Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports on the first DoI hearing:
The emotionally charged meeting, attended by several hundred people, lasted about 30 minutes longer than the scheduled three hours. It featured defiant, impassioned testimony mostly rooted in the grievances that have simmered in the Hawaiian community dating back to the 1893 overthrow of the monarchy.
Most of the several dozen attendees who testified Monday said they strongly opposed the Interior Department moving forward with the proposal. Citing various U.S. laws and statutes, they further argued that the agency has no jurisdiction to guide such a government-to-government relationship because the Hawaiian Kingdom remains the islands’ sovereign power.
“We are an independent, neutral kingdom,” testifier Kilikina Kekumano told the Interior Department’s panel. “We are still sovereign.”
The process “violates the human rights of our people,” Hawaiian activist Mililani Trask added. “We are not tribal and we are not continental. … We are not a domestic dependent nation. … We are not Indians.”
Update: AP article via Huff Post:
Dozens of Native Hawaiian speakers expressed anger and mistrust with the federal government Monday during the first of a series of meetings that could lead to the group being recognized similarly to an American Indian tribe.
[…]
“I’m hearing a lot of ‘No’s’ so far,” said Sam Hirsch, an Interior Department spokesman.
About 140 speakers opposed the move, with many saying it would be a barrier to their goal of returning the Hawaiian Islands to the indigenous community that ruled before Hawaii became the nation’s 50th state.
“We do not need you here. This is our country,” said Ao Pohaku Ku, of the Spiritual Nation of Ku Hui Ea Council of Sovereigns.
I was shame today! Shame on everyone! Phony! Auwe!
The last govt to govt was in 1893? Probably restoration?
In the U.S. the Smith Act of 1940 does not allow this kind of seditious activity. It is a criminal offense for any foreign agency to conduct subversive activity or plot the overthrow of America. Likewise, we the people of the Hawaiian Kingdom will not condone the overthrow of our country by any foreign agent. The U.S. Department of Interior must surcease from it’s ill intended purpose and design. Mutual Respect is all we are ask and that you honor the International Treaty of July 6, 1846 and signed for by Secretary of State John C. Calhoun whereby the United States gave it’s formal recognition of our Hawaiian Kingdom Independence.
MASSIVE IDENTITY FRAUD/HISTORICALLY HEWA/FIRST DEGREE CULTURAL GENOCIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mahalo Frank…
Mahalo King Kamehameha III –
http://www.hawaiiankingdom.org/treaties.shtml
Just a brief review of legal history and law basically nullifies the Dept. of Justice Ruling. Having worked for the Feds, State and local governments over the course of my life I’m familiar with government agencies (read Justice Dept. in this case) making policy that violates the laws of the land. Basically you can’t go back and say what they did was illegal when it wasn’t illegal at the time. This is a basic tenant of American law. Laws can not be enacted retroactively. The international right to self determination was passed in the 40’s. More than 50 years after Hawaii lost it’s Monarchy. In other words the Justice Dept. statement is just legal hot air. If your way of thinking was actually being used by the legal system the 14th and 15th amendments would be stricken from the constitution. Since they’re still on the books, I don’t see what you hope to accomplish becoming reality. On the other hand Americans love an underdog. Stranger things have happened.