Yesterday, it was official : the 50th state was a state for 50 years!
1) Back in 1959, the overwhelming majority of those who voted chose statehood for Hawaii.
However, some Hawaiian sovereignty activists said that that election was illegitimate because independence wasn't listed as an option on the ballot!
So now what?
The obvious is that we should have another election for the status: statehood, territory, independence, none of the above!
Whichever side looses will need to accept the results!
According to a recent poll, most Hawaii residents prefer statehood!
Read on it at
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20090821/STATEHOOD01/908210362
Whatever happened in 1893, everyone from that era is dead! Only the living can vote!
Let's put it this way - Northern Ireland was conquered by the British! The Irish could claim that was their stolen land. But that conquest happened centuries ago. But if the people living in Northern Ireland want to remain a part of the United Kingdom, then that's what it will be! You can only go by those who live there today!
If the people of Leeward Oahu, Hana, Pahoa or Waimanalo want to start their own separate nation, that's fine! They just need to keep their economies sustainable, because the US taxpayers aren't going to bail them out all the time!
2) Independence will NOT guarantee things will get better or worse.
Let's look at North Korea and South Korea. Both were conquered by Japan!
However, after the Japanese left, the 2 Koreas went in totally opposite directions.
South Korea became one of the most prosperous democracies in the world. North Korea became one of the poorest and most oppressive dictatorships in the world!
One country became better off after the Japanese left, the other got worse!
Now let's look at Botswana and Zimbabwe. Both are African nations that are next to each other. Both were former British territories.
After the British left, Botswana and Zimbabwe went totally opposite directions.
Botswana is now one of the most economically stable, peaceful, democratic nations in Africa. It doesn't fit the negative stereotypes of Africa!
Zimbabwe is now one of the most poorest, violent and oppressive dictatorships in Africa. It fits the worst stereotypes of Africa!
One country became better off after the British left, the other got worse!
So will Hawaii become worse or better if it became independent? NOTHING IS GUARANTEED!
3) why were there no massive celebrations of statehood yesterday?
Only one government official admitted the obvious : riot prevention!
Here's what Don Cataluna, a trustee of the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs, said!
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20090821/STATEHOOD01/908210363&template=statehood/Iolani+Palace+to+remain+quiet+as+Hawaii+observes+50th
"And many, many Hawaiians — many Hawaiians — would be very, very upset," Cataluna said. "It would not be a good idea to have an event at the site of the overthrow of their queen. It would be a horrible mess there. I had visions of blood spilling and I didn't want that."
Based on everything I read in the papers today, all statehood events and protests were peaceful. Sure, there might've been shouting, but as long as no one got hit, then that's democracy in action!
4) What if the US didn't take over Hawaii?
Someone else would've!
Other nations looking to conquer were Germany, Russia and Japan!
Judging by the history of the 20th century, does anyone think Hawaii would've been better off being taken over by Germany, Russia or Japan?
US control of Hawaii wasn't perfect. In the early half of the 20th century, Native Hawaiian children were humiliated by their school-teachers if they spoke Hawaiian! This has contributed to the anger felt by many Native Hawaiians!
But the freedoms of the US Constitution allowed for the freedom of speech, assembly and religion. These things made the Hawaiian Renaissance movement much easier. These freedoms allowed the Native Hawaiians to revive lost traditions and their culture to grow again!
Now, we have charter schools and immersion schools that emphasize the Hawaiian language and Native Hawaiian culture!
Things are very different now from the early territorial days!
5) What's going to happen in the future?
Most likely, Hawaii will remain a state for a very long time. Though I think that areas like Leeward Oahu, Hana, Waimanalo, Pahoa and the islands of Niihau, Molokai and Kaho'olawe could eventually break off from the US and be a separate Hawaiian nation, just like how certain parts of the continental US are separate Native American nations!
Hawaii and the USA are connected in so many ways, it's unlikely that Hawaii would totally separate from the USA! Even many Native Hawaiians don't want to totally separate from the USA! The farthest it would go is nation-within-a-nation status!
6) The total-independence crowd will continue to be a minority. Their rhetoric has alienated too many people!
Let's put it this way. My Zapotec ancestors of Oaxaca, Mexico were conquered by the Spanish! But the descendants of the Spanish settlers are there to stay! So while Mexico is independent, the descendants of the conquerors, conquered and other settlers are accepted as part of the modern Mexican social fabric!
The same for Hawaii. Whether Hawaii is a state or independent, the sovereignty activists need to accept that the descendants of the conquerors, conquered and other settlers are part of the modern Hawaiian social fabric!
Those without Native Hawaiian ancestry need to respect Native Hawaiian culture! And the independence advocates need to accept that non-natives aren't going away and that integration is the way to go!
As Rodney King has said "can we all just get along"
