; striving for perfection is a
noble ideal. We struggle towards the goal of fairness and comity. All cultures
have this attribute while being open to progress for a better quality of life
according to their environment.
The doctrines of Manifest Destiny controled the Western Civilization and the most zealous were
those who had close ties to the WASP Christian religion. Theologians, their families and communities bound themselves to this doctrine. As missionaries, the common reference is that they came with the bible, the plow, and the rifle; thus gained influence in the countries they went to and set their values, society, and standards as being civilized while others were not.
From the same corners of the world there was opposite views but manifest destiny won out and gained a larger following. The most zealous were those that had close ties to the Christian religion. Either they were ministers or studied theology or family of; or all the above. Soon enough they gained control and the rest is history.
In Hawai'i's post-European history, it was no different with the mentality of the European/American
people. For example, the players in the USA invasion and occupation of the Hawaiian Kingdom and
how they connived in maneuvering the takeover, disregarding the treaties they signed and ratified.
Let's get to know the words and actions of our players to view them as who they are and what spurs their actions. We now know how their evolution of thinking came to be; it must be difficult to throw off this one-faceted archaic way of thinking, yet it created havoc in the world.
Lorrin Andrew Thurston 1858 -1931
Presstime in Paradise - George Chaplin, describes him as a hotheaded lawyer,
newspaper publisher, son of missionary parents, sent to the mainland for
higher education (Yale). Those in the US enlisted him as a US special agent to help
destabilize the Kingdom of Hawaii in order to takeover the government.
Secretary of State Blaine communicated that they would look with great favor to an
annexation treaty should their be a revolt and overthrow of the monarchy and a
new government formed.
He promoted Americanism, was anti-union of workers, and detested Asians
(Japanese, Chinese, and Filipinos) more than Hawaiians and called them enemies.
Consequently, this US American conspirator is regarded as a traitor, a known bigot,
a racist, a self-righteous, arrogant and smug individual.
Lorrin requested instruction from Secy. of State, Blaine on 8 March 1892, on
how far he may deviate from established international rules and precedents in
order to destabilize and annex Hawaii. American Presidents, Arthur, Harrison,
and McKinley, greatly supported this plan of action for the takeover of the
Kingdom.
We are cognizant of the factual involvement of those in the highest positions in the USA, and conclude this was not the actions of a "few misguided US Americans and agents" but the USA nation who waged war against the friendly, neutral nation of Hawaii; in fact, it was the first sneak attack on our sovereign shores.
Pro-annexationist, who was removed from Paraguay and Uruguay for inciting their governments
because he was actively promoting annexation of those countries to the USA, was sent to Sweden
as a cooling off period before they relocated him to Hawaii as part of their plan. His name was John Levitt Stevens.
US Minister Stevens, (1820 - 1895, Augusta, Maine), was a Republican, newpaper editor, and a retired Universalist minister who championed the Christian Manifest Destiny. He was quite close to the US Secretary of State, James Blaine who greatly influenced Stevens in the doctrines of Manifest Destiny, Expansionism, and Imperialism. Stevens engineered the invasion and takeover by the US of Hawaii. With being a close ally of Thurston, they completed their ruse with the blessings of the US presidents and their administrations. The co-conspirators living in Hawaii gave him an elaborate 7-piece silver tea service made from melted-down Hawaiian silver dollars.
HREF="
http://cdl.library.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/moa/pageviewer?root=%2Fmoa%2Fnora%2\Fnora0157%2F&tif=00740.TIF&cite=&coll=moa&frames=1&view=50 ">Click here:
Cornell University Making of America
The key is to type in the search box: Hawaii - 1893. You will find a list of
periodicals relating to Hawaii during the tumultuous time in its modern
history. The following is taken from the North American Review, 1893, Volume
157 issue 445.
Stevens' somewhat slanted misinformation is overwhelming and inflammatory. It merits reading to grasp the desperate cleansing to justify his actions and those of resident Americans in Hawaii. He is a scholar of manifest destiny and a white supremacist. He ends his missive with: "....in the name of what is most sacred in Christian civilization.....will see to it that the flag of the US floats unmolested over the Hawaiian Islands. It is good to know, he was reprimanded for his actions in Hawaii; but received only a slap on the wrist.
In the same journal, Democrat House member From Maine of the 57th Congress,
1891, Ways and Means Chairman, William M. Springer, writes quite a different
perspective. Here are excerpts of his assessment: "...of few residents
prompted by personal interests.... The pretext for this intervention is based
upon the alleged fact that the government of the queen of the Hawaiian Islands was a
'semi-barbaric monarchy resting on no solid or moral foundation, dead in
everything but its vices, coarsely luxurious in its tastes and wishes, constantly
sending out impure exhalations, and spreading social and political
demoralization throughout the islands.'
