M I C H A E L D A L Y
A letter opposing HR 2314, a bill to advance the "Akaka Bill".
To:
The Honorable Nick J. Rahall II, Chairman
The Honorable Doc Hastings,
Ranking Member House Committee on Natural Resources
U.S. House of Representatives
1324 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
teresa.bravo@mail.house.gov
June 23, 2009
Dear Honorable Rahall, Honorable Hastings,
and Members of the House Committee on Natural Resources:
RE OPPOSITION TO H.R. 2314
Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 2009
It is not appropriate to consider passage of HR 2314 at this time. It is unacceptable that public discussion and formal hearings have not taken place on this matter since 2000. This, through two Bush terms, since 911, since the invasion of Iraq and since the election of President Obama.
As a self-made student of Hawaiian studies I understand that native Hawaiians and there community family members and fellow island dwellers need to be made ready for a consultation process that one would expect a bill like 2341 commands in any modern evolving society.
I fear this bill will alienate native Hawaiians causing yet another historic upheaval for them, this time your names will be added to the list (see Public Law 103-150 or Google): Thurston, Dole, Stevens, McKinley.
Here then, it is noted that the lack of discourse is an ignorant repeat of colonial authoritarianism and racism that demeans native people, shuts down understanding and weakens aloha.
Many native Hawaiians, US citizens and people like myself feel very strongly about the race-based aspect of inventing a segregated state based on Hawaiian blood. This is un-natural, anti-social and, in the end, cruel and inhumane. We see the problems within the US segregated American Indian camps. It is the same in Aboriginal reserves in Australia. We see lawlessness, dependency not dignity, broken families, and lost tribes with lost young.
We are alarmed that such an attack could happen in Hawai`i Nei. Hawai`i has been the historic world leader of multi-culturalism for which I've heard it said the USA took it's cue. Why would you want to destroy the source, especially as customary western moves have placed the land, the ocean, the ozone and all biology in peril?
I ask that you visit the islands. Come and learn and hear the plea of the people and understand the way of sustainable solutions.
Hawai`i remains integral. Please do not bulldoze HR 2314.
Michael Daly
Honolulu