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Response to Tom McAuliff (Makaulike) ten points of argument

Posted by Tane on November 30, 2009 at 6:57am
Response to Tom McAuliff (Makaulike) ten points of argument he learned from reading Conklin and Twigg-Smith's versions:1) The 1890 census show that 50.1% (roughly 84% of them were aboriginal) of the residents within the Kingdom were citizens and 49.9% were foreigners (largely contract workers and less than 10% being U.S. Americans). No one said the Kingdom was not multi-ethnic. If you research through the Library of Congress, you will find documents about the conspirators, even those within the U.S. government. Most of the players were U.S. Americans; e.g. U.S. Secretary James Blaine, a few power elite in Washington, U.S. Minister Stevens and a few of the U.S. Presidents and Lorrin Thurston. It was Conklin that made the remark that none of the troops pointed guns at the Queen; and argument that no one made but him. The presence of the troops were to show formidable force and there to protect the U.S. conspirators. James Blaine communicated with his dear friend Stevens and to Thurston, to destablized the Kingdom's government without setting international precedent and that the U.S. would be acceptable toward annexation. Later, President Harrison was agreeable and wanted the annexation ratified before his term expired and was pissed when it didn't happen. U.S. Congress deemed that the landing of the troops were not there to protect U.S. Citizens but the conspirators because of where they situated themselves. The question was raised that why only the U.S. landed troops to protect its citizens when the other countries didn't feel there was not a situation to merit it.　　The Kingdom did have freedoms and equality; unlike the U.S. that was still struggling with its slavery problem after their Civil War. It was the citizens that asked the Queen to restore the constitution or promulgate a similar one. The Bayonet Constitution of 1887 wasn't ratified and disenfranchised the citizens from involvement in the government. Your remark that you parroted is silly. The chopping off heads was a sarcastic remark the Queen may have made through her anger which she denies stating; the form of execution in Hawai'i was hanging. The other remark was also smug and stupid. You give too much credence to John Young when it was Vancouver that the King picked his brains and how the West interrelated with each other's country. Don't forget who the BOSS was; it was the King and his decision and design alone. As far as the King uniting the islands to form the Kingdom; he did it and would have done it with or without the Western weapons. It was more expedient as far as Kamehameha the Great thought. It's the same as you European stock who learned to use gun power from the Chinese; without the Chinese and Middle Easterners, you wouldn't have Kingdoms and nations. So, don't go there if you don't want to be embarassed. BTW, the royalty did NOT invite the missionaries to Hawai'i. Opukaiah, a commoner and convert is credited for that. Get your facts straight. Under international law, de-occupation is not far-fetched and it will happen whether you like it or not; at least you've been given notice of the facts.　2) Your facts are incorrect and you need to research it for yourself thoroughly in the proper places. The Queen was threatened and sign it under duress which makes it null and void; that's an ancient law from the time of Esau that many countries recognize. The conspirators wrote it out and made her sign it as Liliuokalani Dominis which was not her legal signature as head of state and they did that to humiliate her (rubbing salt into the wound) Their arrogance overruled legalese. About 96% of the citizens signed the Ku'e Petitions; not only the aborginial Hawaiian citizens. The Queen's initial protest to the U.S. was also signed by 248 caucasian citizens. You're forgetting that Thurston Twigg-Smith is the grandson of Lorrin Thurston; one of the traitors of the Hawaiian Kingdom that was complicit with the Washington power elite and Conkline is a recent settler who is reinterpreting our history to fit his idealogy of manifest destiny, a doctrine sponsored by the U.S.A. I think you better rethink that last statement because if you look, the U.S. still functions with that attitude and the oligarchy is still running your country. Semantics! You can call the country leader whatever you want; the situation is still the same. As for the other monarchiesbeing on their way out; don't hold your breath. We were the only country that elected two of our monarchs. This time around, we may not decide for a monarchy; but that's not your decision, it's for the Hawai'i nationals to make.　3) The republic of Hawai'i did not have the citizens' support as deemed by the Ku'e Petitions. and the U.S. President Cleveland called them neither de jure nor defacto. They were ipso facto due to circumstances. The Turpie Resolution of May 31, 1894 threatened other countries that any intervention in the Hawaiian affair was an unfriendly act which meant that if they interceded, it would be an act of war. The republic of Hawai'i did not have the people's consent; thus they were illegitimate, a created and supported militarily U.S. puppet government. The debt that the U.S. assumed was that of the republic of Hawai'i and not the Hawaiian Kingdom because it was as the republic of Hawai'i that the U.S. annexed. The U.S. had been trying to annex Hawai'i for over 65 years prior to its invasion and belligerent occupation.　4) Your statement is highly distorted. According to the State of Hawai'i Data Book, voter turnout for the 1959 General Election was 171,383, which reported that 30,639 or 18% of those voted abstained, voting neither yes or no on the plebiscite and only voted for their representative of their district which means only 77% really voted for statehood. Out of 632,772 population, 381,859 were eligible to vote. About 35% of the eligible voters actively sought statehood which equates to about 1/3 of the eligible voters voting and of that about 94% voted for statehood. The only question proposed read, "Shall Hawai'i immediately be granted into the Union as a state?"; there were no other options. The other thing is 23% of the population were born out-of-state; mostly U.S. military and their dependents. There are accounts where some businesses refused to allow Hawaiians employed by them to vote. (Thanks Arnie for the info on statistics). The U.S. being aware of the 1960 Mandate rushed to declared Hawai'i and Alaska a state. There was no UN monitor or observation; the U.S. reported the results of statehood to the UN and both Alaska and Hawai'i was removed from the NGO list. Hawai'i never begged to be part of the U.S. It was the U.S. American settlers that did all the begging. The only recognized Royalty at that time was Kamokila Campbell and she was against statehood like the overwhelming majority of us. Now, do your math! We remember the Massie Case and the racial strife going on in the U.S. Do you really think we'd want to belong to a racist country? I, for one, was vehemently against it.　5) At least we agree on one thing; we are against the Akaka Bill. As far as the Kingdom of Hawai'i which is under belligerent occupation by the U.S.A., you really don't have a choice about that. Based on international law and U.S. Constitutional law, it won't be your decision as you are part of the hostile occupier and still a U.S. citizen but not a Hawaiian Kingdom citizen. You are here as a violation of the laws of occupation; you would have to choose whether to remain a U.S. citizen or expatriate to our country and nationalize to be a citizen of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Don't get us wrong; but it's the law. The other thing is that Hawaiians never hated the U.S. American people or those of any other country; but we do love our country more. The fact is Hawai'i was never a part of the U.S. and if you have a problem with that; take it up with your country who perpetuated the fraud.6) You are correct. We are not "indigenous"; we are aboriginal. Indigenous is a colonial term usage and part of the U.S. Manifest Destiny doctrines which is based on four of the Roman Catholic Church Papal Bulls which the Protestants adopted. I could say that you are not indigenous to the North American continent and descend from the Neanderthals in Europe; which is an anthropological fact as well. Naturally, this is irrelevant to our topic since the U.S. crime was committed in 1893 while we were still a recognized sovereign and independent nation and a peer to the U.S.A. The Host culture is Polynesian Hawaiian and you flunked geography; anthropology, and history; so stop spinning facts; your're speaking out of the both sides of your mouth.　7) This is a non-issue as it has been explained previously. This is buyer beware; take it up with your government that committed the fraud and deceit. If I bought your car that someone stole; would I be compelled to return it to you? Would you expect it to be returned to you or sold back to you? What if I invested in repairing and upgrading it? Who would I go to for restitution and reparations for my time and expense? Should I return it to you or keep it because I paid for it and assumed it is mine with a clear title to it? I bought it in good faith; so who is the victim here?8) The government that commited the crime is continuous and is the same government. It's gratuitous to think that because some other person that represented the country should not right the wrong committed by the predecessor. Bush unlawfully invaded Iraq and belligerently occupies it in the name of the U.S. Does the U.S. keep Iraq or should Obama work to de-occupy Iraq and to mend relations with that country? Should your children say, "Tough Shit!" I wasn't born when it happened!" and continue the belligerent occupation? If someone murders one of your family and is found forty years later; do you let him go free because he now has a family of his own? If I take a priceless heirloom of yours and give it to my child and he gives it to his and it gets passed down a few generations; then it's discovered that my descendant has an heirloom that belongs to your family, should it be returned to your family or should my descendant keep it? By now you should get the picture.9) This is a classic case of the Stockholme Syndrome and forced assimilation, conditioning, and propaganda to the U.S. Just because we live under the U.S. belligerent occupation doesn't mean we stop living and preservation of our families may lead us to various careers and for different reasons. What you present is all sales and marketing which even U.S. Americans fall prey to. Many have good intentions whether they are Hawaiians or U.S. Americans, or any other people from other countries. The other comment is inconsequential since it's been discussed.　10) What time period are you classifying as modern history. You flippantly use the word hate whenever people don't agree with the U.S. American point of view. Yet you praise U.S. Americans that take a stand for justice, freedom, human rights, and patriotism regardless if the U.S. adheres to those values or not. You proceed to tells us how, what, and why we should think about the issues. You tend to speak for us all and give reasons on why we think as we do rather than understand and comprehend what we are saying. I contend that you relish in putting words in our mouths and assume what we are thinking. What we both are dealing with is our concept, perspective, and interpretation in relation to our issues. Equality and not exclusion is not solely the American way; but I think you should look clearer at your country and see its shortcomings, I'm sure you will see the contradictions. What looks good on paper and what is actually practiced is not necessarily identical. Obama is of the status quo and his election is vacuous due to the oligarchy that put him there for a reason. In the U.S., there are 22 political parties that are recognized and registered by the government. A two-party system is a misnomer when you consider that the corporate powers control and regulate the country. The U.S. is a war economy supported by the military industrial complex. The U.S. is still struggling with its racial issues and equality is mercurial in its WASP elite mainstream society and it's people are forced to comply to it to be considered equal. The system can work if the people are outraged enough to act on it; after all, that's what spurred the American-British colonist to rebel and create their own government.. This topic about the U.S. is a subject worthing of a separate discussion due to the illusion it creates and this short note doesn't do it justice. No country is perfect; even the Hawaiian Kingdom, but it's ours as the U.S. is yours.　Your closing remark is sound advice. The last sentence of course is controversial and contentious but we'll leave it for another time.　Tane
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My rebuttal to Conklin's remarks on Honolulu Advertiser Blog and forum

