Would you be surprised to hear that they oppose it?  It’s true.  On Dec. 7, 2010, the United States Commission on Civil Rights delivered a letter to key Congressional leaders reiterating their opposition to the Akaka Bill. If you’re interested, you can read the letter in full here.  (And the earlier, more detailed letter it references can be seen here.)  Without equivocation, the USCCR expresses its opposition that any attempt made to attach the Native Hawaiian Reorganization Act to a spending bill this session.  In addition, the letter states that the changes that have been made or proposed to the Act are insufficient to overcome the constitutional concerns that have been raised, and reiterates the Commission’s opposition to the Bill.

What is the source of the Commission’s opposition?   The reasons given should be familiar to most of those who have made a careful study of the legislation and its possible consequences: that Congress lacks that constitutional authority to thus “reorganize” ethnic groups into dependent sovereign nations without a strong history of self governance; that doing so will set a dangerous precedent; that it should not be used as an attempt to shore up race-based benefits threatened by recent court decisions; and that it is contradictory to the history of the Hawaiian government.

Above all, the opinion of the Commission makes it clear that the questions of race that surround the Akaka Bill are far more complex than Akaka’s supporters would like to admit.  It’s as though, in their efforts to help one ethnic group, the pro-Akaka lobby has deliberately ignored the fundamental principles of civil rights.

The best testimony on September 5 was presented by Mr. Jere Krischel. His remarkable, compelling arguments in opposition to the Akaka bill are available at

http://tinyurl.com/ypa63y

A roundup of all major testimony is at

http://tinyurl.com/2bbfy6

The newly reconstituted Hawaii Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is scheduling public hearings focused on the Akaka bill. Testimony can be submitted anytime during August by e-mail to

bdelaviez@usccr.gov

Written testimony can also be sent by old-fashioned mail, or can be hand-delivered at the hearings (although speaking time will be very short).

The public meeting on O’ahu will be Monday August 20, 1-5 PM, at the state capitol auditorium.

The official announcement was published in the Federal Register on August 10, and can be seen at

http://thefederalregister.com/d.p/2007-08-08-07-3885

Coconut wireless indicates the committee will hold an open meeting at Maui Community College Wednesday August 22 3-7 PM. An open meeting will be held on Kaua’i on August 30 or 31, but date time and place are not yet available.

All persons concerned about the Akaka bill should submit testimony to the Hawaii Advisory Committee before the end of August to help the committee understand the issues and make recommendations to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and to Congress. Congress returns to work after Labor Day and can take up the Akaka bill whenever the Democrat majority leadership chooses to schedule it.

Arlan D. Melendez 

Michael J. Yaki