Should Aloha State be the apartheid state?

OHA's Clyde Namu'o (Letters, July 17) cites an "independent" survey finding "overwhelming support" for the Akaka bill among both Hawaiians and non-Hawaiians (86 percent and 78 percent). What he left out is the qualification "once this legislation is explained to them."

The survey was commissioned by OHA, and all questions used in the survey were designed in consultation with OHA. The "explanation" used in the survey said: "The Akaka-Stevens bill proposes that Hawaiians be formally recognized as the indigenous people of Hawai'i, giving them the same federal status as 560 Native American and Alaska Native tribes already recognized by the U.S. government."

That is misleading. "Recognizing" Hawaiians as descendants of the indigenous people of Hawai'i would not give them any special status under the Constitution. Millions of people in the United States have some degree of Native American ancestry, but only those few who are members of federally recognized tribes may be singled out for differential treatment. ("Differential" treatment can mean better or worse treatment than other citizens.)

A truly independent pollster would have asked questions like this: Do you think Hawai'i should be divided into separate racial jurisdictions? Do you think the federal government should single some racial groups out for special treatment? Do you think the Aloha State should be changed to the apartheid state?

Royalism or tribalism indigenous to Hawai'i?

The Akaka bill is a cruel hoax — an irrational reaction to panic caused by Rice v. Cayetano.

It sought unprecedented federal sanction for the state's Asian-Hawaiian and Caucasian-Hawaiian racial preferences while cynically repealing existing federal recognition for the nearest kinship group: 50 percent and more Native Hawaiians of the blood. Primary beneficiaries of that deceitful bill are the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and Kamehameha Schools. Why did Kamehameha support the bill's sleazy political manipulation of public perception knowing there is an honorable and realistic way to shelter threatened customs and practices?

Is royalism indigenous to Hawai'i or was it an imposition from outside: a normal feature of colonialism derived from the British monarchy? If so, then Kamehameha I was as likely to be an actual king as Mickey Mouse is an actual mouse. The job of Congress is not to legalize fantasies.

Is tribalism indigenous to Hawai'i? Jane S. Warren, a missionary, wrote in a book published in 1869, "The Morning Star": "This Sandwich Islands lad was Henry Obookiah. He was an orphan. He had seen his father, mother and dear little brother killed in a savage war with another tribe on the islands."

Refresher on campaign season dos and don'ts

Mahalo to all the Maui candidates who voluntarily observed our former law disallowing campaign signs until 45 days before the election. (And stink-eye to the one glaring exception!)

For those without a calendar, Aug. 4 is the magic day.

Personally, I love Hawai'i's sign-waving tradition, though many think it is dangerous. Please protect yourself by staying six feet or more from the pavement edge. And stay 50 feet from any intersection so drivers who are turning have a clear line of sight. Don't leave any roadside signs unattended — that's illegal. Smile, wave, give the shaka, honk your horns, have fun! May the best man or woman win.

Nader deserved to have better coverage

Presidential candidates deserve attention for the quality of their platform and position on issues along both the national and international continuum. If a candidate only offers vague plans that are light on details and void of genuine democratic compassion, well, then they deserve fleeting and generic coverage.

However, when a candidate, like Ralph Nader, who is emotionally, intellectually and verbally authentic in every statement on the issues that relate to rebuilding a better America for the common guy's benefit rather than the institution of a corporation and big business, then this dogmatism, erudition and honesty should be respected and reported by the major media outlets.

Will Hoover's coverage of Nader's three hours at UH-Manoa on Sunday, July 18, wonderfully recycled naive talk of a third party taking votes from John Kerry. Oh, I forgot, the people only want two choices, not three, four, five or even more. What's more, Hoover glaringly failed to discuss any of the rich content Nader offered in response to questions from both the press and regular citizens.

Perhaps the next time a presidential candidate takes the time to swing through Hawai'i, this paper will make a wiser decision on quality and quantity of its coverage.

Politicians are flexible in gathering your vote

I agree it would be irresponsible to gloss over the values held by those seeking our vote for higher office. The question is, how do we, the voter, find those values?

Politicians don't talk about "their" values, they speak to "your" values, herding you toward the voting booth for them.

Presidential campaigns are choreographed right down to the deodorant the candidate is wearing. That decision is determined by whom the candidate is speaking to that day. It's all about making you, the voter, think he or she is just like you. Sadly, we fall for it, over and over and over again.

Regents should pay for the attorney fees

Members of the UH Board of Regents should be held personally accountable for their rash, unprofessional and arrogant actions.

The only ones who will come out smiling are the high-priced attorneys who've been retained — and I guess still-UH president Evan Dobelle.

Who ends up paying for attorney William McCorriston's steep hourly rates now that he's been hired by the board? The regents should be held accountable for their actions and personally bear all of the attorney fees.

Your help is needed in homeless efforts

Not much credit is given to those who work without fanfare in the trenches offering help to the mentally ill living on the streets and parks of our community.

It takes special people who can stand up to the abuse generated by those who simply can't care for themselves, as one minute they praise you, then the next they curse you for helping them.

There are a few organizations that could use a little support from the community for their efforts, whether it is in volunteering, financial support or at least recognition and a little praise for their tireless efforts.

Kalihi-Palama Homeless Project, Waikiki Health Center and Care-A-Van are just a few of these organizations that work in this ever-growing abyss of the mentally ill and homeless world, seeking to restore their lives the best they can with what little they have in resources.

You can help ... you should help.

Habitat bill must be defeated

Tomorrow, the U.S. House Resources Committee will vote on two bills that would significantly weaken the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

Despite their disarming titles, these bills would reverse many years of positive efforts in Hawai'i to conserve threatened and endangered species and their habitat.

The Critical Habitat Reform Act (HR 2933) would change the definition of critical habitat, making it more difficult — if not impossible — to designate unoccupied critical habitat.

Unoccupied habitat is necessary to increase the populations and ranges of imperiled plants and animals so eventually they can be taken off the endangered species list. HR 2933 would also remove legal deadlines for designating critical habitat by combining the designation process with recovery plans.

Currently, there are no deadlines for developing or implementing recovery plans for listed species.

Over the years, in an effort to perpetuate our unique Hawaiian heritage for future generations, citizens have taken action to compel the listing and designation of critical habitat for over 250 threatened and endangered Hawaiian plants and animals. Although some critical habitat was excluded (improperly, in our opinion) from the designations, those designations made will prevent federal agencies from taking actions that would destroy that habitat.

This is particularly important in Hawai'i because of the strong federal presence in the Islands. These protections ensure that appropriate federal agency actions can take place without harming listed species or destroying critical habitat.

HR 1662, the Sound Science in Endangered Species Act Planning Act, is just as worrisome. It would undercut the use of the best available science. It would give greater weight to particular kinds of science over others by restricting the use of tools — such as statistical modeling — and it would remove necessary checks and balances in the ESA. Scientists — not Congress — should make decisions about what is needed to bring species back from the brink of extinction. In the case of HR 1662, calling for more "science" is a blatant attempt to delay taking necessary actions to protect biological diversity. Politicizing the science would only hasten the loss of our unique cultural and natural heritage.

Hawai'i is home to more threatened and endangered species than anywhere in the country. Citizen organizations, scientists and elected officials have worked very hard over decades to increase protection for imperiled Hawaiian species and advance the likelihood that they will recover someday.

We have so much to lose in Hawai'i if the ESA is weakened. We urge Hawai'i's congressional delegation to oppose these ill-conceived bills.