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kuching wrote:This newspaper's bias shines through the propaganda coming out of DC."Government" - What government?The bill allows Native Hawaiians to form an "Entity!" (see text of the bill)Since when does an "Entity" equate to a "Government?" It never does and never will - Whatever an "Entity" is?If justice and fairness is the name of the game - Mr. Akaka - Please schedule hearings in Hawai'i - on all the islands - where people subject to your tainted bill live.Your one and only hearing in 2000 on the first of your tainted bills (AND its successive amendments) in Honolulu - showing overwhelming overall opposition to your bill, after which you cancelled hearings on the neighbor islands using surgery as an excuse - has never been revisited.Having hearings in DC by invitation only - of guaranteed supporters and ONLY them - is a blackeye to real democracy. Let the "real" people speak. Justice demands nothing more. HOLD HEARINGS IN HAWAI'I !!
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By Kai LandowI was one of the few people who got a seat to hear oral arguments in the Supreme Court. The question before the court was whether or not the Apology clouded the title the State held on the “Ceded lands.” The argument between OHA and the State of Hawai`i were essentially the same.So what were they arguing before the court? And that is exactly what the Justices asked. Justice Souter interjected “This whole case seems murky to me. Am I missing something?” I looked over at Haunani Apoliona, chair of the OHA Trustees. Her face was pensive. I could see their greatest fears were materializing. The parties did not want the court to address the issue of title and for one hour most of the court’s discussion centered on just that, title, ownership of the land.Well hasn’t the ownership of the land in Hawaii long been settled?It was surreal to hear the State’s Attorneys General Mark Bennett argue, “Yes we illegally overthrew the Hawaiian Government,” and then to go on to argue the State had “Perfect Title.” Am I missing something, too?READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE
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MAHUKONA UPDATE 03/15/09

Not so good news to report but it doesn't mean we give up, it only means we appeal and head down the lawsuit road.Per our attorney, "no sugar coating"First, our motion to disqualify. Joe Gimple refused to disqualify himself and the members of the board voted to deny our motion.Next, Pete Hendricks revealed that he is on the board of directors of the Hawai`i Wildlife Center. The Center wrote a letter in support of KPCT because Surety has given the center a license to use some land worth over a million dollars. Our attorney reluctantly asked him to recuse himself given the apparent conflict. He did so.Then we got to KPCT’s motion to dismiss. The board fixated on the fact that they had already voted to automatically approve KPCT’s subdivision and that therefore the November decision was now moot. So they voted unanimously to dismiss Maika`i’s appeal.The next step is to appeal today’s (03/13/09) decision. Cost for this will be met in the filing as discussed in our meeting today 03/15/09Also: it appears that Surey is beating the bushes to get people on their side. they generated about a dozen letters of support, talking about how great Surety is. Of course these are people who have done work or are employed for/by Surety or is leasing space or land or purchased property from Surety for their projects or personal interests.One signed letter claiming to be speaking for the entire entity of an organization is up for question which I am investigating on my own and I await information. Those specifically relating to the organization so far, one key bloodtie to the Founder was not approached and was surprised at the personal putting their signature to the group. I believe they may have been a member but not a titled or leadership role. Of course these letters of support were"in general" and not specific to Mahukona and we are not sure if these people who signed the support of "great works of Surety" realizes it was used on the Mahukona issue.We are putting together a fundraising awareness concert which I have posted as an even for Sat. March 21st
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KUE STATEHOOD EVENTS

By Michael TsaiAdvertiser Staff WriterThe 50th anniversary of Hawai'i's admission to the United States will be marked not with fireworks and parades, but with a series of thought-provoking commemorations to both emphasize the state's cultural diversity and encourage the conversations necessary to move forward as one.That's the plan, at least.Since it first convened in August 2008, the Hawai'i Statehood Commission has carefully formulated what it considers to be the proper approach to acknowledging this milestone year in Hawai'i history while at the same time trying to avoid the inevitable tripwires of cultural and political sensitivity."We're trying to do this very responsibly," said Kippen de Alba Chu, executive director of 'Iolani Palace and chairman of the statehood commission. "It's about education and understanding. We are aware of all the other things going on, but our message is that we want this to be peaceful."The commission is planning at least three major events — a joint session of the Hawai'i state Legislature on Wednesday, the arrival of the USS Hawaii this summer, and a daylong conference on Statehood Day — as well as cooperative presentations of more than 40 existing events statewide that will bear the official Hawai'i Statehood logo.(The statehood commemoration actually began in November with the release of the Hawai'i quarter.)The commission is also working with the Department of Education and private schools on educational initiatives, including a statehood-themed essay contest, a time-capsule project and multimedia statehood materials, such as the "50 Voices" series of public service announcements currently being aired on commercial and cable television.As part of a much broader educational initiative, the commission plans to distribute 100,000 walking maps of the Downtown area to encourage locals and tourists to visit historically significant sites such as 'Iolani Palace, the state Capitol and Kawaiaha'o church. It will also establish mobile kiosks with historical photos and explanatory text on each of the major islands.'IOLANI palace low-profile'Iolani Palace will not be among the scores of venues hosting official statehood activities this time around. Chu said this is because the palace did not play an official role in any of the original statehood transactions or celebrations other than the March 12 call from territorial delegate John Burns in Washington to territorial Speaker of the House Elmer Cravalho conveying Congress' passage of the Hawaii Admission Act.Chu said that while the territorial Legislature was housed in 'Iolani Palace then, it is more appropriate that current statehood observances take place at the state Legislature's permanent home at the state Capitol.Chu acknowledged that potential demonstrations or confrontations, like the palace grounds takeovers executed by two separate Hawaiian sovereignty groups last year (the Hawaiian Kingdom Government last April and the Kingdom of Hawai'i last August) were also considerations."Whenever there's a big demonstration and it generates a threat of disturbance, law enforcement always forces ... (the palace) to close down, which is a problem because the palace is our No. 1 source of income," Chu said.Beyond that, Chu said, the goal of the commemorative events is to encourage discussion and to educate, not incite conflict.In brainstorming possible commemorative activities early in the process, the commission did consider using the palace to stage a re-enactment of the call from Territory of Hawai'i delegate John Burns to the Territorial House of Representatives informing them of Congress' approval of the Hawaii Admission Act, which then led to Hawai'i's own ballot on statehood.However, commission member Donald Cataluna, an Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustee, was firmly opposed to the idea."No way," Cataluna said. "I put my foot down. I felt that it would hurt an awful lot of Hawaiians, and others, too. You saw what happened when two small groups took over. There are more than 30 sovereignty groups out there with 30,000 members. I didn't want any blood to spill, so I fought it."Cataluna was a senior at the