Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 17, Number 6, 1 June 2000 — Rice aftermath [ARTICLE]

Rice aftermath

Betty Woodward's letter in the April issue invites comment. Her self-proclaimed qualification to vote in the upcoming OHA elections as a

loeal haole of many years standing misses the point completely. Many non-kanaka maoli, myself included, have read the books she has, done research as she has, speak the 'ōlelo makuahine, and have even put years of tireless work into sovereignty. And yet, were I a Hawai'i resident, I could not bring myself to vote in an OHA election for one simple reason: I don't have the koko. I ean read, study, research, sing, dance and chant all I want and I still won't have the actual experience and insight of what it feels like to be kanaka maoli. The legitimate role for the non-kanaka maoli who wishes to be involved is kōkua, but never to decide what is best for the kanaka maoli. When people tell me, "I'm Hawaiian at heart," I let them know that while I appreciate their sentiment, what's really accurate is that I have Hawaiians in my heart. Riley 'Ehu Cardwell Solana Beach, Calif. Miehael Stroup demeans the Hawaiian people and further exacerbates a potentially explosive situation with his cavalier remark about the Rice vs. Cayetano Supreme Court decision {Advertiser, March 8): "Okay, now let's get back to work." The need to settle the differences between the Hawaiian people and the United States is crucial if Hawai'i is ■% to remain the paradise that it is. It is obvious that Stroup represents the "old, white, political guard," and sadly for him, his flippant remark has cost him the respect of citizens of Hawaiian ancestry. Stroup may presently be indifferent to this fact, but at some point in time, he may recognize his insensitivity. Rod Ferreira Kamuela