FREEHAWAII.INFO PRESENTS MORE OF A SNEAK PEEK FROM "WHO SHALL BE SOVEREIGN?"
Book In Progress By Leon Siu Corrects Falsehoods & Offers Solutions
Misconception #2 – Only Native Hawaiians Were Wronged.
In the late 19th Century, the Hawaiian Kingdom was a progressive, literate, flourishing, peaceful independent country and an active, full-fledged participant in the Family of Nations.
Hawai`i conducted trade and enjoyed diplomatic relations with all the leading nations of the world — including the United States.
Domestically, Hawai`i had a constitution, a bi-cameral legislative body, a judicial system, session laws, penal codes, a police force, immigration laws, an excellent public education system and all the departments necessary to govern and provide services for the people of this country.
The forceful overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893, displaced a country's government and its lands, not the members of an ethnic group. It was the Hawaiian Kingdom — a nation — that was overthrown, not the aboriginal people — the kanaka maoli (what the U.S. and "state of Hawai`i" insist on calling, "Native Hawaiians.")
Yes, kanaka maoli were harmed by the loss of their nation, but so were many non-aboriginal subject/citizens of the Hawaiian Kingdom: Asians, Caucasian, Polynesians and so forth.
This is a crucial point. When a nation is stolen, all the citizens of that nation are deprived of their country, not just the aboriginal people.
At the time of the overthrow, there were many people from different origins and ethnic groups who called Hawai`i home.
Many of them were naturalized citizens and enjoyed the benefits and responsibilities as citizens/subjects of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
Those who were citizens of Hawai`i in 1893 were also injured when their nation was summarily taken and occupied by a foreign government, without their consent and, in fact, over their vociferous protests.
Their descendants, should they choose to assert their lawful birthrights, have legitimate claim to the return of their country and Hawaiian Kingdom citizenship and a stake in matters of reconciliation, redress and restitution involving the Hawaiian Kingdom.
If justice is to be served, the United States must withdraw and return the Hawaiian Kingdom to all the people of the Hawaiian Kingdom, not the people of an ethnic group deviously identified by the U.S. as "native Hawaiians."