University of Hawai'i when the Hawaii Admission Act was passed.He said he was aware of resistance to statehood — initially by the Big Five oligarchy that sought to protect its economic and political hold over Hawai'i, and in quieter fashion by some Native Hawaiians who believed the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893 to be illegal — but he said that opposition to the measure was "a dangerous stance" given the collective will of a population weary of the limits of territorial status, particularly in light of the distinguished service of Island sons during World War II.The palace issue resolved, Cataluna said he is "very satisfied" with the tone and direction of the commission's planned activities.Still, there are others who clearly are not.DissatisfactionA group calling itself the Anti-Statehood Hui is calling for a peaceful protest at Wednesday's joint session of the Legislature. A flier distributed online and by hand asks that protesters dress in black but carry no signs.According to the group's Web site, the hui's mission is "to educate the public about the fraudulence of the State of Hawai'i as projected by the USA and to explain and advance the independent nation of Hawai'i."Kenneth Conklin, who identifies himself as a civil rights activist and independent scholar, has a decidedly different take, but is also dissatisfied with the commission's plans for observing the statehood anniversary.Conklin, author of "Hawaiian Apartheid: Racial Separatism and Ethnic Nationalism in the Aloha State" and an outspoken and controversial critic of race-based programs, was one of 13 plaintiffs who in 2000 successfully challenged a requirement that OHA trustees be of Hawaiian descent.Conklin argued that statehood celebrations are patriotic by definition, and should be celebrated — not just "commemorated" — as such.He said an appropriate celebration might include a parade through the Downtown area with a military marching band, the Royal Hawaiian Band, and lots of American flags.And, he said, the route should include 'Iolani Palace."In deciding not to use the palace, they're trying to avoid worries with sovereignty activists," he said, "but how far are we going to go with this (politically correct) stuff?"We're either the 50th state or we're not. If so, we should be proud and we should celebrate in a place where the legislature met and where all governmental activities were conducted."Conklin cited photos and other archival material to challenge the commission's stance that the palace was not involved in the march to statehood or the subsequent celebrations.He also dismissed the commission's focus on education as an opportunity to spread pro-sovereignty propaganda.balancing actChu and his fellow commission members find an odd sort of comfort in receiving equal measures of criticism from seemingly opposing interests. It means, in essence, that they've arrived at a reasonable middle ground.Lenny Klompus, senior adviser for communications for Gov. Linda Lingle and vice chairman of the statehood commission, said the ultimate aims of the statehood commemorations are to educate people about the myriad issues surrounding statehood, highlight the state's racial and cultural diversity, and inspire a sense of unity heading into the next 50 years of statehood.He said a key component of the commemoration is the "50 Voices" project, a series of 60-second commercials (produced in conjunction with Wai'anae High School's Searider Productions) in which prominent residents who were around when Hawai'i became a state reflect on their personal experiences with statehood and its aftermath.Klompus said the 32 spots filmed so far are remarkable in what they have in common, most notably emphasis on the values that unify diverse backgrounds and beliefs into a common purpose.Included in the 50 is Dr. Kekuni Blaisdell, whose expressed opposition to statehood surprised viewers who expected the series to be unanimously positive."My position hasn't changed," Blaisdell said. "We have to change their position. As Hawaiians, we're still at the bottom. We have the highest rates of mortality and morbidity, drug abuse, incarceration, homelessness and dropouts."The causes go way back. There was depopulation because of Western and Asian epidemics, the 1893 invasion and overthrow, and the military occupation by the U.S. The illegal act (of the overthrow) has been followed by subsequent illegal acts. Our kanaka maoli struggle over statehood. We don't want it."Blaisdell said he had mixed feelings about participating in the commercial, but felt it was a good way to share his beliefs."I feel very strongly that our opposition has to be known," he said. "I'm grateful to be part of the 50, but I'm only one of 50."For Chu, Blaisdell's contribution was in keeping with the intent of the series itself."We rely on people who lived through it to provide the commentary," Chu said. "Some were surprised at ... (Blaisdell's) segment, but it was one perspective."Klompus said he expects the closing conference to provide a good venue for a productive exchange of ideas on topics ranging from economics to culture and Hawaiian self-determination."We're a democracy, and we want people to express themselves," he said. "I don't see how we can discuss where we're going if we don't know where we're coming from."Reach Michael Tsai at mtsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.ALOHA Kakou, e Hawaii, 50 Years of Statehood has been a Living Holocaust of the Indigenous Hawaiian people of Hawaii. Never in the history of Native Hawaiians have their been so threaten as the rightful claimers of their Sovereign Hawaiian Lands as their are now. 50 Years of Statehood is a Fraudulant Act of American Greed. KUE STATEHOOD Events.
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Starting this coming Wednesday, the fake state of Hawai`i will be trying its best to convince you of something that doesn't add up – Hawai`I the 50th state.Fortunately we have two powerful things that say otherwise.The first also happens this Wednesday on Free Hawai`i TV when we reveal more of what was said by US Supreme Court justices during the recent stolen lands case – and you'll have to watch it twice to believe it.Let's put it this way – they weren't fooled by either the Office Of Hawaiian Affairs or the fake state.We also have Hawaiian patriot, author and diplomat Leon Siu back with us and this time he corrects one of the biggest lies ever told in the history of the US – Hawai`i being the fiftieth state.Leon tells us why not plus shows us a brand new book filled with all the facts about the Fake State Lie. Don't miss it – right here on Voices Of Truth – One-On-One With Hawai`i's Future.MONDAY, March 16th At 6:30 PM Maui – Akaku, Channel 53"Hawai`i The Fake State - A Visit With Leon Siu"The history books are wrong. Hawai`i is not part of the US according to Leon Siu, who reveals why more people every day are awakening to realize one simple fact – Hawai`i's annexation to the US and subsequent statehood vote were both fake. The truth is out there. Watch It Here.MONDAY, March 16th At 7:00 PM & FRIDAY, March 20th At 5:30 PM Hawai`i Island – Na Leo, Channel 53"Vanity & Insanity – A Visit With Skippy Ioane"You never know what’s going to happen around Hawai`i Island activist and Hui Pu founder Skippy Ioane. Thrown off the steps of `Iolani Palace during our interview when he attempts to claim it as sovereign territory, Skippy offers his own unique insights about the illegal overthrow and US occupation, and tells us the single most important thing we can do today with ceded lands.Watch It Here.THURSDAY, March 19th At 8:30 PM & FRIDAY, March 20th At 8:30 AM Kaua`i – Ho`ike, Channel 52SATURDAY, March 21st At 8:00 PM O`ahu, `Olelo, Channel 53"Kukaniloko – Birth Of A Nation – A Visit With Tom Lenchanko"One of Hawai`i's oldest sites dating back to 1060 AD, Kukaniloko was a birthing place for high ranking ali`i. Today it's known as a portal where people from all over the world are drawn by an ancestor's calling – to link back and touch family members long since gone. Tom's demonstration of how various stones in Kukaniloko were used, including the birthing stones is not to be missed. A breathtaking visit to a special place where the ancestors await - and time stands still. Watch It Here.Voices 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.You can watch Voices Of Truth anytime on the web.And for news and issues that affect you, watch Free Hawai`i TV, a part of the Free Hawai`i Broadcasting Network.