Posted by Tane on November 30, 2009 at 6:38am
He Hawaii Au - Dr. Watson's Blog was again rifled with Conklin's inane remarks and insults. This is my response to him:Conklin:Being the ultracrepidarian critic, you enter your spin to justify what your country did to Hawai'i. We do know that the conspiracy ran up to the top; in the executuve branch of the U.S. where they have been trying to wrest the kingdom from the Hawaiian people since 1819. We also know that U.S. Secretary James Blaine, Lorrin Thurston, and U.S. Minister Stevens plotted to destabilize the government of the Kingdom of Hawai'i without setting international precedent. You lack to mention the Turpie Resolution of 31 May 1894 which set a hands-off policy of government officials and other nations to not interfere; thus Cleveland was forced to recognize the republic of Hawaii that the U.S. congress supported.A Joint Resolution has been affirmed by the U.S. as being symbolic, non-binding, with "whereas" being meaningless. Understanding the mechanics of U.S. jurisprudence, the treaty entered by the republic of Hawai'i was rejected and so Congress resolved to fake it by a joint resolution that cannot reach beyond its territory to annex a foreign country. It has to be done by a ratified treaty which the U.S. Congress failed to muster. In keeping with the Turpie Resolution, the Kingdom subjects responded with the Ku'e petitions by overwhelmingly protesting against the U.S. puppet government (republic of Hawai'i) and the push for annexation. One doesn't need to be a rocket scientist to figure this out and comprehend that the Newlands Resolution is invalid, non-existent. There is no lawful treaty; thus, the Kingdom still exists.There was no revolution, it was an invasion and belligerent occupation; plain and simple. It was made known that any intevention by foreign countries would be considered and unfriendly act against the U.S.A. This sounds very much like a threat; which it was and had no recourse but to recognize the republic of Hawai'i even though a few countries balked at the U.S. bullying; they weren't prepared to go to war against the U.S. Even Cleveland declared the Provisional government neither de jure nor defacto. It was just ipso facto and protected by the U.S. military.If the new government announced itself to be only temporary and provisional, why then did they immediately submit a treaty of annexation without the support of the people? William Shubrick, Commodore of the Pacific Fleet, a friend of James Fennimore Cooper back in the mid 1800s, stated that the U.S. has "a very real political view towards extending its reach onto Hawai'i" once U.S. obtained the Pacific coastline. The use of "anti-conquest" strategies of representation seek innocence in some moment they assert their hegemony. Mary Louise Pratt calls it the "seeing man with imperial eyes, passively look out and posess...asserts intellectual curiosity that is a mode of dominance justified by its seeming passivety. He takes territory by viewing, naming, identifying and classifying."Once again Conklin lies as we have not denied that letters exist in acknowledging the republic due to the existent threats made by the U.S. Keanu Sai did not lie in his filing at the arbitration in the Hague as Ken Conkilin disingenuously posits.It's more funny howConklin, a recent settler from the U.S. East Coast since 1992, cons the people with misinformation to obfuscate facts as they are and puts his own spin on the real situation as it was back then; especially when he wasn't here no have a history in the islands until much later. Conklin's remarks are frivolous and filled with half-truths to soldify his errant stance of our situation.We must remind Conklin that during the time of the alleged-annexation, there was no "world court" formed and a few countries did object to the U.S. and that there was an issue of neutrality that the U.S. was violating. Historically, since when did the U.S. ever listen to anyone that wasn't in the interest of the U.S.?We did celebrate Ka La Ku'oko'a and with pride. We don't celebrate U.S. American holidays; those are yours so we don't relate to them nor do we identify with how you haole (foreigners) celebrate them. That's your history. Your smugness never escapes us; one who comes to a foreign country to ridicule its people for not being the U.S. you want it to be. They call people like you,"the racist ugly American". People who live in glass houses shouldn't be throwing stones. Didn't your mommy ever teach you that?As for Makaulike (Tom McAuliffe), you left Maoliworld so quickly after posting your 10 argumentary points and failed to print my rebuttal to your arguments; too bad, it would have been good to debate those issues for all to read.Tane
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NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER ON VOICES OF TRUTH - ONE-ON-ONE WITH HAWAI`I'S FUTURE

