KA LEO KAIĀULU - LETTERS

Ka Leo Kaiāulu

OHA reserves the right to edit all letters for length, defamatory and libelous material, and other objectionable content, and reserves the right not to print any submission. All letters must be typed, signed and not exceed 200 words. Letters cannot be published unless they include a telephone contact for verification. Send letters to Ka Wai Ola, 711 Kapi'olani Blvd., Ste. 500, Honolulu, HI 96813, or email kwo@oha.org.

Support Clinton

There is the mandate of “change” being cited in the current presidential campaign, and why not with the poor showing of President Bush? And it is evident that one candidate is the harbinger for change. For about 200 years there has been an occupant of the White House of one gender, while other nations have had men and women leaders. The British had Queen Victoria and lately Margaret Thatcher, the Iron Lady. The gender I speak about can represent half the population's voices, and the candidate I speak of is U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton.

I wish to point out that it was a Clinton president who signed the Apology Bill, Public Law 103-150, a century after the 1893 overthrow of Hawai'i's Queen. Hillary Clinton has the option to support the Apology Bill and follow up on the actions of her husband.

She has publicly declared that she is the candidate for change, and I believe that this is true: she is a woman with the experience and the track record to prove it.

I would also point out that it was a Clinton that started the effort to declare the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands the largest marine protected area in the world with the formation of the Coral Reef Reserve way back in 1999. It was also a Clinton who left office with a huge budget surplus in the billions of dollars, which was wasted by Bush and his colleagues, leaving us in debt by trillions of dollars.

The track record is clear of what a Clinton has done and can accomplish.

Buzzy Agard
Honolulu

Ceded lands

In an article regarding ceded lands published in a recent edition of the Hawaii Tribune-Herald, R. Rowland, identified as president of something called Grassroots Institute of Hawai'i, implies that Hawaiians have no claim to ceded lands. He had used the word 'balderdash.'

Balderdash? Welcome back to the 19th century! Rowland makes a pathetic attempt to ignore the Polynesian discoverers and settlers of these Islands; an invisible entity – unknown, unseen, unrelated to the land.

His rhetoric merely echoes those of others of his kind. To insist that land is not the true realm of a free and independent nation is to deny England to the English, China to the Chinese, Norway to the Norwegians, etc. An act of military terrorism does not offer true claim to another nation's homeland, and no amount of spin or exaggeration to the contrary will provide that claim.

Yield? Balderdash!

Walter Akimo
Hilo

Trustee Akana

I write about Trustee Rowena Akana's one-page ad “Akana stands strong after Rubin's sucker punch” and her Trustee's Message in the February issue, which only repeats her ad. Our paper Ka Wai Ola should be reserved for Hawaiian information and education. It should not be used and abused by Trustees trying to further their own personal interest. Ms. Akana's issues with OHA are internal problems of OHA, if that at all. Some of the issues Ms. Akana raises are “manini” and, maybe, almost childish. They have nothing to do with furthering the interest of the Hawaiian people. Anti-Hawaiians are loving it.

I further notice Ms. Akana did not sign OHA's open letter along with all the other Trustees. Well quit, Ms. Akana. Ms. Apoliona and “other” Trustees thank you for your dedication, efforts and successes for us Hawaiians.

Wayne Keola Choo
'Aiea

OHA registry card

I support the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Hawaiian Registry and am always proud to show my Hawaiian Registry ID card to friends and colleagues. In the advent of the U.S. government's Real ID Act, OHA needs to strongly assert that the Hawaiian Registry card is itself a legitimate, legal, high integrity ID card with a similar, and maybe better verification process.

On May 11, 2005, President Bush signed the Real ID Act into law, which mandates that starting in May 2008 a state driver's license or ID card cannot be used for any federal purpose unless it meets specific federal requirements. For example, noncompliant driver's licenses or state-issued ID cards cannot be used for identification to board federally regulated commercial aircraft, enter nuclear power plants, or to access any federal facility.

I am appealing to OHA to look into this matter and assert our rights to have the ID provided by the Hawaiian Registry be an acceptable legal identification instrument nationwide to be recognized and treated as a Real ID similar to what the U.S. government mandates. OHA's free Hawaiian Registry Ancestry Verification Program registers people of Hawaiian ancestry worldwide, regardless of blood quantum.

If accepted nationwide, it will validate the strong value of the Hawaiian Registry and most of all provide a positive recognition of who we rare. If accepted as an alternative Real ID, no doubt, this will generate increased registration of all Native Hawaiians worldwide. I believe that the American Indians are also asserting their Tribal Card as an alternate Real ID card.

Keoni Kealoha Devereaux Jr.
Mō'ili'ili

Notice to Readers Ka Wai Ola o OHA will accept for consideration news releases and letters to the editor on topics of relevance and interest to OHA and Hawaiians, as well as special events and reunion notices. Ka Wai Ola o OHA reserves the right to edit all material for length and content, or not to publish as available space or other considerations may require. Ka Wai Ola o OHA does not accept unsolicited manuscripts. Deadline for submissions is the 15th day of every month. Late submissions are considered only on a space-available basis.