This is the indictment against the monarchy made by the late Minister, Mr. Stevens,
who after leaving the islands, further assails the government to which he was so
recently accredited as a diplomatic representative, by charging that the queen has
sustained scandalous and immoral relations with one of her ministers. This being
alleged condition of the government of Hawaii, an appeal is made to the moral
sentiment of the American people to justify the overthrow of that government and
establish in its stead what its friends and supporters have denominated 'a Christian
government', by which we may assume, is meant a government whose administrators
profess the Christian religion.
The provisional government which was established had no other foundation for
its existence than what is called "the great mass meeting of January 16, "at
which the whole attendance did not exceed sixteen hundred [1,600] persons. At
this meeting a committee of Public Safety was appointed, which committee
"proclaimed a provisional government". This provisional government was not even
submitted to the town meeting for its approval. It could not have maintained an
existence for an hour had it not been for the fact that the marine forces on
board the US steamship "Boston", then lying in the harbor, were at the request
of the committee of public safety and the American minister, acting in
conjunction with the provisional government, directed. ....These armed forces
of the US remained on shore in Honolulu for 75 days, thus this remarkable
revolution in the Hawaiian Islands was accomplished.
....Whether the government of Hawaii was a just one, a moral one, or an
efficient one, is a matter which does not concern the American people. We have
no more right to overthrow a monarchy in Hawaii because it does not conform to
our ideas of a just government, than we have to overthrow a monarchy in Canada,
or Great Britain, or Russia, or Turkey, or Spain, or elsewhere.
But it is alleged that the presence of the US forces on shore was necessary
to the protection of American life and property. .....{he wondered why no other
nation was there to protect its citizens}. .....I American citizens were
interfering with the local government and using their influence to overthrow it,
they had no right to claim the protection of American forces in this unlawful
and revolutionary procedure. ....Therefore the claim....lives and property in
danger is a mere pretext, having no foundation whatever in fact. ...The
divinity in all these matters is the right of the people to govern themselves."
Springer asked (re: annexation), why insist on only white voters, and was
always told, people of the islands were not capable of self-government and would
be hostile to annexation. The fact is that the people of Hawaii have never
been consulted upon this subject. The so-called provisional government did not
emanate from them and does not have their sanction. It is a usurpation, which
could not have had any de facto existence, to say nothing of a rightful
existence, except for the presence of the overpowering armed forces of the US.
He further states, what right has the provisional government to make a treaty
with the US government for the annexation of Hawaii to our government? Who
gave the PG the authority to speak for the people they pretend to represent?
......it claims to be composed of Christians...are representatives of advanced
Christian civilization.
...Such a claim would make the US the moral and religious arbitur of the
world; would constitute us self-appointed crusaders, going about the earth
pulling down and destroying alleged heathen and semi-barbaric monarchies, and
establishing Christian governments and civilization in its stead............would
make our Christianity a fraud and our boasted republicanism a mockery....It
would be a declaration of war, and we would be compelled to withdraw our
forces and apologize for our intervention.
.......Anything short of this is a mockery of justice, a disgrace to our
diplomacy, is unworthy of a Christian nation, and a travesty upon our devotion
to the principles of local self-government.
E kala mai i'au for making it so lengthy. It was difficult to excise a lot
of his statements without losing the tenor of his thoughts. As we can see, not
all politicians saw it as Stevens, et al. Springer put out some good points.
What he says, can apply to today; whether in Iraq or in Hawaii. History
does repeat itself; the buck should stop here in this day and age.
Holomua,
Tane
APPENDAGE:
Re: Stevens warped morality
As I have stated before, concerted effort to takeover Hawai'i manifested in 1841, President Wm. Harrison, a known expansionist who was known as shallow-minded.
Tyler (1841-45) was a strict constructionist and pro-slavery slave owner, extended the Monroe Document, in effect, to the Hawaiian Islands in 1842. It was he that initiated the annexation of Texas which ended with a Joint Resolution for statehood.
Chester Arthur (1881-85) Although personally honest, he closed his eyes to unethical practices, incompetency, and graft in his office. All the while Secretary of State, James Blaine, continued to sway influence over congress throughout several presidential administrations. He ran against Cleveland but lost the election.
Cleveland (1885-89 and 1893-97) warned,"...in foreign affairs, conscience should always be the one dominant force." During this time, James Blaine was accused of being unethical in conduct as Speaker of the House. Remember James Blaine, he is a major player along with Lorrin Thurston.
Ben Harrison (1889-93), son of Wm. Harrison, had a firm defense of American interests. He was a pro-annexationist and the failure of annexing Hawaii really pissed him off. Especially so when Blaine had enlisted Thurston to destabilize the Hawaiian Kingdom and used Minister Stevens to invade Hawaii and proclaim it for the PGs which formed the Republic of Hawai'i.