Posted by Free Hawai`i on November 29, 2009 at 5:10am
Mahalo to everyone who attended La Ku`oko`a – Hawaiian Independence Day - at the Queen’s statue yesterday by `Iolani Palace. Between that and recent revelations by the Office Of Hawaiian Affair’s former number one Kau Inoa recruiter detailing all the lies and deceit, it’s been an exciting month. Yet amazing as it may seem, some are still unaware that Hawai`i was once not a captive nation, but a vibrant and free one with it’s own sovereign government and formal relations with major nations of the world with over ninety legations and consulates in multiple foreign cities. Think a Hawaiian Kingdom embassy or consulate in New York City or San Francisco is far out? Think again and watch this weeks Free Hawai`i TV. We’ll tell you things about the Kingdom that may surprise you. It’s all coming this Wednesday on Free Hawai`i TV – don’t miss it. Ever heard someone remark that the ancestors spoke to them and wondered what they meant? It happened to Maui's own Vernon Kalanikau. Catch his remarkable story all this week on Hawai`i’s award winning Voices Of Truth – One-On-One With Hawai`i's Future. MONDAY, November 30th At 6:30 PM – Maui – Akaku, Channel 53MONDAY, November 30th At 7:00 PM & FRIDAY, December 4th At 5:30 PM – Hawai`i Island – Na Leo, Channel 53THURSDAY, December 3rd At 8:30 PM & FRIDAY, December 4th At 8:30 AM - Kaua`i – Ho`ike, Channel 52SATURDAY, December 5th At 8:00 PM – O`ahu, `Olelo, Channel 53“Message Of The Ancestors – A Visit With Vernon Kalanikau” Living the good life in Las Vegas with no interest in his culture, Vernon returned to Maui only to meet an auntie who told him his future. After a visit by ancestors in Maui’s Iao Valley, he now shares their message with all who listen. Where did Hawaiians originate? Was Hawai`i anciently part of a much larger continent? Don’t miss our visit with Vernon who reveals a fascinating tale you won’t soon forget – Watch It HereVoices Of Truth interviews those creating a better future for Hawai`i to discover what made them go from armchair observers to active participants. We hope you'll be inspired to do the same. If you support our issues on the Free Hawai`i Broadcasting Network, please email this to a friend to help us continue. A donation today helps further our work. Every single penny counts. Donating is easy on our Voices Of Truth website via PayPal where you can watch Voices Of Truth anytime. For news and issues that affect you, watch Free Hawai`i TV, a part of the Free Hawai`i Broadcasting Network. Please share our Free Hawai`i Broadcasting Network videos with friends and colleagues. That's how we grow. Mahalo.
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TODAY IS LA KU`OKO`A - HAWAIIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY

Posted by Free Hawai`i on November 28, 2009 at 9:56am
In the Kingdom of Hawai`i November 28 was an official holiday called La Ku`oko`a, or Independence Day. This was the day in 1843 when England and France formally recognized Hawai`i's independence.His Hawaiian Majesty King Kamehameha III deemed it prudent and necessary to dispatch a Hawaiian delegation to the United States and then to Europe with the power to negotiate treaties and to ultimately secure the recognition of Hawaiian Independence by the major powers of the world.The Hawaiian delegation, while in the United States of America, secured the assurance of U.S. President Tyler on December 19, 1842 of its recognition of Hawaiian independence, and then proceeded to meet Sir George Simpson in Europe and secure formal recognition by Great Britain and France.As a result of this recognition, the Hawaiian Kingdom entered into treaties with the major nations of the world and had established over ninety legations and consulates in multiple seaports and cities.November 28 was thereafter established as an official national holiday to celebrate the recognition of Hawai`i's independence.But in 1893, an illegal intervention into Hawai`i's affairs by the U.S. resulted in a "fake revolution" against the legitimate Hawaiian government, and a puppet oligarchy set itself up with its main purpose being Hawai`i's annexation to the United States.Hawaiians protested and celebrated Ka La Ku`oko`a anyway, telling the story of the national heroes who had traveled to Europe to secure Hawai`i's recognition.We celebrate La Ku`oko`a - Hawaiian Independence Day to remember that Hawai`i was a fully recognized member of the world family of nations, and its independence is still intact under prolonged illegal occupation.
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La Ku'oko'a--Hawai'i's Independence Day 10am 11-28-09 Iolanai Palace, Lili'uokalani Statue and pot luck: re-enactment titled "Ka Lei Maile Alii

