On Tuesday, Aug. 30, are two programs available nationwide. Details are provided below, including how to view the events by live Internet streaming or by downloadable audio-visual files.

First, there was a symposium about the Akaka bill at the Heritage Foundation headquarters in Washington, D.C. at 4 a.m. Hawaii time (10 a.m. Washington time, or 7 a.m. California time). The symposium will probably occupy 60 to 90 minutes, including Q & A.

Here is a link to that event.

http://tinyurl.com/aq2f5

"Real Player" is needed to watch the program over the Internet. RealPlayer should be downloaded ahead of time, and is available for download free of charge at: http://www.real.com/

Speeches were given by Rubellite Kawena Johnson (University of Hawaii, Professor of Hawaiian Language and Literature, and descendant of Kamehameha the Great, who opposes the bill); John Fund (Wall Street Journal editorial board member and columnist); and Larry Arnn (President of Hillsdale College); along with Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D., President, The Heritage Foundation.

See more information at http://www.heritage.org/Press/Events/ev083005b.cfm

Senate debate begins soon on S. 147, the "Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act," that purports to authorize the creation of a government of so-called "native" Hawaiians to exercise sovereignty over native Hawaiians living anywhere in the United States. In 2000, the Supreme Court ruled that this approach is unconstitutional. Yet, proponents believe they can avoid this ruling by declaring the descendants of "aboriginal" Hawaiians an American Indian tribe -- going so far as to allow for the election of an "interim government" of this alleged "tribe" and recognizing the sovereignty and privileges and immunities that the new government establishes for its "tribal members."

The distinguished panel will address the serious constitutional concerns and other key issues surrounding this effort. Can Congress simply declare the descendents of aboriginal Hawaiians, living anywhere, an American Indian tribe? Does the 14th Amendment permit the creation of an exclusively race-based government? Would such a race-based government kill the "aloha" of an integrated and blended Hawaiian culture? Would it set a good precedent if Congress could create race-based governments and exempt them from the United States Constitution? Is S. 147 the answer to supposed 19th Century wrongs or did the citizens of Hawaii make the right decision in 1959 when they voted overwhelmingly for statehood without special preferences for "native" Hawaiians?

PROFESSOR JOHNSON has a long and very distinguished career as a scholar of Hawaiian language and literature, researching ancient Hawaiian and Polynesian knowledge of astronomy and geography as well as ancient cultural practices. Her original translation of the Kumulipo, the oral history of the ancient Hawaiian people, won high acclaim. In 1983 she was named a "Living Treasure of Hawaii." Portions of her personal and academic resume, along with her testimony in opposition to the Akaka bill, can be seen at: http://tinyurl.com/3mdmv

LARRY P. ARNN is President of Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan. He is the author of Liberty and Learning: The Evolution of American Education (2004). He is on the Board of Trustees of The Heritage Foundation, The Henry Salvatori Center of Claremont McKenna College, The Center for Individual Rights and The Claremont Institute.

JOHN FUND is one of the nation’s top political pundits. His editorials and articles can be found regularly in the Wall Street Journal where he is an editorial board member, writer and former deputy editor. He is a contributing analyst to Fox News and CNBC, the 24-hour-news cable channels. His articles have also appeared in Esquire, New Republic, National Review, and American Spectator.

Pro-Akaka Infomercial

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is a branch of the state of Hawaii government, whose purpose under the state Constitution is to provide racially exclusionary benefits to ethnic Hawaiians, to accept "reparations" on their behalf, and to lobby in the media and file lawsuits to defend their race-based interests. OHA has spent millions of government (our) dollars "educating" (propagandizing) the public; sponsoring TV, radio, and newspaper ads; and lobbying in Washington to support the Akaka bill.

On Tuesday, Aug. 30, OHA (i.e., Hawaii's taxpayers) will broadcast an hour-long infomercial televised from 7-8 p.m. Hawaii time on KITV-4, Honolulu. (That's 10-11 p.m. California time, or 1-2 AM Wednesday Eastern time) It will be available live by Internet streaming from the KITV Web site at http://www.thehawaiichannel.com and the audio/video file will remain available there until Sept. 30. The program features OHA chair Haunani Apoliona (perhaps strumming her guitar and singing the racial-nation song she composed to push the Akaka bill: "Na Oiwi Olino"), and Law School Professor Jon Van Dyke (who, along with his wife Sherry Broder, reportedly have raked in more than $3 million in fees from OHA for writing articles and making public appearances like this one).

Kenneth R. Conklin, Ph.D., is an independent scholar in Kaneohe, Hawaii. His Web site on Hawaiian Sovereignty is at: http://www.angelfire.com/hi2/hawaiiansovereignty He can be contacted at: mailto:Ken_Conklin@yahoo.com

HawaiiReporter.com reports the real news, and prints all editorials submitted, even if they do not represent the viewpoint of the editors, as long as they are written clearly. Send editorials to mailto:Malia@HawaiiReporter.com

Guest Commentary...