Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 16, Number 9, 1 September 1999 — Rice vs. Cayetano [ARTICLE]

Rice vs. Cayetano

Isn't it interesting that "Freddie" Rice totally disregards what the Native Ameriean Housing Assistance and Selt Determinahon Act represents. It is a program to assist indigenous Native Americans, of whieh 'Treddie" Rice is not one. The shortcoming in Rice's rationalization is that he confuses the term "quantum" with

that of preference. Webster defines "quantum" as "a specified or required amount." There is no reference to racial preference in its definition. Anyone with a reasonable grasp of the issue understands what Mililani Trask said was simply that no group of Native Hawaiians, by virtue of not having a specified quantum of Hawaiian blood, shoud be excluded from deriving benefits from this wise and just attempt by the Congress of the United States to correct the egregious wrongs committed against the indigenous people of these lands. Rod Ferreira Kamuela OHA reserves the right to edit all lettersfor length, defamatory and libelous material, and other objectionable eontent, and reserves the right to print on a space available basis. Letters are authorized for publication on a one-let-ter, per subject, per year basis. The inclusion ofa letter author's title is a courtesy extended by Ka Wai Ola and does not constitute validation or recognilion ofthe writer as such. All letters must be typed, signed and not exceed 200 words. Send letters to Ka Wai Ola o OHA, 711 Kapi'olani Blvd., Suite 500, Honolulu, HI 96813. Readers ean also e-mail their letters to oha@aloha.net. ■