Posted by Pono Kealoha on November 28, 2009 at 8:30am
La Kuokoa:Join us at the Queen's Statue for the re-enactment titled "Ka Lei Maile Alii - The Queen's Women" about the gathering of signatures for the petitions protesting annexation of Hawaii to the U.S. 10 am in front of the Queen's Statue. After that we'll head over to the ahu on the Palace grounds to celeb...rate 166 years of Hawaii's independence.Excerpts from "La Kuokoa"By Noenoe K. Silva,1998La Ku'oko'a--Hawai'i's Independence Day--was officially celebratedaround the same time as Thanksgiving from about 1844 until 1895, andfor some years afterwards unofficially. La Ku'oko'a is the 28th ofNovember. It marks the day, November 28, 1843, that the Ali'i TimoteoHa'alilio succeeded in obtaining the signatures of the authorities ofGreat Britain and France on a treaty recognizing Hawai'i as asovereign nation. Ha'alilio, with the missionary William Richardsalong as his secretary, traveled through Mexico on foot and donkey toWashington D.C., where they met President John Tyler. President Tyleragreed to the intent of the proposed treaty. Ha'alilio and Richards,armed with his agreement, then went on to Europe, to Belgium, Paris,and London, where the treaty was finally signed. They returned to theUnited States to cement U.S. agreement. On the journey Ke Ali'iTimoteo Ha'alilio died, on December 3, 1844.Although the treaty of independence did not solve Hawai'i'sproblem--being a target for colonizers--it was a substantialachievement under international law. This achievement was recognizedby the government of the kingdom through the official celebration ofLa Ku'oko'a.After the haole coup in 1893, and the attempted counter coup of 1895,the so-called Republic of Hawai'i government announced that November28, 1895 --a Thursday--would not be celebrated as La Ku'oko'a.Thanksgiving would become the official national holiday instead.The po'e aloha 'aina--the thousands of Kanaka Maoli opposed to theillegal haole government--were incensed. They ignored thegovernment's orders, and held celebrations of La Ku'oko'a instead. Atthose gatherings, they told the story of Ha'alilio's journey andsignificant achievement. James Kaulia of the Hui Aloha Aina said thatthe Kanaka Maoli recalled with gladness the restoration andperpetuation of the independence of Hawaii, but that their happinesswas mixed with feelings of distress because the right to independencehad been snatched from the shoulders of the Kanaka Maoli. He said: Keku nei ke kanaka Hawaii me he kuewa la, aohe ona aina: The Hawaiianperson stands as a homeless vagabond, one who has no land.The colonizers of 1895-1896 not only deprived Hawaii of a nationalholiday, they enacted laws which caused us the loss of our languageand the related loss of our own history. That process caused us to bedeprived of even the memory of this national holiday.Source: _Ke Aloha Aina_ (Hawaiian language newspaper)November-December 1895, January 1896.
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Boardwalk

Posted by Kau'ikeaouli LaBatte on November 27, 2009 at 1:04pm
So i'm still trying to understand the whole purpose of the boardwalk that was built down at Kealia pond just outside of Kihei. They fensed off that whole area to create a bird sanctuary years ago. i remember when it was a place where we could go and ride our dirtbikes back when I was a kid. I guess it serves as a place where tourists can stop and observe wildlife here on our island, but what about the local people who enjoy fishing and camping along that beach? The whole stretch of land from Sugar Beach to Ma'alaea is closed off and owned by A&B. if your there at night fishing like I have done, you are questioned by police who show up riding atv's. No one is allowed to camp on this beach anymore. Actually, there aren't very many beaches that you can camp out on around the island anymore without having to get a permit from the county and parks department in which you have to pay a fee for. Most of the people that I see on this beach now are tourists who aren't very friendly to say the least unless I approach them first and greet them politely. It makes you wonder how they actually view us "locals". Residents do still frequent the beach with their families during the day to enjoy themselves and have cookouts and just hang out, but parking is a bit "lame" having to leave you car out near the main road and walk everything in and back out when it's time to hele. It just seems to get worse for those of us who call this island home year after year. More and more of the places that we used to enjoy as keiki no longer remain for us to bring our keiki to so that we can share the experiences we once had with them. It brings sorrow to my already heavy heart.
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Maui Roads

Posted by Kau'ikeaouli LaBatte on November 27, 2009 at 11:49am
So it's that time of year when the county spends its money on road repairs again and starts to cause traffic back-ups. Who on the county council litigates and determines what roads need to ba fixed and re-layered anyway? They always seem to fix roads that are just fine and waste good money instead of fixing up the more rural streets and roadways that are in more dire need of it. Are we near to election year again or something? County officials take care of everything that visitors are going to travel on to get from one place to another. They aren't the ones who live here and have to travel down torn up roadways to get from home to work and back. The local community does deserve some kick-back for all their hard earned tax dollars. A friend of mine that lives out in Haiku recently heard from someone who works for the county department which is involved with the road repairs. She was told that sometime in the next year, Ulumalu road is expected to be re-tarred. What a relief if this actually does happen. That road has been in need of this for some time now. But what about Kahului and Wailuku's neighborhoods and streets? The county periodically sends out crews with a loader truck filled with hot asphault and shovels to simply patch up potholes every now and then. Sure, that does do a little bit of a solution for a bit. But all it really does is cause more bumps to travel over. its not like the county workers actually have the time to do a smooth job. It's simply fill the hole, pat it down, and move on to the next one. i'm not sure what anyone would be able to do about this but grumble just as i am now, but hopefully one day something will happen.
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Swedish Curator Comments On Return Of 'Iwi

Posted by J. D'Alba on November 26, 2009 at 1:59pm
Re: Hawaiian 'IwiHej min vän,Thank you. It's been a privilege to assist Mr Aila and the Group Caring for the Ancestors in repatriating human remains from Hawaii. They were obducted in the 19th century and should never have left their ancestors and their islands in the first place. I hope to some day visit your beautiful native land.Med vänlig hälsning!Lars AmréusNational Historical MuseumsMuseum of National Antiquities - Historiska museet--------------------
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LA KU`OKO`A - HAWAIIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY

Posted by Free Hawai`i on November 26, 2009 at 6:51am
When - Saturday, November 28th 10 AMWhere - Queen's Statue Next To `Iolani Palace, HonoluluWho - Public Welcome To This Free EventPresenting The Re-enactment Play"Ka Lei Maile Ali`i - The Queen's Women"Followed By Potluck Lunch & Talk StoryAt The Ahu On `Iolani Palace GroundsFor More Information, Call (808) 284-3460 Or Email palolo@hawaii.rr.com
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FREE HAWAI`I TV - "WISE TO KAU INOA LIES"

Posted by Free Hawai`i on November 25, 2009 at 7:19am
FREE HAWAI`I TVTHE FREE HAWAI`I BROADCASTING NETWORK"WISE TO KAU INOA LIES"We've Brought Him Back Cause He Has The Inside Track.He Has New Information About OHA's Fabrications.Kaleo Knows The Score - Watch & You'll Believe Kau Inoa Lies No More.Then Send This Video To One Other Person Today.
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SHAME ON THANKSGIVING...and what it meant to the First People.