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Catastrophic fish kill still scars Niihau dietBy Associated PressCOMEDY.gifFRICKEN DUH ! {rat poison and dead fish are related.}POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Mar 15, 2009LIHUE, Kauai » Niihau residents still are not eating fish months after thousands of dead fish washed ashore.The dead fish appeared in mid-January shortly after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service dumped rat poison on nearby Lehua island on behalf of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.Lehua is less than a mile north of Niihau, a privately owned island with a population of about 100.Niihau residents say they still have not been told whether the rat poison and dead fish are related.In the interim, they have avoided consuming fish, a diet staple.The state Department of Health issued an advisory in February urging residents on the private island not to eat fish from nearby waters."We still don't know what's happening," said Keith Robinson, a member of the family that owns Niihau. "We still don't know whether it is safe to eat fish, and we are still looking for an official statement."Robinson added that there are reportedly about a dozen monk seals who used to regularly visit the island and have recently "gone missing," while others appear "extremely sick."He said, however, that residents have not had a food shortage and have not been in serious need of food and supplies. A report posted on the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs Web site erroneously reported the island needed food, he said.Robinson said the island's supply barge arrived last weekend, and there was no such shortage of food or supplies."The supply line of food to Niihau is open, but the bottom line is the people have not been able to go back to eating fish. The Department of Health has not given us clearance," he added.Janice Okubo, Department of Health spokeswoman, said the department never actually issued a direct ban for eating fish on Niihau."It was an advisory; people need to use their own common sense and judgment," she said, when asked whether Niihau fishing could resume. "For us to do a ban and to enforce it, we would have to have really strong evidence."Ilei Beniamina, a part-time Niihau resident who is an assistant professor in counseling at Kauai Community College, believes residents are not getting enough vital nutrients that the fish once provided, such as protein and calcium."Our people depend on the ocean. The ocean is their Costco," said Beniamina.LIHUE, Kauai » Niihau residents still are not eating fish months after thousands of dead fish washed ashore.The dead fish appeared in mid-January shortly after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service dumped rat poison on nearby Lehua island on behalf of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.Lehua is less than a mile north of Niihau, a privately owned island with a population of about 100.Niihau residents say they still have not been told whether the rat poison and dead fish are related.In the interim, they have avoided consuming fish, a diet staple.The state Department of Health issued an advisory in February urging residents on the private island not to eat fish from nearby waters."We still don't know what's happening," said Keith Robinson, a member of the family that owns Niihau. "We still don't know whether it is safe to eat fish, and we are still looking for an official statement."Robinson added that there are reportedly about a dozen monk seals who used to regularly visit the island and have recently "gone missing," while others appear "extremely sick."He said, however, that residents have not had a food shortage and have not been in serious need of food and supplies. A report posted on the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs Web site erroneously reported the island needed food, he said.Robinson said the island's supply barge arrived last weekend, and there was no such shortage of food or supplies."The supply line of food to Niihau is open, but the bottom line is the people have not been able to go back to eating fish. The Department of Health has not given us clearance," he added.Janice Okubo, Department of Health spokeswoman, said the department never actually issued a direct ban for eating fish on Niihau."It was an advisory; people need to use their own common sense and judgment," she said, when asked whether Niihau fishing could resume. "For us to do a ban and to enforce it, we would have to have really strong evidence."Ilei Beniamina, a part-time Niihau resident who is an assistant professor in counseling at Kauai Community College, believes residents are not getting enough vital nutrients that the fish once provided, such as protein and calcium."Our people depend on the ocean. The ocean is their Costco," said Beniamina
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WHAT DO HAWAI`I NATIONALS WANT ?

Here Is What They Say About Themselves, Their Countrymen And The US - "The most common sense thing is for total independence. We were a progressive modern nation of our time and recognized as a friendly, neutral nation within the Family of Nations, the predecessor of the League of Nations and the United Nations. We had a democratic form of government, a constitutional monarchy with a bicameral legislative assembly. The works and legacies of our monarchs are legendary and noteworthy. Today under the American system, we are concerned about our lands, culture, people and lifestyle which has been under attack for over a hundred years. This gets us angry as more Hawaiians desire total independence as a result. The Kingdom of Hawai`i is not only Native Hawaiians but subjects of non-Hawaiian blood who were legitimate subjects of the Kingdom. This racial argument is an American thing and not a Hawaiian thing. So our concerns are well within our scope to protect all our subjects of the Kingdom. We do expect reparations and restitution from the US for the injurious damages to our nation, land and people. The US government is well aware of this and is attempting a piecemeal settlement.If the tables were turned around; which would you do? I'm sure it wouldn't be a hard decision. Remember, Hawaiians never hated Americans; but only those that did harm to us and the US government for its complicity and deceit. We were never afraid that another country would take us over; we had over twenty-four treaties with various countries but the US is the only country that broke their treaties with us."
