About time we got rid of Hawaiian Entitlements

[Rick M.]

This idea of giving Hawaiians special privileges is unamerican. Abolishing them is first on my list of important things to do when we rewrite the constitution.

We've got the numbers to get this done now. So let's do it.

[Peter Kay]

Rick, right now we don't even have a Yes vote on ConCon, much less delegates running. I would not count those chickens yet.

[Pam Smith]

People are always saying that Hawaii is a multi-cultural society, but what I see is that if you are of european decent your culture is discounted in favor of the polynesian culture. If we follow Dan's line of reasoning California and Texas should defer to Mexican culture and I guess that the rest of the country should be following native american culture. What makes America Great is that we meld all of our cultures into the American culture. Unfortunately, Hawaii's racist opinion that Hawaiian culture trumps all and anyone that disagrees should "go back where they came from" gives Hawaii's "aloha spirit" a black eye.

[Keanu]

Delegates are elected. I doubt Mr. Conklin has enough support to be elected as a delegate to a Hawaii State Constitutional Convention. I'd be willing to bet that today's voters are interested in progressive thinkers, not someone who spends all of his energy trying to eliminate programs that support Native Hawaiians. If a Constitutional Convention is convened, I don't expect Mr. Conklin's name to be on the list of delegates.

[territoryborn]

Well done, Rick . Keep posting your views and the opponents to a con-con should have no problem defeating it in November.

[Ken Conklin]

Some comments early in this discussion thread defended the concept that one of the things that makes Hawaii unique is the fact that beaches cannot be owned by private individuals, and that we guarantee access rights to the ocean. I would like to point out that access rights, gathering rights, etc. should not be based on race. If we wish to uphold the right of residents to have access to the beach, or to gather flowers and fruits from undeveloped land for subsistence use or for cultural purposes, then such rights should belong to all residents regardless of race. Thus we can support "Hawaiian entitlements" in the sense of Hawaii being a special place where our laws are different from the mainland, but we should oppose "Hawaiian entitlements" in the sense of "Hawaiian" being a name for a racial group.

I believe we are all equal in the eyes of God(s), and our government should treat us all equally under the law.

And so I support eliminating "Hawaiian entitlements" in the racial sense. And I think that is the topic which it was the intention of the creator of this thread to discuss, and is definitely a topic which the Con Con should deal with. The biggest mistake of the 1978 Con Con was to create OHA; and the only way to correct that mistake is to abolish OHA through another Con Con.

[Keanu]

Mr. Conlikn, as a "Civil rights" activist, what have you done to promote and protect civil rights outside of issues that relate to "Hawaiian entitlements"?

[Ken Conklin]

Keanu's post sounds like a personal attack, which is not worthy of a response. Our purpose here is to discuss Con Con issues, not to discuss individual personalities.

I must say, however, that there is only one ethnic group in Hawaii some of whose leaders are demanding to create a racially exclusionary government and/or to rip the 50th star off the flag; and whose leaders already operate branches of the state government and have racially-designated seats of the boards of other government agencies. The issue of "Hawaiian entitlements" is very complex and requires enormous effort my many people to defend unity and equality. I am proud to focus my efforts on this issue, and I hope others will join me.

[Keanu]

Only those with something to hide would construe such an innocuous question as a personal attack. I believe the question is valid considering you refer to yourself as a 'civil rights" activist on your bio page. Evading the question just makes it appear as though you are concealing something, like hypocrisy.

Issues are defined by personalities... It does not take a genius to figure that out.

[kawehi]

Hey,

this is not America! Whose having special privileges? End the occupation and all foreigners should leave our lands. Kawehi.

[Auhea]

The truth is, it is the Americans that made Hawaiian's an ethnic group. Hawaiian was a nationality and it was not race based. Kamehameha ended all this at the Pali. The tribal stuff is gone and nationhood was in. All people who desend from a "Hawaiian Subject" is Hawaiian. The United States need to withdraw from Hawaiian territory. End the State of Hawaii. We will all be Hawaiians and would Hawaii our country again. All of us. Again the Pali ended all this. What are American doing living in a grass shack anyway.

[dekepalo]

Rick M remarks:
This idea of giving Hawaiians special privileges is unamerican. Abolishing them is first on my list of important things to do when we rewrite the constitution.

We've got the numbers to get this done now. So let's do it.

I like this idea. It is unHawaiian to live under American rule. If hawaiians want to be slaves have them sign an oath to that effect. If non-kanaka want to be with us sign an oath. We all move from there.