The September 11th attack
'Iolani Palace hoists U.S. flag
By Kevin Dayton
Advertiser Capitol Bureau Chief
The American flag flew over 'Iolani Palace yesterday for the first time since 1969 in a tribute to the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Cory Lum • The Honolulu Advertiser
The board of directors of the Friends of 'Iolani Palace approved a plan on Thursday to fly both the U.S. and Hawaiian flags over the palace for 30 days.
The U.S. and Hawaiian flags are flying over 'Iolani Palace for 30 days.
Ordinarily only the Hawaiian flag is flown over the palace, a practice adopted in an effort to restore the palace to the way it looked in the late 1800s, said Alice Guild, executive director of the Friends of 'Iolani Palace.
However, Guild said Queen Lili'uokalani set a kind of "precedent" for raising the U.S. flag. During a time of mourning in 1917, the deposed monarch flew the American flag over her Washington Place residence to honor Hawaiians killed in World War I.
The U.S. flag also flew over 'Iolani Palace prior to 1969 when it served as the State Capitol.
Most people seemed to approve of yesterday's gesture.
"I do think that the queen did set an example when World War I occurred and all of Hawai'i was engaged in seeing their sons march off, and I think in this one we all see our families being affected," said Linda Delaney, who has been active in Hawaiian issues and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. "It does offer a very strong statement, honoring the grief."
Herb Pang of Nu'uanu, a Hawaiian Tel retiree who visited the palace yesterday, also liked the idea.
"Fly both flags," said Pang. "This is part of the United States of America. ... They should have flown the American flag before the 11th, not just from the 11th on."
Paul Urzi, a television host visiting from Columbia, Mo., offered a similar view.
"I think it's fairly appropriate because Hawai'i is the 50th state of the United States, and even though ... the monarchy was overthrown by our government ... it is part of the United States," he said.
