Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 1, Number 5, 1 June 1984 — OHA Gets Good Representation at State Democratic Meeting [ARTICLE]

OHA Gets Good Representation at State Democratic Meeting

Hawaiians need to be active in the democratic process to ensure that their concerns are being addressed. Often Hawaiian interests are neglected in the political arena, and sometimes political actions have been absolutely devastating. These consequences are due to a laek of representation in the decision-making process.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is actively participating in the political process to guarantee more consideration to Hawaiian issues in the political arena. For example, OHA was well represented at the State Democratic Convention last month as loeal Democrats met to elect party officers, pass resolutions and select delegates to the National Convention July 16-19 in San Francisco. Voted one of 27 delegates representing the State of Hawaii at the party's national convention in San Francisco was Wendy Roylo Hee, OHA Planningand Development Officer. Hee, elected as a Mondale delegate, hopes to participate in caucuses relating to Native Americans' and women's issues at the national convention. OHA also introduced two resolutions of interest to Hawaiians that were adopted at the Convention and will be

forwarded to the National Platform Committee for futher consideration. The resolutions are as follows: 1. "Be it resolved by the Democratic Party of the State of Hawaii that the Congress of the United States aeknowledge the illegal and immoral actions of the United States in the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1893, and to indicate its commitment to grant restitution for the losses and damages suffered by native Hawaiians as a result of those wrongful actions." 2. "Be it resolved by the Democratic Party of the State of Hawaii that the Federal government be requested to return the island of Kaho'olawe to the State of Hawaii and that re-

planting efforts continue." There are a number of ways that you, too, ean participate in the political process. It could beassimpleasregisteringto vote before Aug. 23 in order to vote in the primaries, or registering before Oct. 9 to vote in the general, whieh includes OHA elections. Then remember to make your vote count on Saturday, Sept. 22 at the primary elections and Tuesday, Nov. 6 for the general and OHA elections.