Justice for Native Hawaiians on NPR
Check out "Justice for Native
Hawaiians" a six-part series supported by the USC Annenberg Institute
for Justice and Journalism, reported by Hawaii Public Radio's Chad
Blair.The first part, "What Is
Justice?" aired July 5 and is available streaming
online (MP3).What frustrates
me, as usual, is the total confusion between two separate issues: Native
Hawaiian indigenous issues and the issue of national independence.
Blair's introduction says "2006 has
been a watershed year for Native Hawaiians. Issues include debating whether
Hawaii and its indigenous population shall remain a part of the United States or
seek independence."Notice to Blair and
all media: INDEPENDENCE IS NOT A NATIVE OR INDIGENOUS
ISSUE!No one pushing for the
restoration of effective independence is talking about a strictly Native
Hawaiian country. Every organization that I know of working toward independence
is doing so based on the concept of nationality being racially inclusive,
consistent with the Hawaiian kingdom's multi-racial citizenry.
The effort to create a racially
defined Native Hawaiian nation/tribe is coming from the federal government and a
state agency, and this is not seeking independence, but domestic dependent
status. I know that even those in the
independence "movement" don't always communicate this clearly, but it is not a
difficult concept to grasp. Hawaii's
media has a responsibility to do a better job communicating this distinction
clearly and educating the population about it.
Posted: Tue - July 11, 2006 at 04:36 PM