FREEHAWAII.INFO PRESENTS "A VISIT" WITH HAWAI'I GOVERNOR LINDA LINGLE - PART FOUR
DAVID INGHAM, WORLD REKNOWN EXPERT ON FEDERAL RECOGNITION, REBUTS LINGLE'S TESTIMONY FROM THE INDIAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE HEARING IN WASHINGTON, DC
Linda Lingle: Besides granting long-delayed justice to the Native Hawaiian people, SB147 achieves four important results for everyone in the State of Hawai'i.
David Ingham: Do tell
LL: 1. Enhances the ability of individual Native Hawaiians to become more self-sufficient, which reduces their reliance on state and federally funded services.
DI: All you have to do to "enhance the ability of Hawaiians to become more self-sufficient" is get them access to thier land, and resources and lift restrictions on their rights .
You, governor Lingle, as the governor of the State of Hawai'i have this ability right now. Why aren't you doing it?
LL: A Native Hawaiian government using existing appropriated funds will be in a position to engage in meaningful economic development that not only will generate revenue for social services and other programs, but most importantly will create new employment opportunities for individual Native Hawaiians.
DI: As I said, Hawaiians don't need the bill to Unify the Hawaiian governments. They need you governor Lingle to lift restrictions on access to their land and resources. If the funds you speak of are "existing appropriated funds" they don't need the bill to get them either.
LL: 2. Provides greater accountability for and makes more efficient and effective use of state and federal programs.
DI: Once again, Hawaiians don't need the bill to unify thier governments. to provide the greater accountability you speak of. If you are interested in consolidating Hawaiian government, why don't you facilitate the unification? You yourself said above that an effective Hawaiian government would benefit all of the people in Hawai'i.
LL: 3. Creates the best opportunity to preserve the Native Hawaiian culture.
DI: Yes it does.... So why aren't you applying the authority you have right now ,as governor, to get Hawaiians access to thier land rights and resources so that thier government can be effective? You got a better use for all that vacant land other than putting Hawaiians on it?
LL: The unique nature of Hawai'i is derived largely from the indigenous culture of the Native Hawaiians.
DI: Whom, you might want to add, the State has neglected in spite of having control of the land and the authority to ensure Hawaiians thrive.
LL: Native governments, like the one established by this Act, are well documented to best nurture and protect traditional native culture and values.
DI: I'm sorry. That is a crock of crap. Independent government best nurtures and protects traditional culture and values. Do you suppose American culture and values woud be best protected if the United States was subject to domestic dependence under, say, the Peoples republic of China? Get a grip!
LL: 4. Protects existing programs by clarifying that the relationship between the United States and the Native Hawaiian people has government-to-government origins rather than racial origins. Current and continuing legal challenges are unnecessarily putting programs to benefit Native Hawaiians at risk.
DI: Perhaps I shouldn't have been so harsh...I didn't realize that you hadn't read the bill . There is nothing in the bill that protects a single program or entitlement. Last year, in April, the bill was ammendedto include these words: "provided that the provisions of Public Law 103-454, 25 U.S.C. 479a, shall not apply." This law is the List of Federally recognized tribes entiled to the kinds of protections you are speaking of here.
In The Conclusion - Why Hawaiians Don't Even Need Federal Recognition
