"When Thomas Jefferson was writing the Declaration of Independence, he did not apply for a grant ... from [King] George."

by Robert Thomas, InverseCondemnation, December 22, 2015

Back to the Hawaiian-only election. Here's an interview from ThinkTech Hawaii which asks "Is Nai Aupuni Sponsored by the State Government?"

The interview is conducted by the plaintiff in the Akina v. Hawaii case, and the interviewees are one of the lawyers for the plaintiffs, Michael Lilly, and the other is U. Hawaii lawprof Williamson Chang. Each has their viewpoint of course (Professor Chang has argued that Hawaiians should be independent, and not relegated to tribal status, while Dr. Akina and Mr. Lilly are challenging the election), but whatever your view of this thing is, the program is a very good 1/2 hour education on the principles at stake.

The quote in this post's title is from Professor Chang, whose answer to the question posed by the video's title is clearly "yes." If Hawaiians want independence, then those efforts should not be funded by the very sovereign they are attempting to separate from, according to Professor Chang. 

Meanwhile, we're still waiting for more action in the Ninth Circuit....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQ-beLkxgi4&feature=youtu.be

E Hana Kakou with Keli'i Akina Mon, December 21; Video 46 minutes

Title: Is Na`i Aupuni Sponsored by the State Government?

Guests:  Williamson Chang, Professor, Richardson Law School, UH Manoa, Michael Lilly, Former Hawaii Attorney General

Description:  Legal experts Williamson Chang and Michael Lilly discuss with Dr. Akina the problems of the race-based election and convention effort called Na`i Aupuni.  Among other issues, they state why this effort is actually sponsored by the Hawaii state government.

This is a fascinating conversation among three very knowledgeable and well-spoken gentlemen, about a topic of immense importance to the people of Hawaii.  

Keli'i Akina is the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit to block the Na'i Aupuni race-based election of delegates to a constitutional convention, which is expected to produce a governing document for a wannabe Hawaiian tribe.  The document would then be a vital part of an application to the Department of Interior requesting federal recognition of the Hawaiian tribe as having the same rights as all the mainland tribes.  The result would be to divide the lands and people of Hawaii along racial lines -- something which has never been done throughout the entire history of Hawaii.  

Michael Lilly is a distinguished former Attorney General of the State of Hawaii who is an attorney in the lawsuit, and whose ancestor was an Attorney General of the Kingdom of Hawaii.  

Williamson Chang is a distinguished Professor of Law at University of Hawaii, who is also one of 196 candidates for the convention.  Professor Chang indicates that Na'i Aupuni could probably be held in contempt of the injunction of the Supreme Court which, by a 5-4 majority, prohibited Na'i Aupuni from certifying delegates to the convention.  And Professor Chang also expressed concern for himself and the other candidates (now certified as delegates) that they also could be found in contempt of court because their attendance at the convention would make them accessories to Na'i Aupuni's violation of the injunction.  

Mahalo nui loa to all three participants in this splendid discussion.