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OPPOSE State Senate Bill 995 SD2

March 18, 2009Representative Mele Carroll, ChairRepresentative Maile S. L. Shimabukuro, Vice ChairAnd Committee Members on Hawaiian AffairsHouse of Representatives, 2009 Legislature SessionState of HawaiiSubject: SB 995 SD2, OPPOSEALOHA Kakou,My name is Richard Pomaikaiokalani Kinney. On January 17, 1993 after reading Public Law 103-150 I renounced my citizenship to the United States. I come here today as a Hawaiian Nationalist of the Hawaiian Kingdom. I strongly support the restoration of the Hawaiian Kingdom government that was invaded and occupied thru an Act of War onJanuary 16, 1893 with the involvement of the diplomatic and military forces of the United States.As Sovereign of the Hawaiian Political Action Council of Hawaii, I strongly OPPOSE the passage of SB 995 SD2.Presently under the laws of the United States and the State of Hawaii Native Hawaiians as defined in the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920 are the wealthiest beneficiaries in the United States. If it was not for the Native Hawaiians of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, there would be no State of Hawaii and most important no Office of Hawaiian Affairs.Since the Congressional passage of the Hawaiian Homes Commission of 1920 and thru the Hawaii State Admission Act of March 18, 1959, Native Hawaiians of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act are federally recognized as beneficiaries to the Public Lands Trust.SB 995 SD2 is a Fraudulent Bill. SB 995 SD 2 ignores the rightful claims that all Hawaiians have to the national lands of the Hawaiian Kingdom that are presently administrated by the State of Hawaii.SB 995 SD2 ignores lands that are classified as Section 5(a) Lands of the Hawaii State Admission Act. Section 5(a) Lands are those lands that were administrated by the Territory of Hawaii. Section 5(a) Lands are the bulk of the national lands of the Hawaiian Kingdom that all Hawaiians have an Inherent Sovereign claims as Kanaka Maoli Hawaii.Page 2March 18, 2009SB 995 SD2Since 1900 when Hawaii became a Territory of the United States the Indigenous Hawaiian people have never properly benefited from their national lands of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Instead the Kanaka Maoli Hawaii have always been on the losing end as the rightful claimers to their Sovereign Hawaiian Lands.SB 995 SD2 is like the Apology Resolution that was signed into law by President Clinton in 1993. SB 995 SD2 is an admission of wrongful acts committed against the Indigenous Hawaiian people by the State of Hawaii.Without a complete inventory of the Public Lands Trust there is no way that an honorable settlement of the past wrongs can be corrected thru any legislative actions.SB 995 SD2 does not correct the wrongs of the past but instead it covers up and perpetuates the Fraudulent Acts against all of the Native Hawaiian people.Once more HPACH strongly OPPOSE the passage of SB 995 SD2.Mahalo Nui for allowing me to give testimony on this Bill.Attachments: 1993 Renouncement DocumentsALOHA KUU AINA HAWAIIRichard Pomaikaiokalani Kinney, SOVEREIGNHawaiian Political Action Council of Hawaii87-168 Maaloa Street, Waianae, Hawaii, 96792Email: HIAHAWAII@aol.com
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HAWAI`I SUPERFERRY PROGRESS REPORT

Maui Time WeeklyAfter more than a full year of operation, it’s time to give the albatross of inter-island travel known as the Hawai`i Superferry a progress report.Has the high-speed ferry service given indications it can be profitable in the long term?Has there been justification for Gov. Linda Lingle leading the charge, with state legislators close behind, to rewrite the state’s environmental laws to allow Superferry to operate?Has the entire state been taken for a choppy, 40 knots per hour, $45 million ride?And is this the biggest boondoggle in state history?Living up to expectations and promises: D-Wise use of taxpayer’s money: FEnvironmental sensitivity/protection: DGovernment Integrity/accountability: DEase of travel and reliability: CEconomic feasibility: F
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AGAIN CAN YOU SAY GENOCIDE!nwoTools.gif911replay2.jpgMunitions dump eludes undersea huntersChemical weapons were disposed of off Oahu 50 years agoBy Gregg K. Kakesakonavybombs.jpgCanisters like these are the subject of a deep-water hunt south of Pearl Harbor by the University of Hawaii's School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology.POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Mar 12, 2009After 12 dives six miles south of Pearl Harbor, University of Hawaii and Army researchers using deep-diving submersibles and remote underwater drones still have not located the main site of chemical munitions believed to have been dumped there during and after World War II.They have found "numerous munitions of varying types, mostly conventional," said J.C. King, assistant for munitions and chemical matters in the office of the deputy assistant secretary of the Army for environment, safety and occupational health, in an e-mail yesterday.He said of munitions recorded by high-definition video cameras are "multipurpose (conventional or chemical)."The Army has contracted the Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory submersibles Pisces IV and V to explore the ocean bottom in an area dubbed "Hawaii-05" by the Army. The 2 1/2 -week project will end March 19.Seventeen dives by the submersible and an additional six by remotely operated vehicles are planned.The purpose of the $3 million Army project is to determine the risks of some 600 tons of chemical weapons dumped there. The Army plans to test water and sediment samples taken from the muddy bottom.King said, "The goal is to assess the impact of the munitions on the ocean environment and the impact of the ocean environment on munitions."The Pearl Harbor site is one of three off Oahu where the Army dumped 2,558 tons of chemical agents, including blister agents lewisite and mustard gas and blood agents cyanogen chloride and hydrogen cyanide. The practice of ocean dumping was banned in 1972.The largest dump is reported to be in area 10 miles west of the Waianae Coast.The Army has said it believes 16,000 M47-A2 bombs containing 598 tons of mustard gas were dumped at "Hawaii-05" around Oct. 1, 1944. Each chemical bomb weighs 100 pounds and is nearly 32 inches long.Most of the dives are at about 1,500 feet.King has been a passenger on at least two of the dives."As expected," King said, "the munitions are meters apart and generally of the same type (e.g., a series of .50-caliber boxes, a series of projectiles). This is expected because ship loads would have been from storage, and we generally store and transport these same munition types together."americatheblindbyfangedwu5.jpghttp://www.starbulletin.com/news/20090312_Munitions_dump_eludes_undersea_hunters.html
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Looking out for Lazarus

People of faith, whatever their religion, share a vision of a world in which love is the guiding principle…a world in which all may feel respected, valued, accepted as a full member of the human family; a world in which there are no hungry people, none who fall sick and can’t afford to see a doctor, a world in which the scourge of war is forever banned. Some we meet outside these walls would stress the impossibility of there ever being such a world. They would call it Utopia, literally meaning “no-place.” Some others would call it “the Kingdom of God,” and hope to find it someplace beyond this world. But,. I believe that it is possible to achieve at least some semblance of what has been called the “beloved community” right here on earth. Our belief that such a world is possible is reflected in the sixth of our Unitarian Universalist Principles, “The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all.” We all yearn for a world of peace and prosperity, but we also know that without justice there can be no peace. Economic justice is an absolute requirement for such a world and, with this in mind, I’d like to share with you a parable from the 16th Chapter of Luke:“There was a rich man who dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He called out, ‘father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’” (Luke 16:19-26)Like the rest of Jesus’ parables, this story conveys far more than a simplistic moral story about a rich man finding himself on the short end of the stick in the afterlife. This story is about something that continues to plague us in our modern world and has implications far beyond any of the merely personal concerns that we may have. It speaks to us not only as individuals, but also collectively. Indeed, it would appear that we ARE required to be our “brother’s keeper.” That is at least one measure of what it means not only to be “human,” but what it means to be “civilized.” Despite those who would have us believe otherwise, we are all responsible for one another’s welfare.Indeed, throughout the Bible, there appears a recurring theme that, if we were wise, might be instructive. From each of the prophets, be they Isaiah, Amos, Micah, or Jeremiah… take your pick… you’ll find the very same injunction that we seek