Posted by Donna Burns on November 25, 2009 at 7:17am
I am re-printing Ululani's blog post...on Thanksgiving Eve. Just like Kanaka Maoli...the original people of the North American continent....have endured too much pain for too long. We should be thankful they haven't gotten rid of all of us...and that we STILL STAND PROUD.---------------------Frank James (1923 - February 20, 2001) was known to the Wampanoag people as Wampsutta, In 1970, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts invited him to speak at Plymouth's annual Thanksgiving feast. When the text of Mr. James’ speech was revealed before dinner, Massachusetts "disinvited" him.Wampsutta refused to revise his speech and left the event. He went to the hill near the statue of the Massasoit, the Wampanoag leader during the Pilgrims' arrival in 1620. There, overlooking Plymouth Harbor and the replica of the Mayflower, Frank James recited the speech that Massachusetts Commonwealth had refused to hear:"I speak to you as a man -- a Wampanoag Man. I am a proud man, proud of my ancestry, my accomplishments won by a strict parental direction ("You must succeed - your face is a different color in this small Cape Cod community!"). I am a product of poverty and discrimination from these two social and economic diseases. I, and my brothers and sisters, have painfully overcome, and to some extent we have earned the respect of our community. We are Indians first - but we are termed "good citizens." Sometimes we are arrogant but only because society has pressured us to be so."It is with mixed emotion that I stand here to share my thoughts. This is a time of celebration for you - celebrating an anniversary of a beginning for the white man in America. A time of looking back, of reflection. It is with a heavy heart that I look back upon what happened to my People."Even before the Pilgrims landed it was common practice for explorers to capture Indians, take them to Europe and sell them as slaves for 220 shillings apiece. The Pilgrims had hardly explored the shores of Cape Cod for four days before they had robbed the graves of my ancestors and stolen their corn and beans. Mourt's Relation describes a searching party of sixteen men. Mourt goes on to say that this party took as much of the Indians' winter provisions as they were able to carry."Massasoit, the great Sachem of the Wampanoag, knew these facts, yet he and his People welcomed and befriended the settlers of the Plymouth Plantation. Perhaps he did this because his Tribe had been depleted by an epidemic. Or his knowledge of the harsh oncoming winter was the reason for his peaceful acceptance of these acts. This action by Massasoit was perhaps our biggest mistake. We, the Wampanoag, welcomed you, the white man, with open arms, little knowing that it was the beginning of the end; that before 50 years were to pass, the Wampanoag would no longer be a free people.What happened in those short 50 years? What has happened in the last 300 years? History gives us facts and there were atrocities; there were broken promises - and most of these centered around land ownership. Among ourselves we understood that there were boundaries, but never before had we had to deal with fences and stone walls. But the white man had a need to prove his worth by the amount of land that he owned. Only ten years later, when the Puritans came, they treated the Wampanoag with even less kindness in converting the souls of the so-called "savages." Although the Puritans were harsh to members of their own society, the Indian was pressed between stone slabs and hanged as quickly as any other "witch.""And so down through the years there is record after record of Indian lands taken and, in token, reservations set up for him upon which to live. The Indian, having been stripped of his power, could only stand by and watch while the white man took his land and used it for his personal gain. This the Indian could not understand; for to him, land was survival, to farm, to hunt, to be enjoyed. It was not to be abused. We see incident after incident, where the white man sought to tame the "savage" and convert him to the Christian ways of life. The early Pilgrim settlers led the Indian to believe that if he did not behave, they would dig up the ground and unleash the great epidemic again."The white man used the Indian's nautical skills and abilities. They let him be only a seaman -- but never a captain. Time and time again, in the white man's society, we Indians have been termed "low man on the totem pole.""Has the Wampanoag really disappeared? There is still an aura of mystery. We know there was an epidemic that took many Indian lives - some Wampanoags moved west and joined the Cherokee and Cheyenne. They were forced to move. Some even went north to Canada! Many Wampanoag put aside their Indian heritage and accepted the white man's way for their own survival. There are some Wampanoag who do not wish it known they are Indian for social or economic reasons."What happened to those Wampanoags who chose to remain and live among the early settlers? What kind of existence did they live as "civilized" people? True, living was not as complex as life today, but they dealt with the confusion and the change. Honesty, trust, concern, pride, and politics wove themselves in and out of their [the Wampanoags'] daily living. Hence, he was termed crafty, cunning, rapacious, and dirty."History wants us to believe that the Indian was a savage, illiterate, uncivilized animal. A history that was written by an organized, disciplined people, to expose us as an unorganized and undisciplined entity. Two distinctly different cultures met. One thought they must control life; the other believed life was to be enjoyed, because nature decreed it. Let us remember, the Indian is and was just as human as the white man. The Indian feels pain, gets hurt, and becomes defensive, has dreams, bears tragedy and failure, suffers from loneliness, needs to cry as well as laugh. He, too, is often misunderstood."The white man in the presence of the Indian is still mystified by his uncanny ability to make him feel uncomfortable. This may be the image the white man has created of the Indian; his "savageness" has boomeranged and isn't a mystery; it is fear; fear of the Indian's temperament!"High on a hill, overlooking the famed Plymouth Rock, stands the statue of our great Sachem, Massasoit. Massasoit has stood there many years in silence. We the descendants of this great Sachem have been a silent people. The necessity of making a living in this materialistic society of the white man caused us to be silent. Today, I and many of my people are choosing to face the truth. We ARE Indians!"Although time has drained our culture, and our language is almost extinct, we the Wampanoags still walk the lands of Massachusetts. We may be fragmented, we may be confused. Many years have passed since we have been a people together. Our lands were invaded. We fought as hard to keep our land as you the whites did to take our land away from us. We were conquered, we became the American prisoners of war in many cases, and wards of the United States Government, until only recently."Our spirit refuses to die. Yesterday we walked the woodland paths and sandy trails. Today we must walk the macadam highways and roads. We are uniting We're standing not in our wigwams but in your concrete tent. We stand tall and proud, and before too many moons pass we'll right the wrongs we have allowed to happen to us."We forfeited our country. Our lands have fallen into the hands of the aggressor. We have allowed the white man to keep us on our knees. What has happened cannot be changed, but today we must work towards a more humane America, a more Indian America, where men and nature once again are important; where the Indian values of honor, truth, and brotherhood prevail."You the white man are celebrating an anniversary. We the Wampanoags will help you celebrate in the concept of a beginning. It was the beginning of a new life for the Pilgrims. Now, 350 years later it is a beginning of a new determination for the original American: the American Indian."There are some factors concerning the Wampanoags and other Indians across this vast nation. We now have 350 years of experience living amongst the white man. We can now speak his language. We can now think as a white man thinks. We can now compete with him for the top jobs. We're being heard; we are now being listened to. The important point is that along with these necessities of everyday living, we still have the spirit, we still have the unique culture, we still have the will and, most important of all, the determination to remain as Indians. We are determined, and our presence here this evening is living testimony that this is only the beginning of the American Indian, particularly the Wampanoag, to regain the position in this country that is rightfully ours."Wamsutta
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SOMETHING TO BE THANKFUL FOR....INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATED!