McKinley succeeded Cleveland in 1897. He was a staunch pro-annexationists as was Stevens. Fortunately but too late, he was shot and died on 14 September 1901. Poetic justice?
As you can see, these covert and overt actions of the US is long-standing.
They didn't wake up one day and say, oh! Hawaii wants to belong to the US so
let's do it. Therefore there is no need to wonder what the US intentions were
and when. The missionaries were only doing their patriotic duty and brought
the bible, the plow, and the rifle to set the wheels in motion for prosperity..
Now do you understand why the US invaded Iraq?
Tane
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You are correct. Rep. Springer was quoting Minister Stevens and was abhorred by his words. Daniel Webster was another 'okole that held a low regard for Hawaiians as did several on Capitol Hill that fostered manifest destiny doctrines, expansionism, imperialism, and racism. Reading their journals lend me to believe most were racist ethnocentric idiots.
Skills in oratory and journalism is a typical Polynesian skill not matched by the western world. Riddles were also a hawaiian pastime which often we term kaona. Aren't we lucky to be Hawaiian? LOL....
"The Hawaiian philosophy to adopt, adapt, and be adept with never created a problem for me. There is a cultural clash with the WASP racist society; this would be another topic by itself as it can be just as lengthy. LOL... What I presented was an overview to their practices."
True, I hear you on the 'Hawaiian philosophy' ... and 'never created a problem for me'. When I'm with you, I sense the process of adoption, adapting and adept. You are right I'm talking "WASP racist society which is another topic.
The Main Topic:
"In the same journal, Democrat House member From Maine of the 57th Congress,
1891, Ways and Means Chairman, William M. Springer, writes quite a different
perspective. Here are excerpts of his assessment: "...of few residents
prompted by personal interests.... The pretext for this intervention is based
upon the alleged fact that the government of the queen of the Hawaiian Islands was a
'semi-barbaric monarchy resting on no solid or moral foundation, dead in
everything but its vices, coarsely luxurious in its tastes and wishes, constantly
sending out impure exhalations, and spreading social and political
demoralization throughout the islands.'"
She and her government was not barbaric, and we had a solid and moral foundation they (annexationist) on the other hand operated from their...vices,... romantictist,..lies,...creating riots and mayhem among the Hawaiian society to overthrow her monarchy and expand their (annexationist) nation’s agenda.
Not only did the Americans overthrew and imprisoned our Queen and our up bringing was based on a solid and moral foundation, in order to escape---the brutality of Americanizing at it's worst. From my view, being skillful at learning and practicing our Hawaiian values are of utmost importance to our cultural survival. Love you Kaohi
Yes it goes much deeper that what I have posted. Mahalo for your precious input. There are so many other players in this illicit takeover that it would be too lengthy tp profile albeit there are more participants of the manifest destiny scholars and powers that be that control the U.S. government and its resources much like today. They disregard the law of nations and the rule of law to suit their goals and have the ignorant support their actions through devious means. Yes, they are pirates of the high seas and more, replicating what it has been doing time and time again and still doing.
Mahalo again for your invaluable input and mana'o.
Kaohi- I knew Sam and know Mel of whom I have a very high regard for and admiration of their actions. I, too, was raised with Hawaiian values but my church did not impede my cultural practices. The Hawaiian philosophy to adopt, adapt, and be adept with never created a problem for me. There is a cultural clash with the WASP racist society; this would be another topic by itself as it can be just as lengthy. LOL... What I presented was an overview to their practices.
Thanks for the education, still in my cave about the case.
Thanks again, they were back then two distinct missionary groups, I can stand firmly on this because I'm from the good side. Preserving Hawaiians without their culture practices was my grandparent’s way. We did not practice Hawaiian culture in our church. What grandpa did was to put Hawaiians to work; he coined 'Hawaiian Dredging". Once past the depression, and post war the new generation started to raise Hawaiian Values. My Aunt however, being the daughter continued her parents 'way' and we adjusted around her wishes. My Uncle Mel and his whole ohana is a testament to this and that's why I love my uncle and his brother one that I miss very much.
The culprits the 'missionaries' used religions of their times to meet their stinking needs. The new and contemporary players to the Hawaiian movement, can be very irresponsible in their zest for solutions, also want of a quick 'pleasurable' outcomes. Sometimes this can be a bottomless pit and wasted energy. We spend too much time trying to get our work done for the sake of the future generation and the pleasure-religion raises its ugly head like a banshee in the middle of the work. That's so American!
And yet who am I to correct the newly contemporary ones with their energy, resources, and ideas? I only do this when it's in my face by the system and for the system as in career goals, or a job 'to be' with Bishop Estate. I have been burned by this more than once. Besides, truth be said, "I would have been totally pissed if my Na Kupuna corrected me". Of course they tried, "I just didn't listen".
