First of all, I am not sure if I am adequately informed enough to comment on the following issues. As a non-Hawaiian observer, I might not be attuned to the nuances of the situation.

When we started our search for possible ideas for this month's newsletter, issues regarding Senator Akaka's Bill entitled, The Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 2005, were not on our list. Recently I heard a news story on NPR (National Public Radio) on the Akaka Bill and it instantly caught my interest. We hope that this newsletter will pique your interest on this issue and encourage you to do your own research.

We look forwards to your comments.

I'm a little skeptical that local governments are the end all and cure all for all of our problems, but as I mentioned in a past editorial - people seem to be happiest when they feel a sense of control in their lives. When you are one among a few instead of one among many, you do feel like you have more power to influence the group.

The Akaka Bill will supposedly create a new governmental entity (within the framework of the United States - similar to Native American Tribal governments) for Native Hawaiians.

In the Hawaiians' case, why are some unhappy enough with the status quo that they would desire to have this new governmental organization? The basic answer is that an injustice was committed and some believe that this is the root cause of their woes.

The overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii was an unjust act that the United States had a role in. This fact was recognized when Hawaii became a state of our union. Hawaii's Admission Act of 1959 outlined a means to compensate Native Hawaiians and President Clinton signed a bill in 1993 apologizing for the overthrow.

The outline in the State's Admission Act has been so weakly enacted that it has caused simmering dissent. It's one thing to admit causing an injustice, but to outline a plan for

action to alleviate the injustice and then not act on it for 46 years is cruel.

Critics of the bill bring up an interesting point though, that it was not just Native Hawaiians that got screwed by the overthrow, some naturalized citizens of the Kingdom of Hawaii lost out too. So why do Native Hawaiians seem more upset than other ethnic groups that were a part of the Kingdom of Hawaii? Well first of all, the prescription in the State's Admission Act was directed towards Native Hawaiians. So as stated earlier the double insult of writing a plan and then not delivering on it only applies to them.

Many Native Hawaiians have been economically and educationally marginalized. Loss of lands is one thing, but homegrown remedies of educational scholarships exclusively for Native Hawaiians were recently shot down in the court system too.

Native Hawaiians, like all ethnic groups within the United States, worry about the loss of their culture as they assimilate into the more dominant "American Culture." On top of this, Native Hawaiians have long lost their population majority and are now minorities within their own traditional homeland. It's no wonder that many Native Hawaiians do feel marginalized.

Assuming that Senator Akaka has the best of intentions, what do I think he is trying to achieve with his bill? By forming a new government, native Hawaiians will have their own advocate to negotiate with the state and federal governments - kind of like forming a union to negotiate with corporations. This government would hopefully be more responsive to the Native Hawaiian's needs.

I'm not sure if Senator Akaka's bill will work. Senator Akaka and the critics of his bill both make good points. But even if the bill passes, it seems unlikely that Native Hawaiians' needs will be resolved anytime soon. Compensation remedies are expensive and government and the people that are governed are often unwilling to make the sacrifices necessary to make the politically un-empowered happy.

I don't have an answer for whether you should support the bill or not. At the very least we should all pay attention. Whether the bill passes or not, there are some unhappy people that are asking for help and because of the injustices that were done we owe them our attention. Otherwise, real secession talk becomes more of a possibility all the time.

Watch for more discussions on the bill in the senate coming up in September of 2005.

The following books are discounted for subscribers to our newsletter. The discounts on these books end September 14, 2005.

Project J, Justice - Barbed Wire and Hip-Hop
Voices from America's Concentration Camps

2004, 32:49 Min., Audio CD.

Project J - Barbed Wire and Hip-Hop is a fascinating CD that uses Hip-Hop/jazz fusion music to tell the story of the Japanese American World War II internment.

The 13-page liner note booklet that comes with the CD does a good job of summarizing the internment. The combined CD and booklet of Project J - Barbed Wire and Hip-Hop makes this a great introduction package for a whole new generation.

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ORDER -- Item #3340, Price $10.00

Mosaic Moon
Caregiving Through Poetry
Easing the Burden of Alzheimer's Disease

Mosaic Moon is a moving collection of biographies and poems by people living in Honolulu, Hawaii afflicted with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers. The book also contains information on how other caregivers can use poetry writing to help ease the pain and sadness that comes with taking care of ill loved ones. The editor and contributing writer, Frances H. Kakugawa, is a poet and a fellow Alzheimer's caregiver.

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ORDER -- Item #3309, Price $16.95

Toyo Miyatake
Infinite Shades of Gray

Many of you may know of Toyo Miyatake from his surreptitious camp photos taken at the Manzanar internment camp, but this documentary also sheds light on his career as a studio and art photographer, and his community work. This is an informative documentary that helps us remember a true artist.

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ORDER -- Item #3339, Price $19.95

A Single Shard

Follow the life of Tree-ear, an orphan boy that becomes the apprentice of a master potter in Twelfth-century Korea, in this Newbery Award winning book. This printing of A Single Shard contains extras, including an interview with the author, excerpts from some of her other books, author notes, and an explanation of various pottery techniques.

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ORDER -- Item #3308, Price $6.50

Kneeling Carabao & Dancing Giants
Celebrating Filipino Festivals

Kneeling Carabao and Dancing Giants is a wonderful book of Filipino culture surrounding some popularly celebrated festivals. This book includes some folktales, recipes, songs, crafts, and miscellaneous facts about the Philippines.

Out of print for a number of years, AACP is glad to have this book back in stock.

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ORDER -- Item #2717, Price $19.95