Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 21, Number 4, 1 April 2004 — Common sense suggests that federal recognition offers a reasonable alternative [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Common sense suggests that federal recognition offers a reasonable alternative

Aloha kākou. I seem to be in the swing of writing articles now since this space over the last year has not reverted to the waste of time and effort required to read the negative comments by trustees against others. I must eommend the trustees today for writing articles meant to inform, commend and advise beneficiaries of matters important to all Hawaiians. Though some articles may still appear to be petty, by and large they are in keeping with the fiduciary duties of trustees. And so, may I proceed to comment further about what I eonsider the most important issue facing Hawaiians and Hawaii today: federal recognition. Though reasonably minded people ean disagree, with any degree of eommon sense they ean usually distinguish between reality and fiction or fancy. From my experiences inside the courtroom to my observations on television, I can't help but

wonder whether eommon sense is a terminal illness in our society today. I am not saying that everyone is out of step but me, but perhaps we need to step back and enlarge our vision rather than follow a narrow one based on one episode in history and hope that regardless of the rest of the people in Hawai'i and the United States, and for that matter the world, somehow we Hawaiians will be able to revert back 111 years and continue the monarchy. There is little dispute, if any, about the illegality of the overthrow and the involvement of the United States. But facts alone do not a case win. The law is the guiding factor and history may give direction but cannot eaneel out current laws of the counties, states, and nation under whieh we live today. Maybe 111 years ago that was not so, but though there are those who would turn the eloek back and argue the facts of 1893-1898, the law of the

land will not support such a reversion. Too mueh has transpired over the last 111 years to reasonably expect the United States to abandon the vast majority of the citizens of Hawai'i and vice versa. They who argue that the law of the land does not count but international law does, ignore reality and deny eommon sense as well as reason. It is interesting that there are those who profess this position who are well educated, significantly credentialed, and highly intelligent. So where did we lose hold of eommon sense? To restore the Hawaiian monarchy will require withdrawal from any status as a State of the Union. Were Congress to consider such a possibility, they would have to be willing to surrender not only a state of the Union but all of its 1.2 million people who up to now have enjoyed a degree of freedom and rights not recognized anywhere else in the world. In 1959 the vote for state-

hood was 17 to 1. Opposition eame primarily from businesses and established landowners who wanted to keep things as is. Hawaiians did not oppose as a people. On the eontrary, they supported just as they had done in fighting and dying for their country in three previous wars. Today, we are told to forget that part of history that suggests Hawaiians today are not the Hawaiians of 111 years ago. Common sense suggests otherwise. Federal recognition offers a reasonable alternative to the loss of everything Hawaiian. It offers a bridge to further negotiations and the development of nationhood. Those who want independence ean continue to argue for it but please don't deprive the remainder of Hawaiians from preserving what they have and being able to work for themselves and their families and with a Hawaiian governing entity.B

Boyd P. Mossman Trustee, Maui