Posted by Donna Burns on November 25, 2009 at 6:51am
FROM; THE HAWAI'I INDEPENDENT online newspaper...------------------------November 25: Lā Kūʻokoʻa Hawaiʻi, Hawaiian Independence DayNov 23, 2009 - 07:00 PM | by The Hawaii Independent Staff | MoiliiliTimoteo Ha'alilio and William Richards.Hui Aloha ʻĀina Tuahine invites the people of Hawaiʻi to a day of celebration on Wednesday, November 25 for Lā Kūʻokoʻa Hawaiʻi.There will be makahiki games, door prizes, food (potluck), performances and more.Lā Kūʻokoʻa Hawaiʻi on Wednesday, November 25 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at The University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Bachman Lawn, on the corner of University Avenue and Dole Street.For more information, visit http://tuahine.wordpress.com/.Hawaiian Independence DayFaced with the problem of foreign encroachment of Hawaiian territory, His Hawaiian Majesty King Kamehameha III deemed it prudent and necessary to dispatch a Hawaiian delegation to the United States and then to Europe with the power to settle alleged difficulties with nations, negotiate treaties and to ultimately secure the recognition of Hawaiian Independence by the major powers of the world. In accordance with this view, Timoteo Ha’alilio, William Richards and Sir George Simpson were commissioned as joint Ministers Plenipotentiary on April 8, 1842. Sir George Simpson, shortly thereafter, left for England, via Alaska and Siberia, while Mr. Ha’alilio and Mr. Richards departed for the United States, via Mexico, on July 8, 1842.The Hawaiian delegation, while in the United States of America, secured the assurance of U.S. President Tyler on December 19, 1842 of its recognition of Hawaiian independence, and then proceeded to meet Sir George Simpson in Europe and secure formal recognition by Great Britain and France. On March 17, 1843, King Louis-Phillipe of France recognizes Hawaiian independence at the urging of King Leopold of Belgium, and on April 1, 1843, Lord Aberdeen on behalf of Her Britannic Majesty Queen Victoria, assured the Hawaiian delegation that:“Her Majesty’s Government was willing and had determined to recognize the independence of the Sandwich Islands under their present sovereign.”On November 28, 1843, at the Court of London, the British and French Governments entered into a formal agreement of the recognition of Hawaiian independence, with what is called the Anglo-Franco proclamation:“Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and His Majesty the King of the French, taking into consideration the existence in the Sandwich [Hawaiian] Islands of a government capable of providing for the regularity of its relations with foreign nations, have thought it right to engage, reciprocally, to consider the Sandwich Islands as an Independent State, and never to take possession, neither directly or under the title of Protectorate, or under any other form, of any part of the territory of which they are composed.The undersigned, Her Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs, and the Ambassador Extraordinary of His Majesty the King of the French, at the Court of London, being furnished with the necessary powers, hereby declare, in consequence, that their said Majesties take reciprocally that engagement.In witness whereof the undersigned have signed the present declaration, and have affixed thereto the seal of their arms.Done in duplicate at London, the 28th day of November, in the year of our Lord, 1843.[L.S.] Aberdeen[L.S.] St. Aulaire”November 28th was thereafter established as an official national holiday to celebrate the recognition of Hawai’i's independence. As a result of this recognition, the Hawaiian Kingdom entered into treaties with the major nations of the world and had established over ninety legations and consulates in multiple seaports and cities. The Hawaiian Kingdom became the first non-European nation to be admitted into the Family of Nations, while the Ottoman Empire was the first non-Christian nation to be admitted following the Crimean War.[Historical background provided by D. Keanu Sai. Mahalo.]
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National Day of Mourning

