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.

Ceded lands belong to Hawaiians

These are times that try men's … pocketbooks. For Hawaiians, these are times that stretch their souls to the utmost limits.

With the Lingle administration's drive for absolute rule, the State of Hawai'i intends to subvert its way into total possession of the crown and government lands of the Hawaiian Kingdom, which rightfully belong to Hawaiians, legally and morally.

State of Hawai'i vs. Office of Hawaiian Affairs now before the U.S. Supreme Court may backfire on the state.

Leon Siu's The Hawai'i Factor: A U.S. Dilemma posted as a link on hawaiiankingdom.info Dec. 16, 2008, highlights this emerging confrontation. "Recent developments indicate a rapidly approaching day of reckoning for the long-standing offense of the illegal occupation of Hawai'i by the United States. The consequences will not only affect the U.S. and Hawai'i, but will have significant international impact as well." According to Siu, Barack Obama will be implicated in the mix.

Dr. David Keanu Sai's article in the Journal of Law and Social Challenges (Fall 2008) and his dissertation flesh out point for point Hawaiian Kingdom political status contrasted with indigenous status, the relationship of Hawai'i to the U.S. as two international units, and Hawai'i's transition from occupied to restored state.

These two authors supply the sharper image needed to make valid distinctions.

Keahi Felix
Kea'au, Hawai'i

Lingle, withdraw ceded lands case

Many people all over the world disagree strongly with what you are doing regarding the ceded lands. The ceded lands case should be withdrawn, you are creating a mess for the Hawaiian people, who have been suffering for so long under bad policies, and now your case continues the assault even further.

This issue is not limited to your "state." Many people from all over the world outside Hawai'i, including myself, are very interested to see what you are doing in terms of the ceded lands, and so far what you are doing is clearly wrong all the way around. I hope and pray that you will realize the mess you are making for Hawaiian people and withdraw the ceded lands case in the U.S. Supreme Court.

One rarely sees the colonizer doing the right thing for the colonized in today's modern world, but why would you want to be yet another "colonizer" making bad decisions that will continue the bad legacy of relations with Hawaiian people? Please do the right thing in this new year of 2009. 

Glen Venezio
San Juan, Puerto Rico

Lingle betrays Hawaiians

Our governor is blinded by ambition! Just before this last election she made three trips to the mainland to campaign for McCain-Palin. After the election she flew off to Bali for 10 days, but she couldn't bother to fly to meet with our own "local-boy" and then President-elect Barack Obama and other governors to voice needs and concerns of their constituents at this time of America's deep economic crisis.

While Lingle went campaigning for McCain-Palin, Laura Thielen, (her DLNR chief) threatened to evict Hawaiian families living in Kahana Valley for generations, forcing them into the ranks of the homeless. Thielen insisted on eviction even after Sens. Clayton Hee, Colleen Hanabusa and Russell Kokubun stated that changes could be made in the next legislative session that would allow these Kahana families to remain in their homes. Thielen finally agreed. The Lingle administration's callous treatment of these Kahana families is related to the sale of our Hawaiian ceded lands court case now before the U.S. Supreme Court. Remember, Lingle is appealing last January's unanimous state Supreme Court ruling that ceded lands could not be sold or transferred until Hawaiian claims were settled for the theft of our Hawaiian Nation.

Lingle now states that though we Native Hawaiians have strong moral claims to our Hawaiian ceded lands, we don't have a legal right to these lands.

Perhaps the governor can understand that what Israel is to the Jews, Hawai'i is to the Hawaiians! Shame on Gov. Lingle. In past years she has pretended to support Hawaiians! I remember she and Duke Aiona marching in red T-shirts with thousands of us a few years back through the streets of Honolulu.

How many of us Native Hawaiians were fooled into supporting her these past two elections, and what does our Native Hawaiian Lt. Gov. Aiona think about this nefarious plot? Ua mau ke ea o ka 'āina i ka pono.

Moanike'ala Akaka
Hilo
OHA Trustee 1984-1996

OHA should intervene in education

Trustee Akana is right OHA should be more involved. (January KWO). Start with improving education in public schools on Nānākuli's Hawaiian Home Lands. More than 40 percent of our kids are failing to complete high school. A major reason is the high teacher turnover (reason: advantaged area schools use ours to fill their vacancies). Principals now go to the mainland to recruit inexperienced teachers (who practice on our kids, gain experience and leave when tenured).

OHA needs to end it. Get solutions, e.g., schools in advantaged areas need to qualify a probationary teacher before opening up the position to a tenured one, or offer an incentive to a tenured teacher to trade places with a beginner for a couple of years, or upgrade and equip our schools to standards in advantaged schools. Get the state Department of Education to provide parents with a list of kindergarten readiness skills, of skills needed to succeed in learning in first, second, third and fourth grades.

Nānākuli's charter school, whose teachers have master degrees, and brightest students, robs our needy kids of qualified teachers, and positive peer examples.

But then this is work, giving away money is easier.

Bill Punini Prescott
Nānākuli, O'ahu

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.