justice as the highest and most important virtue. Though it isn’t given much priority these days, this idea of justice is especially required in regards to the poor and the dispossessed among us. The situations of widows, orphans, the elderly, the sick, the poor, all these are in a special sense, seen as a measure of how well we’re doing, not only as individuals, but as a society. A society, we are told, is judged not by the number of wealthy individuals we find there, not by the richness of their houses, nor by the fine furnishings placed in their houses of worship. A society is judged by the way those on the bottom are treated.Whether that judgment comes from God, by humanity, or by the fickle hand of fate is of little import at this point because the end result is the same. There are consequences that sooner or later come into play. Whatever we do or don’t do in any given situation leads to consequences. Though we may ignore the warnings of prophets, seers, and oracles or even think tanks and scientific studies, consequences do come sooner or later. Well, let’s go back to the parable and see if we can draw any conclusions that we can apply to our lives. Right off the bat, I can see at least one thing, Lazarus was living, as are we, under the “trickle-down” theory of economics and lacked two basic things: food and health care. Surely there’s a message in here somewhere for us today. The “trickle-down” theory didn’t work then and it certainly doesn’t seem to be working today. We see that clearly in the faces of those people at the freeway entrances carrying signs saying “homeless” and “hungry.” And no, I don’t believe that they’re all simply lazy and won’t work or that they prefer living that way.Nothing in the parable indicates that the rich man was a dishonest or mean person. Nothing indicates that he was unthankful for what he received. He seemed to be a person who enjoyed life and who shared what he had with his family and friends as he feasted sumptuously every day. Nor is there anything in the parable that indicates that he mistreated the poor man Lazarus who was at his gate. He did not insult him or abuse him. In fact, it seems that he never even noticed him.This is what I would suggest is the failure of the rich man: he did not notice Lazarus at his gate. Even though the two of them were close, with Lazarus sitting at his very door, he lived his life isolated from the poor man like many of us, safely locked away in his gated community. There was a gulf between them, and the rich man lived his life without ever noticing the poor man who was so close at hand. Now after his death, the rich man certainly noticed Lazarus. Not only did he now notice him, but he now wanted to bridge the gap between them. He begged that Lazarus would bring a bit of water to cool his tongue. But the gulf had now become a chasm, and it was no longer possible to cross it. Obviously then, the point of the parable for us is to notice Lazarus at our door and to reach out and cross the gulf between us while there is still time.Yes, Lazarus is at our gate. He is one of the more than one million children who are homeless in America, who sleep every night on our streets. He is one of the many fellow Americans who are afflicted with and dying from AIDS. Lazarus is at our door. Lazarus is one of the forty million Americans who have no access to health care, who must choose between buying medicine and putting food on her table. Lazarus is at our gate. He is an acquaintance who lost his job and is in danger of losing his home. Lazarus is the young man in the ghetto with no job prospects and no way out except by joining the military. He is the homeless man sitting on the curb outside the gas station asking for spare change. Lazarus is at our door.The vision of the “blessed community” calls upon us to notice Lazarus at our door, and to reach out and cross the gulf that isolates us from him. It calls us to do this in a very personal and specific way. It calls upon us to recognize his suffering as our own because we are all in this together. We are all a part of the interdependent web of life and we will all ultimately either sink or swim together. This may seem like a daunting task, but is it? It is important to notice in the parable that the rich man was condemned not because he ignored all the poor people in Israel of his time. For all we know, he, like most of us, regularly gave to any number of charities to help people like Lazarus. He probably gave a tax-deductible donation to his time’s version of the United Way. The parable doesn’t say. He was condemned because he ignored one beggar, the one named Lazarus who sat at his door. He did not recognize his inherit worth and dignity as a human being, something that we UU’s call for in the first of our principles.We cannot be expected as individuals to reach out to each of the millions of people without health care or the tens of millions who are hungry around the world. But we can be expected to notice the collective Lazarus at our gate and do what we can to bridge the gap between us. We can’t save each and every Lazarus as individuals, but we can do something. We can be expected to notice that we as Americans have a Lazarus at our gate and realize that we will face the consequences sooner or later.While our government refunds money to our most affluent taxpayers, it is busy cutting benefits and programs that help the poor. Just as the poor are not noticed, so they are not needed except as fodder for the war machine or the sweatshop. While this goes on, there are regular messages from the religious hucksters on TV and radio, baptizing riches as God’s blessing, who see wealth as rewards for being part of the “right” religion and being a “righteous” person. Still, there’s a certain meanness of spirit in the air which allows us as a society to discard and despise the poor of the earth as undeserving and merely envious of the rich, and “our way of life” and the very thought of questioning this is considered subversive.Lazarus is usually informed that he needs to pick himself by his own bootstraps because “God helps those that help themselves.” Interestingly enough, the name Lazarus means “he whom God helps.” In the rich man’s view of things, popular in “Prosperity theology,” it is Lazarus who would be in Hades and the Rich Man in paradise, and between the two there is as well a great gulf fixed. Each stays in his place, securely fixed by the class system. Today we might well call it a “caste” system in that we are usually born into the class we inhabit and through no effort of our own, either inherit wealth or poverty. Those in the middle are getting fewer and the gap between Lazarus and the rich man is getting wider.It should be obvious that a major cause of poverty in the United States is not laziness or simple “bad luck.” It is that there are so many who are working for very little income with few or no benefits. Wages have not kept up with inflation over the last 20 years for workers in the bottom 40 percent of employment. Well-paid, and unionized manufacturing work has been exported to the third world where people are thankful to work for a dollar an hour instead of starving, where governments are glad to forget about environmental degradation so that they can receive some trickle-down from the big profits of the few.While the business section of the news paper tells us about a variety of statistical improvements, we are also continually reminded of what a wonderful thing it is that the wages of everyday working people are not going up and therefore not causing inflation. They warn us that unionization is a bad thing and that it will drive up costs and prices. These stories never tell us that the incomes of CEO’s and other economic elites are going up at a crazy pace and no one ever talks about their income as a threat to inflation. Meanwhile, the poorest among us can no longer even file bankruptcy to gain any measure of relief from their debts. They are to be hounded to their graves by creditors and banks while those same CEOs and executives take advantage of ever more complicated schemes to insulate themselves from any responsibility for the common good.The spirit of exploiting low-paid labor is just the same whether it is in Tanzania, Bolivia, or even Columbus. Those at the bottom of the ladder, call out, not only to be noticed, but for salvation from their misery. Sooner or later, something has got to give. By the way, I’d suggest that whenever we read the word “salvation” in the Bible, we read “liberation” instead. Then we can see the scriptures through the Third World eyes of the people who originally wrote it, and by extension, we can see ourselves through the eyes of much of the world.I heard on the radio that half the population of the world is living in absolute poverty with incomes of less than $3.00 a day. One point 3 billion people survive on incomes of less than $1.00 a day. Today we can certainly recognize that many people and nations around the world are plagued and enslaved by poverty and debt. Not only does debt bind individuals in servitude as they struggle to pay high interest rates, but it also binds nations in endless cycles of poverty. I read recently that in Sub-Saharan Africa, for example, that for each $1 million diverted from health and