Posted by Ululani on November 24, 2009 at 9:30pm
For my family and friends:I should not post this here about where I am going... but I will anyway LOL With the FISA Amendment in July 2008 allowing telecommunications companies to spy on people plus debit cards, credit cards, and cell phones being traceable this is stating the obvious.I am heading to Virginia which is a sad place for me. I can say that there are still mean people in this world :PAnyway I am reposting this here and have bolded the parts that are significant to me:-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Frank James (1923 - February 20, 2001) was known to the Wampanoag people as Wampsutta, In 1970, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts invited him to speak at Plymouth's annual Thanksgiving feast. When the text of Mr. James’ speech was revealed before dinner, Massachusetts "disinvited" him.Wampsutta refused to revise his speech and left the event. He went to the hill near the statue of the Massasoit, the Wampanoag leader during the Pilgrims' arrival in 1620. There, overlooking Plymouth Harbor and the replica of the Mayflower, Frank James recited the speech that Massachusetts Commonwealth had refused to hear:"I speak to you as a man -- a Wampanoag Man. I am a proud man, proud of my ancestry, my accomplishments won by a strict parental direction ("You must succeed - your face is a different color in this small Cape Cod community!"). I am a product of poverty and discrimination from these two social and economic diseases. I, and my brothers and sisters, have painfully overcome, and to some extent we have earned the respect of our community. We are Indians first - but we are termed "good citizens." Sometimes we are arrogant but only because society has pressured us to be so."It is with mixed emotion that I stand here to share my thoughts. This is a time of celebration for you - celebrating an anniversary of a beginning for the white man in America. A time of looking back, of reflection. It is with a heavy heart that I look back upon what happened to my People."Even before the Pilgrims landed it was common practice for explorers to capture Indians, take them to Europe and sell them as slaves for 220 shillings apiece. The Pilgrims had hardly explored the shores of Cape Cod for four days before they had robbed the graves of my ancestors and stolen their corn and beans. Mourt's Relation describes a searching party of sixteen men. Mourt goes on to say that this party took as much of the Indians' winter provisions as they were able to carry."Massasoit, the great Sachem of the Wampanoag, knew these facts, yet he and his People welcomed and befriended the settlers of the Plymouth Plantation. Perhaps he did this because his Tribe had been depleted by an epidemic. Or his knowledge of the harsh oncoming winter was the reason for his peaceful acceptance of these acts. This action by Massasoit was perhaps our biggest mistake. We, the Wampanoag, welcomed you, the white man, with open arms, little knowing that it was the beginning of the end; that before 50 years were to pass, the Wampanoag would no longer be a free people.What happened in those short 50 years? What has happened in the last 300 years? History gives us facts and there were atrocities; there were broken promises - and most of these centered around land ownership. Among ourselves we understood that there were boundaries, but never before had we had to deal with fences and stone walls. But the white man had a need to prove his worth by the amount of land that he owned. Only ten years later, when the Puritans came, they treated the Wampanoag with even less kindness in converting the souls of the so-called "savages." Although the Puritans were harsh to members of their own society, the Indian was pressed between stone slabs and hanged as quickly as any other "witch.""And so down through the years there is record after record of Indian lands taken and, in token, reservations set up for him upon which to live. The Indian, having been stripped of his power, could only stand by and watch while the white man took his land and used it for his personal gain. This the Indian could not understand; for to him, land was survival, to farm, to hunt, to be enjoyed. It was not to be abused. We see incident after incident, where the white man sought to tame the "savage" and convert him to the Christian ways of life. The early Pilgrim settlers led the Indian to believe that if he did not behave, they would dig up the ground and unleash the great epidemic again."The white man used the Indian's nautical skills and abilities. They let him be only a seaman -- but never a captain. Time and time again, in the white man's society, we Indians have been termed "low man on the totem pole.""Has the Wampanoag really disappeared? There is still an aura of mystery. We know there was an epidemic that took many Indian lives - some Wampanoags moved west and joined the Cherokee and Cheyenne. They were forced to move. Some even went north to Canada! Many Wampanoag put aside their Indian heritage and accepted the white man's way for their own survival. There are some Wampanoag who do not wish it known they are Indian for social or economic reasons."What happened to those Wampanoags who chose to remain and live among the early settlers? What kind of existence did they live as "civilized" people? True, living was not as complex as life today, but they dealt with the confusion and the change. Honesty, trust, concern, pride, and politics wove themselves in and out of their [the Wampanoags'] daily living. Hence, he was termed crafty, cunning, rapacious, and dirty."History wants us to believe that the Indian was a savage, illiterate, uncivilized animal. A history that was written by an organized, disciplined people, to expose us as an unorganized and undisciplined entity. Two distinctly different cultures met. One thought they must control life; the other believed life was to be enjoyed, because nature decreed it. Let us remember, the Indian is and was just as human as the white man. The Indian feels pain, gets hurt, and becomes defensive, has dreams, bears tragedy and failure, suffers from loneliness, needs to cry as well as laugh. He, too, is often misunderstood."The white man in the presence of the Indian is still mystified by his uncanny ability to make him feel uncomfortable. This may be the image the white man has created of the Indian; his "savageness" has boomeranged and isn't a mystery; it is fear; fear of the Indian's temperament!"High on a hill, overlooking the famed Plymouth Rock, stands the statue of our great Sachem, Massasoit. Massasoit has stood there many years in silence. We the descendants of this great Sachem have been a silent people. The necessity of making a living in this materialistic society of the white man caused us to be silent. Today, I and many of my people are choosing to face the truth. We ARE Indians!"Although time has drained our culture, and our language is almost extinct, we the Wampanoags still walk the lands of Massachusetts. We may be fragmented, we may be confused. Many years have passed since we have been a people together. Our lands were invaded. We fought as hard to keep our land as you the whites did to take our land away from us. We were conquered, we became the American prisoners of war in many cases, and wards of the United States Government, until only recently."Our spirit refuses to die. Yesterday we walked the woodland paths and sandy trails. Today we must walk the macadam highways and roads. We are uniting We're standing not in our wigwams but in your concrete tent. We stand tall and proud, and before too many moons pass we'll right the wrongs we have allowed to happen to us."We forfeited our country. Our lands have fallen into the hands of the aggressor. We have allowed the white man to keep us on our knees. What has happened cannot be changed, but today we must work towards a more humane America, a more Indian America, where men and nature once again are important; where the Indian values of honor, truth, and brotherhood prevail."You the white man are celebrating an anniversary. We the Wampanoags will help you celebrate in the concept of a beginning. It was the beginning of a new life for the Pilgrims. Now, 350 years later it is a beginning of a new determination for the original American: the American Indian."There are some factors concerning the Wampanoags and other Indians across this vast nation. We now have 350 years of experience living amongst the white man. We can now speak his language. We can now think as a white man thinks. We can now compete with him for the top jobs. We're being heard; we are now being listened to. The important point is that along with these necessities of everyday living, we still have the spirit, we still have the unique culture, we still have the will and, most important of all, the determination to remain as Indians. We are determined, and our presence here this evening is living testimony that this is only the beginning of the American Indian, particularly the Wampanoag, to regain the position in this country that is rightfully ours."WamsuttaSeptember 10, 1970Courtesy of my cousin
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Happy Thankstaking! Spread the Word!

Posted by Michelle Ritchie on November 24, 2009 at 5:43pm
There's a saying, "The truth will set you free---but first it will piss you off!I have to agree.When I was a kid, I looked forward to Thanksgiving day, all the family getting together and sharing a great meal. If any of us remembered the whole story about it---not just about the feast but about what came afterward---would we have had the same dinner the same way? I wonder.The legend about Thanksgiving---Native Americans and Immigrants Have a Happy Feast Together!The truth about Thanksgiving---not long after that feast was pau, began the genocide and landgrabbing by still more immigrants, until the Native Americans had most of their land taken away----which is why I call it "Thankstaking."'Thankstaking' is close enough to the word everyone is used to, so when I say it to folks, they do a double-take, as they say, "Oh yes, same to you----wait----what did you say?"So I explain. And so far, no one has argued with me about it.Instead, they look at the ground, nodding, bummed out by the truth."Yeah," they say, "That's true. It really was Thankstaking."So then I tell them, "How about if you remember that word? And tell it to other people and see what they say?"It's a good opportunity to remember, to remind, to teach. The more we raise awareness about injustice, to indigenous people everywhere, the closer we come to sovereignty.So I encourage you---embrace the word!Happy Thankstaking!
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OCCUPATION vs COLONIZATION....a discussion

