Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 24, Number 2, 1 February 2007 — Stand up for the Akaka Bill now, the opportunity may be fleeting [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Stand up for the Akaka Bill now, the opportunity may be fleeting

Hawaiians this year have the opportunity to begin the formation of a government that will address their needs and will preserve their identity as the first people of Hawai'i. Federal recognition will insure that under the laws of the United States, we as a people ean continue to exist legally, culturally, spiritually and equitably. This opportunity may be fleeting if circumstances in Washington, D.C., change and especially if the Supreme Court takes up the Kamehameha v. Doe case. It is thus vital that Hawaiians, regardless of their blood quantum and political leanings, be willing to stand up for the future of our kamali'i and for simple justice and fairness. We

have been separated too long from the industry, weahh and initiative of nonHawaiians in Hawai'i who have used Hawai'i and benefited from it. This will likely continue until we mature politically and take up our cause as the indigenous people of Hawai'i by upgrading our role in the areas of life that are rightfully and best ours. Although Hawaiians are not absent, non-Hawaiians seem to flood the market with books on Hawaiians and Hawai'i. Non-Hawaiians are the leaders in business and industry. Walk around Costco and see the reflection of our community today and note the number of Hawaiians. Except for Bishop Estate and Hawaiian Homes, real estate is overwhelmingly out of Hawaiian hands. The leaders of our tourist industry are not Hawaiian for the most part and the Hawaiian students at UH are under represented. Read the newspaper and note the Hawaiian reporters. So how ean we, as Hawaiians and the indigenous people of Hawai'i,

regain our lost citizenship as citizens of a Hawaiian government and improve our collective lot in society? By standing together, by working within the law, by seeking to preserve our rights, entitlements, benefits, etc. provided now by Congress, and by supporting the creation of a Hawaiian government to address our needs as an indigenous people - not as a separate racial group. For those who want to hold out for complete independence, fine. But why collaborate against the rest of us with the opponents of Hawaiian recognition (such as a number of U.S. senators and organizations like the Grassroot Institute of Hawai'i and Color Blind America, as well as Hawai'i Sens. Sam Slom and Gordon Trimble) who at the same time accuse us of racism? Is that going to get you what you want? It will only lead to our defeat as a people for the last time. So, let us at least seek to preserve our indigenous people, and you ean continue on without depriving

yourselves of what you deem to be right. To persist in the undermining of the Akaka Bill and sleeping with the enemy will deprive your own posterity of the hope for future prosperity. For those who don't feel any urgent need for recognizing the Hawaiian people and/or oppose same on the grounds of racial discrimination, your efforts or your laek of effort will lead to the legal extinction of an entire people who will no longer have a homeland to eall their own. Justice will have been denied in the name of racial equality, not fairness. The other two indigenous groups in the 50 states will likely be next to be attacked, again in the name of "equality" regardless of what is just and fair. The overthrow of the queen could not have been secured without involvement of the United States. Justice dictates that the United States return to the Hawaiian people at least their sense of dignity by recognizing their government and preserving their legal existence. S

LEO 'ELELE ■ TRUSTEE MESSAGES

Bnyd P. Mūssman TrustEE, Maui