education to pay the debt, 24 more women will die in childbirth and 159 more infants will die during their first year. In Mozambique, one in four children dies before age 5, yet the government spends four times as much money on servicing the debt as it does on health care.There was an article in National Geographic a while back describing slavery in modern India where children can be bought for as little as $5 each to work in factories making bracelets and baubles sold for a tidy profit in the US and other industrialized nations. This is immorality at its highest and yet, for the most part, Americans don’t notice.For decades, we have been using the School of the Americas to train the armies of Central and South America in counter-insurgency warfare. Commonly these “insurgents” are the labor leaders, teachers and clergy, the kind of people who speak out against the deals cut between wealthy elites and multi-national corporations in the name of trade or development. First, the multi-national corporations cut deals with oppressive regimes and then we train their generals to make sure that no one can object effectively. We’ve seen this played out time and again. Then when the oppressive regime no longer pleases them, our own under-employed and poor are enlisted to overthrow their government so as to replace it with one more to the liking of our own economic elites. Lazarus is truly at our gate and there will be consequences. Make no mistake about that. The prophet Amos still warns us across the centuries: “You think to put off the day of misfortune, but you are hurrying the rule of violence.” (Amos 6:3)The world we live in is much like that of the one in which Amos lived. It is a very ugly scene, no different than the ugliness of Pharaoh to the Jews, no different than the ugliness of slavery and share-cropping in the United States, of company towns in West Virginia, and of children working in sweat shops in India when they should be playing.Let me be clear. We are living in a time of empire, a time of monopolies that make a mockery of human dignity and threaten to engulf us all in the flames of hatred and violence. We have become the richest nation in the world, and have built up the greatest system of production that history has ever known, yet we have misused our gifts. There is a great economic disparity between people. Do you know that Michael Eisner makes nine thousand dollars an hour, but Disney Corporation workers in Haiti make ninety-eight cents an hour? We have failed to notice Lazarus at our gate. The world is at our gate, and we have the means to help. We only need the collective will to do so.In Leviticus 25:10, we read that we are to “…proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants; it shall be a jubilee for you.” Just what is this all about? The concept of the jubilee is the most radical concept in the whole scripture. Every seven days is a Sabbath day. Every seven years is a Sabbath year when you don’t plant so the land gets to rest one year in seven. And after seven of these seven-year cycles… the 50th year… comes the year of jubilee. In this year all debts are cancelled. All people are released from their debts and their bondage. You can read about this in Leviticus 25. They talked about it, particularly in the time of Ezra and Nehemiah. They thought about it. But they didn’t do it.Imagine what would happen if the poorest among us were to be freed of their debt to the richest among us. Imagine what it would be like if Lazarus, rather than having to beg at the rich man’s gate, were invited in to join in the feast. Imagine what would happen if the Third World, rather than mortgaging the lives of their children to keep up with the interest payments, were to be able to use that money to improve the health and education of their own people. Would that be of any help? Would that in any way relieve the tensions and resentments that fuel so much of the violence we face today? I dare say that it would. But to actually implement such a thing would mean some serious structural changes in the way we do things both at home and abroad.For too long, we’ve been led to believe that there simply isn’t enough to go around. The truth is that there is more than enough. We merely need to reorganize our priorities. I wish everyone could see this little chart I carry around in my pocket. It shows vividly where America’s priorities lie. Right now the United States spends a whopping $399 billion per year on the Pentagon. Meanwhile only $41 billion is spent on children’s health, $34 billion for K-12 education, $10 billion on humanitarian and foreign aid, and $7 billion on Head Start! Out of a $491 billion dollar budget, most goes to defending ourselves against Lazarus. We can do better than that. We MUST do better than that. Justice demands it. Quoting Thomas Aquinas, “A starving man has a right to his neighbor’s bread.” Private property is always subject to the needs of the society as a whole, as they are defined especially by the needs of the poor. We still have time to invite Lazarus in for the feast, but we’d better hurry because, just as the rich man discovered, there will be consequences.Until we as a society decide to do this, may we take heart in the knowledge that, at least as individuals, it is in our power to reach out to the Lazaruses among us, not as an act of charity, but as we would do for one of our own family members. When enough of us decide that duty to humanity is more important than self-interest, Lazarus will no longer be sitting outside our gates or even by our freeway ramps; he will be valued and welcomed as a full member of our common human family… part of the “Beloved Community.”The “trickle-down” theory of economics has been with us for a long time. It didn’t work in ancient times and it doesn’t work now. In the words of Martin Luther King, “Yes, America, there is still the need for an Amos to cry out to the nation: “Let judgment roll down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.” Each of us is called upon by the simple demands of justice “to bring good tidings to the afflicted…to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives…to comfort all who mourn” Isaiah 61:1-2).Our actions and ethical beliefs do have effect in future generations and eventually we will, like the writer of Revelation be able to say, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, … and I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God…Behold, the dwelling of God is with men” (Rev. 21:1-3).But, one final thought… it is we who must build this world. Step by step, stone by stone, heart by heart… WE must build the world of which we dream.If you want to do something about this situation, don't waste time protesting or praying... ACT. The system can't be fixed, it must be replaced!!!
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CIVIL UNION

There are in every state two categories of marriage available (to differently sexed individuals): one is religious, the other civil. A male and female may be married civilly by the 'justice of the peace' or a judge, or they may instead be married by a religious leader (Priest, Rabi, Mormon Bishop, Pastor, Minister, Pagan Leader, etc.) - or in some cases by both. In the civil ceremony they are married in the eyes of the law and have all the rights and privileges the law bestows upon such individuals. The law also extends the privileges of performing the civil aspect of marriage to certain religious leaders who typically must apply with the state to be granted the right to perform marriage. The application process usually verifies their church leadership status. Marriage in a religious ceremony, done by an individual who has been given authority from the state to perform marriage, bestows the civil/legal rights of marriage to individuals and additionally a religious significance.Gays ask for no more nor less than simply the civil category of marriage under the law."Civil Unions" (a civil contract) simply do not give same sex couples the same rights and privileges given to differently sexed couples who are married in the civil, legal sense. Same sexed individuals simply ask to be treated equally under the eyes of the law. The term for unequal treatment under the law is discrimination.If a religious organization wishes to exclude same sex couples from their religious definition and ceremony of marriage, or have any other prerequisites or exclusions, they of course already have and are guaranteed that right. A Roman Catholic Priest for example is not forced to marry a person of the Jewish faith. Therefore if same sex marriage were legalized a religious leader would still be able to refuse to perform a marriage that was contrary to the belief system of their religion. Any argument to this issue which says marriage of same sex individuals is contrary to their religious definition of marriage is simply trying to impose their religious beliefs upon the legal definition of marriage.No one would say Barack Obama could not be president because he was black. No law says a gay or lesbian person must be excluded from becoming a member of Congress. In whatever arguments it may be clothed, prejudice is still prejudice and discrimination is discrimination.
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LIVE BY THE BIBLE?