Posted by Donna Burns on November 24, 2009 at 7:29am
Today, Kehaulani Kauanui will be broadcasting a discussion similar to the one recently presented at Kamakakuokalani at UH. There is much debate about whether we are "Occupied" or "Colonized", and many suggest that it is an "either-or" situation. I believe we are BOTH. We are occupied AND suffer under the negative effects of Colonization. Many look at International Law (UN etc.) for remedy...and the discussion is which "International Court" to enter...the International Court of Justice (Keanu) or the General Assembly (decolonization assertion). It is an on-going debate...and nobody argues it better than Keanu Sai, Kehaulani Kauanui...and Maivan Lam (expert at International Law). Many discussions can come of this.Donna-------------------------INDIGENOUS POLITICS: FROM NATIVE NEW ENGLAND AND BEYONDRadio Program on WESU, Middletown, CT: Tuesdays 4-5 PM EDT/ 1-2 PM PSTListen Online While the Show Airs: www.wesufm.orgOn Tuesday, November 23, 2009, your host J. Kehaulani Kauanui for an episode thatwill feature two presentations from an event recently held at the KamakakuokalaniCenter for Hawaiian Studies at the University of Hawai`i, in Manoa, called "`Ike: HistoricalTransformations: Reading Hawai`i's Past to Probe Its Future." The first is by Keanu Sai,and the second is by J. Kehaulani Kauanui. They each presented on a panel called,"International Routes: De-occupation, Decolonization, and the U.N. Declarationon the Rights of Indigenous Peoples." The mission of the session was to discuss themodern trajectory of the Hawaiian Islands within the context of Hague Regulations on thelaw of occupation, the U.N. Decolonization Protocols, and the U.N. Declaration on the Rightsof Indigenous Peoples. Keanu Sai earned his Ph.D. in Political Science specializing inHawaiian Constitutionalism and International Relations. He is a founding member of theHawaiian Society of Law & Politics. Sai served as lead Agent for the Hawaiian Kingdomin arbitration proceedings before the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague,Netherlands, from November 1999-February 2001. He also served as Agent in a Complaintagainst the United States of America concerning the prolonged occupation of the HawaiianKingdom, which was filed with the United Nations Security Council on July 5, 2001. Besidesproducing the radio show "Indigenous Politics" J. Kehaulani Kauanui is an associate professorof American Studies and Anthropology at Wesleyan University. She is the author of HawaiianBlood: Colonialism and the Politics of Sovereignty and Indigeneity (Duke University Press,2008). She is also the co-founder of the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association,and was recently elected to a three year term on the governing council.~~~This show is syndicated on select Pacifica-affiliate stations: WPKN in Bridgeport, CT and Montauk,NY; WNJR, in Washington, PA, WETX-LP, "The independent voice of Appalachia," which broadcaststhroughout the Tri-Cities region of East Tennessee, southwest Virginia, and northwest North Carolina;WBCR-lp in Great Barrington, MA and WORT in Madison, WI.~~~All past programs of "Indigenous Politics" are archived online: www.indigenouspolitics.com
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Kau nā Makaliʻi ma luna o ke poʻo

Posted by Eliza G on November 24, 2009 at 12:30am
Kau nā Makaliʻi ma luna o ke poʻo. I kēia mau lā o ka hoʻomaka ʻana o ka Makahiki, nui nā manaʻo aʻu e lana nei i ka lani. Ke pāʻole ka mahina, pōʻeleʻele nō ka wao o Wakea. I kēia mau manawa, hele aʻela ka ʻuhane e noho me Akua, e noʻonoʻo i nā mea pono o ke ola. Like me he hiamoe kēia mau manaʻo, ʻoiai lā, ʻala nō ka maka. Ke hele nā wāwae i kai, hele ka ʻuhane iā Kilauea paha. Ke hele nā wāwae i uka, e ʻala aku paha ka manaʻo i Kokeʻe. Nui na wahi like ʻole a ka ʻuhane e kipa ai, mai ko Hawaiʻi a hiki i ke one o Niʻihau. No laila, e ʻike maka kākou i ka lani me ka malu, i kēia manawa hoʻomaha a kākou.Ke pā mai ka makani mai ka akau, hele nā manaʻo kahiko mai laila. Wahi a ke kahi poʻe ʻoiwi o kēlā ʻaina ala, ʻo ke kau ʻana o ka Makaliʻi ma luna o ke poʻo ke kahi mea nunui no ka hoʻoponopono ʻana i ka manaʻo, a me ka hoʻoikaika ʻana i ka mana. I kēia neʻe ʻana o ka hōkū, hō mai nā pōmaikaʻi mai loko mai ka lani iā loko o ke kino. E hoʻomaʻemaʻe ʻia ke kino a me ka manaʻo i ia pōmaikaʻi, like me ke kukui e ʻā ana i ka pō. Like nō hoʻi ia pōmaikaʻi me ke anuenue e piʻo maila i ke ao, i ka mālie.No ko Hawaiʻi, hoʻi nō ka manaʻo i ke Kumulipo:“O ke ao i ka huli wela ka honua, o ke ao I ka huli lole ka lani, o ke ao kukaʻiaka ka lā, e hoʻomālamalama i ka mālama O ke ao ka Makaliʻi i ka pō, o ka walewale hoʻokumuhonua ʻia…”
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National Health Care

Posted by G. Leimomi Ah Sing on November 22, 2009 at 10:30am
Honestly, I wasn't interested about this issue and this is most likely due to the fact that I already have coverage from my workplace -- no cost to me (premium-wise). My son is covered under his father's plan, so all is good or so I thought. "Health care bill clears a hurdle" was the headline in today's Maui News, and I assumed that it meant that the bill was already law. Reading the article, I now understand that health care gets to be debated among congress. I thought that was already occurring and that it was a matter of voting to make it legal. I found myself agreeing with Majority Leader Harry Reid's comment accusing "Republicans of trying to stifle a historic debate the nation needed." The situation would most likely be reverse if the Republicans came up with this draft. All this political maneuvering makes me dizzy! I'm also glad that the two Democratic senators, Landrieu and Lincoln, voted affirmatively to allow this bill to move to the next stage.I agree with Landrieu when she said "doing nothing is not an option." Why is change always something to be fearful of, particularly when things aren't working harmoniously? With billions of people now residing in the United States, non-citizens and citizens alike, non-planning paves the way for how our government is "reacting" to several issues. What worked before, doesn't work now and health care is one of those issues that needed to be addressed years ago to balance the population demographics.Today's paper didn't go into length about the provision for the government to sell insurance, but did indicate that the state's have an option for this. What is the uproar about this? The key word here is option, and doesn't mean that the government is forcing this upon the states. I like the idea that insurance companies will not be able to deny PEC (pre-existing conditions). However, in my mind, costs can be astronomical...remember Erin Brokovich (sp?) and the claims against the electric companies? What about workers' compensation and fraudulent work-related injuries? Hmmm. How will this play into the PEC claim? This is where the medical field and the insurance field needs to come to an agreement of what's really "usual and customary." I'm sure there are other models to research and to come to a creative plan which benefits all of us.For me, it's all about greed! How much money can one make? Salaries for government workers, professional athletes, major corporate executives, doctors, etc. and the fringe benefits are obscene! How much money does one really need? Apparently, a lot when people are lobbying for this or that.
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