'Apology' was admission of guilt

Steve Laudig writes a fine rebuttal to Thurston Twigg-Smith's earlier letter in the Maui News.

And Foster Ampong's letter also nicely puts Twigg-Smith's arguments in their place.

The Maui News
Letters to the Editor
Wednesday, February 18, 2004

'Apology' can also be a confession of guilt

An "apology," under evidence law, can be an admission of a party opponent to incriminating facts (Letters, Feb. 13). The Apology Bill can be considered as evidence against the United States government. Any subsequent denial of the facts admitted merely raises a question of credibility about the entity attempting to deny what its has previously admitted.

Using either the "but for" test of causation or the "significant factor" test for causation, the U.S. invasion in 1893 by military force caused the overthrow of the lawful government. Treaties are contracts. The U.S. breached a contract. The U.S. has never remedied the consequences of this illegal course of conduct.

Under the doctrine "ex iniuria ius non oritur," the law does not allow valid title to arise from an invalid act.

The Kingdom of Hawaii has the same status, under international law, as did Austria after the Hitlerian invasion of 1938 and Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia after the Soviet occupation in 1940.

History is merely what happened. International law gives us the legal effects and consequences of what was done and what happened is an illegal occupation of the territory of a recognized member of the family of nations in violation of treaty and international law. It is really that simple.

Steve Laudig
Honolulu

Apology Bill was a detailed admission of wrongdoing

Thurston Twigg Smith's consistent and determined misrepresentation of events to the overthrow of Ko Hawaii Pae Aina (Kingdom of Hawaii) gives me a hearty laugh (Letters, Feb. 13). His manipulating of facts is comical and his excuses for his ancestors lack creativity. Like reality TV, it is all about perception and entertaining the audience.

Lorrin Thurston, along with 12 others, the U.S. military and U.S. minister to Ko Hawaii Pae Aina were all conspirators, traitors and thieves who overthrew Ko Hawaii Pae Aina on Jan 17, 1893. Public Law 103-150 (Apology Bill) plainly explains this. One would have to be mentally challenged not to recognize the criminal intent and actions of Lorrin Thurston and company.

Though the language of this "apology" may reference a "racial description," the bill in its entirety clearly explains the criminal actions of Lorrin Thurston and those involved. What the bill does not do is return all stolen property or the ill-gotten profits they all amassed and now claim are protected under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

We of the "Chiefs and People" of Ko Hawaii Pae Aina will keep our Royal Patents and Land Commission Awards.

Foster Ampong
Lahaina

Posted: Wed - February 18, 2004 at 11:48 PM

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'Apology' was admission of guilt

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