How can I get a copy of your book? Also, my fiance and I have a distribution company, and after going through your book, if you need someone to get your books into the hands of as many people as possible who live in and throughout the Hawaiian Archipelago, just let me know. Mahalo Nui! O wau iho no.......Kaleo
Replies
You are correct. Rep. Springer was quoting Minister Stevens and was abhorred by his words. Daniel Webster was another 'okole that held a low regard for Hawaiians as did several on Capitol Hill that fostered manifest destiny doctrines, expansionism, imperialism, and racism. Reading their journals lend me to believe most were racist ethnocentric idiots.
Skills in oratory and journalism is a typical Polynesian skill not matched by the western world. Riddles were also a hawaiian pastime which often we term kaona. Aren't we lucky to be Hawaiian? LOL....
True, I hear you on the 'Hawaiian philosophy' ... and 'never created a problem for me'. When I'm with you, I sense the process of adoption, adapting and adept. You are right I'm talking "WASP racist society which is another topic.
The Main Topic:
"In the same journal, Democrat House member From Maine of the 57th Congress,
1891, Ways and Means Chairman, William M. Springer, writes quite a different
perspective. Here are excerpts of his assessment: "...of few residents
prompted by personal interests.... The pretext for this intervention is based
upon the alleged fact that the government of the queen of the Hawaiian Islands was a
'semi-barbaric monarchy resting on no solid or moral foundation, dead in
everything but its vices, coarsely luxurious in its tastes and wishes, constantly
sending out impure exhalations, and spreading social and political
demoralization throughout the islands.'"
She and her government was not barbaric, and we had a solid and moral foundation they (annexationist) on the other hand operated from their...vices,... romantictist,..lies,...creating riots and mayhem among the Hawaiian society to overthrow her monarchy and expand their (annexationist) nation’s agenda.
Not only did the Americans overthrew and imprisoned our Queen and our up bringing was based on a solid and moral foundation, in order to escape---the brutality of Americanizing at it's worst. From my view, being skillful at learning and practicing our Hawaiian values are of utmost importance to our cultural survival. Love you Kaohi
Yes it goes much deeper that what I have posted. Mahalo for your precious input. There are so many other players in this illicit takeover that it would be too lengthy tp profile albeit there are more participants of the manifest destiny scholars and powers that be that control the U.S. government and its resources much like today. They disregard the law of nations and the rule of law to suit their goals and have the ignorant support their actions through devious means. Yes, they are pirates of the high seas and more, replicating what it has been doing time and time again and still doing.
Mahalo again for your invaluable input and mana'o.
Kaohi- I knew Sam and know Mel of whom I have a very high regard for and admiration of their actions. I, too, was raised with Hawaiian values but my church did not impede my cultural practices. The Hawaiian philosophy to adopt, adapt, and be adept with never created a problem for me. There is a cultural clash with the WASP racist society; this would be another topic by itself as it can be just as lengthy. LOL... What I presented was an overview to their practices.
Tane
Thanks for the education, still in my cave about the case.
Thanks again, they were back then two distinct missionary groups, I can stand firmly on this because I'm from the good side. Preserving Hawaiians without their culture practices was my grandparent’s way. We did not practice Hawaiian culture in our church. What grandpa did was to put Hawaiians to work; he coined 'Hawaiian Dredging". Once past the depression, and post war the new generation started to raise Hawaiian Values. My Aunt however, being the daughter continued her parents 'way' and we adjusted around her wishes. My Uncle Mel and his whole ohana is a testament to this and that's why I love my uncle and his brother one that I miss very much.
The culprits the 'missionaries' used religions of their times to meet their stinking needs. The new and contemporary players to the Hawaiian movement, can be very irresponsible in their zest for solutions, also want of a quick 'pleasurable' outcomes. Sometimes this can be a bottomless pit and wasted energy. We spend too much time trying to get our work done for the sake of the future generation and the pleasure-religion raises its ugly head like a banshee in the middle of the work. That's so American!
And yet who am I to correct the newly contemporary ones with their energy, resources, and ideas? I only do this when it's in my face by the system and for the system as in career goals, or a job 'to be' with Bishop Estate. I have been burned by this more than once. Besides, truth be said, "I would have been totally pissed if my Na Kupuna corrected me". Of course they tried, "I just didn't listen".
Thanks for the posting. Kaohi
How can I get a copy of your book? Also, my fiance and I have a distribution company, and after going through your book, if you need someone to get your books into the hands of as many people as possible who live in and throughout the Hawaiian Archipelago, just let me know. Mahalo Nui! O wau iho no.......Kaleo