Religious people are warped out of there mind. Unless your living like the Duggar family attempting to live righteously, you're a pick and choose god believer that is full of bull. You'll never know what it means to be denied the simple right of marriage. There's a reason for seperation of church and state. Whether it's right or wrong by your religious beliefs , thats great go ahead and believe what ever you want to believe in, but don't let the government control people's lives and tell them who they can't get married to. It was only 40 years ago—on June 12, 1967—that the U.S. Supreme Court knocked down a Virginia statute barring whites from marrying nonwhites.Those same religious "God is great" claiming people did not like this idea either. I love christian claiming people that are racist, prejudice, and also homophobic.If we're going to live by the bible, there are a lot more things that should be illegal, adultery, divorce, -hate-.A religious reason to deny the right to marry is a violation of seperation of church and state. An argument ad populi is a sad logical fallacy that harkens back to those "lovely" days when the majority thought and legislated that interracial marriage ought to be illegal.Either we are all equal under the eyes of the law, or it's time to stop pretending that we're a country that treasures individuality and personal liberty.
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There's a manager here at work who is about to have a baby and was curious about a Hawaiian name for her baby girl yet to be born. Just now she was talking to a co-worker and I had my earphones in my ear and noticed them laughing so when I turned to them to find out what they were talking about, she and my co-worker said "Riley Kalani Oku". That was in reference to the possible name she may use for her child. Whatever.But to make matters worse, I hate it when people are picky about Hawaiian names based on the "sound" of it. This applies to other Hawaiians too. It's either too long or too short/not long enough for them to use, or as in the case of a cousin of mine, associate the name by a street. So fucking ridiculous!This woman also said how my name sounded like a girl's name. But before she said that, she said that Kalani would sound good for a girl. She asked if it could be for a girl and I told her that it could. I said how Hawaiian names do not have a gender attached to it, and that's when she said it sounded it could be for a girl.So she and my co-worker just laughed.I get so sick and tired of these Chinese and Mexicans or any other ethnic groups who are like some Haole if not cultureless people, who feel that laughing at our culture, etc. is okay but we can't talk shit about their culture, etc. because then we're seen as racists. Fucking shit, that really pisses me off.I swear if it wasn't for the bad economy, these people really would hear shit they wouldn't want to. Keep in mind I don't openly talk personal stuff like that, about my culture or heritage with others. I always let them ask me the questions and usually just answer what they ask, rather than give out too much information.Fucking assholes.To make matters worse, this woman (again) talked about her mother-in-law's family is from Hawaii. And I said, "oh, so her family is from O'ahu." You know how apparently Hawaii and Oahu are synonymous. Then she said that her mother-in-law is Japanese....Japanese Hawaiian. So I said, "oh, she's part Hawaiian then?" I had even asked the family name, which she gave a Japanese name. *rolls eyes* She said that her family has been there for 3 generations. Big fucking deal. My filipino side has been there for 7 generations, doesn't mean anything really.First of all, if they're not going to recognize the nationality, they better understand how many people use it as the ethnicity. It definitely isn't a REGIONAL term.
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HAWAII~27~FEB~09

IN THE [Supreme Court] U.S. ~27~FEB~2009~1 FOR THE HAWAI’IAN-KINGDOM’S-DAMAGES BY THE HAWAI’IAN-LAND-HARVESTINGS ARE WITH THESE FICTIONAL-MODIFICATION-SYNTAX-CLAIMS OF THE FICTIONAL-LANGUAGE-SYNTAX WITH THE WORD-SYNTAX-MEANING-FRAUDS OF THE VOID-SENTENCE-STRUCTURE-SYNTAX WITH THESE WORD-SIMULATION-SYNTAX, WORD-PRESUMPTION-SYNTAX, WORD-MEANING-SYNTAX-ASSUMPTIONS, PERJURY, LIE AND JURISDICTIONAL-ILLUSIONS BY AN HISTORICAL-AILING-AUTHORITIES-HEREIN WITH THESE HIDDEN-AJENDAS BY THE [U S][UPU]MONEY.~2 FOR THESE FACTUAL-CONFESSION-SYNTAX-FRAUDS OF THE [U S] ARE WITH AN INTERNATIONAL-BANCKRUPTCY-CONTRACT-CLAIMS[~1789~SEPTEMBER~17 TO THE~2~NOVEMBER~1999] WITH THE [US] WITH THE GUISE [THE CONSTITUTION OF THE U.S. of A(VERB)] AS AN [US][BANKRUPCY-TRUST] “WE(PRONOUN-SYNTAX) THE(ADVERB-SYNTAX) PEOPLE(VERB-FICTION-SYNTAX)” UNDER A FOREIGN-BANK IS WITH THE NAVAL-FORCE-TAKEOVER OF THE "HAWAI’IAN-KINGDOM" WITH THE MILITARY-FORCE BY THE [US] WITH A THREAT TO THE PALACE AND CITY OF THE ~HONOLULU, ~HAWAI’I OR WITH THE COLUSSION-SURRENDER OF THE HAWAI’IAN-KINGDOM TO THE [US]TAKEOVER.~3 FOR THE POSTAL-TREATY OF THE [UPU]~17~JANUARY~1873 [SWIZERLAND] AND HAWAI’I-KINGDOM~17~JANUARY~1873 WITH THE LIVERY OF THE MAIL-VESSELS AND SCRIPT-MONEY ARE WITH THE VASSAL-PORTING-CLAIM OF THESE VESSELS WITH AN 'AILING-BILLS OF THE LADING-SYNTAX' WITH AN AILING-COMMERCE-SYNTAX OF THE PAPER-VESSEL-MONEY-SYNTAX WITH AN AILING-HAWAI’I-POSTAL-TREATY-SYNTAX BY THE [NY][US][BANK] WITH AN AILING-MAIL-GUISE-SYNTAX WITH THE [UPU] AND NOM-DE-GUERRE-NAMING OF THE PERSONS AS THE VESSEL WITH THE VOID OF THE CLOSURE-SYNTAX WITH AN AILING-VOLITION BY THE [US]INVASION.~4 FOR THE DAMAGES BY THE [UPU]-ILLUSIONS ARE WITH THE SYNTAX-GUISE-CLAIM OF THE [US]TREASURY WITHIN THE HAWAI’I-KINGDOM-TREASURY-USERY WITH THE FRAUDULANT-ILLUSIONAL-SYNTAX OF THE COMERCIAL-CONTRACT-LANGUAGE-SYNTAX WITH EACH FICTIONAL-SYNTAX-COMMUNICATIONS OF THE DRYDOCK-VASSALS WITH THE PERSON’S-CONTRACTING-SYNTAX OF A DRYDOCK-TREATY, WITH A BILL OF THE LADING IN A DRYDOCK-LOCATION, HOUSING-LOCATION, BUILDING-LOCATION IN A DRYDOCK OR PAPER-MONEY AS A DRYDOCK-VESSEL’S-CARGO BY AN [US]BANK-NOTE-CO.[~NY~NY][US]UNDER THE [UPU]GUISE.~5 FOR THE VOID-CLOSURES OF THE COMMUNICATION-SYNTAX-MODIFICATIONS ARE WITH THE WRONG-WORD-SYNTAX-DEFINITIONS AND WRONG-WORD-SYNTAX-TERMS OF THE VOIDING-ONE-IDEA-SENTENCE-STRUCTURING-SYNTAX WITH AN ORIGINAL-CONTRACT-CLOSURE-SYNTAX BY THE AILING-LANGUAGE THROUGH THE [US]GOV~1820 THROUGH THE NOW-TIME-DATE WITH THE TERMINATION OF THE BLOODLINE-HAWAI’I-PEOPLE BY THE [US].~6 FOR THESE CORRECTIONS OF AN AILING-COMMUNICATION-FRAUD ARE WITH THE NOW-TIME-CLAIM OF THE HAWAI’IAN-KINGDOM-CONSTITUTION AND TRUST WITH THE PEOPLE OF THE PEOPLE AND BY THESE HAWAI’I-KINGDOM-PEOPLE’S-CLAIMS.:COPYCLAIMS/COPYRIGHTS~JANUARY~1980 THROUGH~OCTOBER~2008 BY THE PLENIPOTENTIARY-JUDGE :David-Wynn :Miller.FOR THE CORRECT-SENTENCE-STRUCTURE-COMMUNICATION-SYNTAX-CLAIMS OF THESE UNITY-STATES-WORLD-CORPORATION. FOR THE UNITY-STATES OF THE TWO OR MORE-PERSONS IN THE CLOSED-AREA OF THE CONTRACT-COURT ARE WITH THE TERM UNITY-STATES-DI-STRICT-COURT. DI=ORIGINAL, STRICT=JURISDICTION-VENUE
