Spin Zone: Debate Native Hawaiian recognition

Haunani Apoliona of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and Kenneth Conklin debate the Native Hawaiian recognition bill.

Apoliona: "The Hawaiian Federal Recognition Bill is good for Hawaii and good for business. It makes good business sense to support a measure that formally affirms Hawaiians’ special political status as aboriginal indigenous natives, and provides a process for official U.S. recognition of a future Native Hawaiian representative body. This body will be determined by the Hawaiian community. It will not involve secession, land grabs, or gambling, as critics blindly assert.

The goal to combine the assets in the Hawaiian community and strengthen Hawaiian economic contributions and abilities to resolve current problems ultimately helps all state taxpayers, and keeps alive the Hawaiian culture that is so vital to our island life style which attracts visitors to Hawai’i."

Conklin: "The Akaka Bill seeks to protect the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, 160 federally funded programs and their captive institutions and Kamehameha Schools’ admissions policy – all race-based – therefore immoral; probably illegal.

The bill would entrench and accelerate a long-term power grab by Hawaii’s cabal of race-based institutions. Read a 302-page analysis, “Hawaiian Apartheid – Racial Separatism and Ethnic Nationalism in the Aloha State.” To protect the “benefits” of institutional racism, this poison-pill bill has a disastrous side-effect – authorizing the breakup of Hawaii."

Get the Story:
Spin Zone (Hawaii Business August 2007)

Another Opinion:
Roger Clegg: Akaka Bill Ensures claim preferences More Easily Than Other Racial and Ethnic Groups (The Hawaii Reporter 8/15)

Recognition Bill:
Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act (S.310)

Relevant Links:
Office of Hawaiian Affairs - http://www.oha.org

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