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WSJ - March 12, 2009WASHINGTON - Lawyers typically warn clients never to apologize for anything, since a plaintiff could seize upon the remorse as an admission of liability. But what happens when governments apologize?A century after a cabal of American sugar planters, financiers and missionaries overthrew the Kingdom of Hawai`i, Congress said it was sorry. The U.S. Supreme Court soon will decide whether that apology meant anything - from a legal standpoint, at least.The Hawai`i Supreme Court thought it did. Last year, that court cited the 1993 Apology Resolution to block the state from transferring any of the 1.2 million acres of land - some 29% of Hawai`i's total - received from the federal government upon statehood in 1959. Those lands once belonged to the Hawaiian crown or its subjects, and were confiscated by the Americans without compensation.......The Americans eventually forced Queen Liliuokalani to abdicate and declared themselves rulers of a new Republic of Hawai`i.The indigenous population soon was swamped by settlers from the mainland....Read The Full Story Here
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http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123682336964803763.htmlWall Street JournalMARCH 11, 2009, 10:58 P.M. ETRegrets Only? Native Hawaiians Insist U.S. Apology Has a PriceBy JESS BRAVIN and LOUISE RADNOFSKYWASHINGTON -- Lawyers typically warn clients never to apologize for anything, since a plaintiff could seize upon the remorse as an admission of liability. But what happens when governments apologize?A century after a cabal of American sugar planters, financiers and missionaries overthrew the Kingdom of Hawaii, Congress said it was sorry. The U.S. Supreme Court soon will decide whether that apology meant anything -- from a legal standpoint, at least.The Hawaii Supreme Court thought it did. Last year, that court cited the 1993 Apology Resolution to block the state from transferring any of the 1.2 million acres of land -- some 29% of Hawaii's total -- received from the federal government upon statehood in 1959. Those lands once belonged to the Hawaiian crown or its subjects, and were confiscated by the Americans without compensation.The resolution, which calls for "reconciliation between the United States and the Native Hawaiian people," acknowledges that native Hawaiians never relinquished claims to the land. The court interpreted this to mean that Congress intended there to be an amicable settlement of the land claims, which would be impossible if the state disposed of the disputed land."Generally, when a joint resolution...has emerged from legislative deliberations and proceedings, it is treated as law," Hawaii Chief Justice Ronald Moon wrote for a unanimous court.Hawaii's government appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which heard arguments last month. The state concedes that indigenous Hawaiians "have a clear moral basis" for asking the state's government for compensation, but argues that they have no legal claim to the land.The Justice Department and 32 states filed briefs backing that position. Upholding the Hawaii Supreme Court's ruling could discourage Congress from making similar apologies for other historic wrongs, the Justice Department warned, adding that the Apology Resolution was only symbolic.But Hawaii's congressional delegation is at odds with the state government, and insists the resolution is supposed to have teeth. "Federal courts have interpreted [apologies] to shape national obligations under federal law," the four lawmakers, all Democrats, said in a friend of the court brief.In recent years, government apologies for official wrongs have proliferated. In 1988, Congress apologized to Japanese-Americans for their internment during World War II, and in 1990 approved an expression of "deep regret to the Sioux people" for the 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre. Seven states have apologized for forced sterilization of disabled, poor and minority residents in the early 20th century. Five states have apologized for slavery.But the Hawaii case might be the first where an apology resolution received legal weight, says Eric Miller, a law professor at Saint Louis University who has worked on campaigns seeking redress for African-Americans. Governments on rare occasion have paid restitution, but only through separate legislation.Prof. Miller worries that if the Hawaii opinion stands, future apologies might be rarer still. The "process doesn't necessarily get off the ground if people are going to be punished for it," he says.Rep. Steve Cohen (D., Tenn.) says the Bush administration raised fears of legal liability over the slavery apology he introduced into Congress. He is considering adding language stating that the apology isn't intended to affect the debate over possible slavery reparations, a step that might be "politically necessary to pass such a resolution," he says.While its legal impact is unclear, the 1993 Apology Resolution minces few words in describing the U.S. acquisition of Hawaii.In 1893, American diplomat John Stevens participated in a "conspiracy to overthrow the Government of Hawaii," it states. The coup d'état was "a violation of treaties between the two nations and of international law."The Americans eventually forced Queen Liliuokalani to abdicate and declared themselves rulers of a new Republic of Hawaii.The indigenous population soon was swamped by settlers from the mainland. In recent decades, Hawaii has grown more sensitive to aboriginal concerns. In 1978, it created the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, an autonomous agency run by and for aboriginals' descendants.A year after the Apology Resolution, the agency filed suit over the claims, leading to the high-court case. "The Western concept of land ownership was very foreign to Hawaiians," says Hawaiian Affairs Administrator Clyde Namuo. In traditional culture, "property is not a commodity that is bought and sold but it is used to benefit people who live and reside on the land."
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