Hawaiian Statehood Celebration Marred by Rowdy Protesters Gail Heriot

While debating the Akaka Bill over the last year or so, I commented several times on how strong the advocates of Hawaiian independence have become.  I don’t mean to suggest that independence advocates (or in some cases advocates of more limited “Hawaiian sovereignty”) constitute a majority or even a large minority of Hawaiians, because they certainly don’t.  But they are too numerous to be dismissed as isolated kooks and lunatics.  (Some are indeed kooks and lunatics, but they’re not isolated. Last year, while driving down a rural road on Maui, I saw more than one upside down flag–the symbol of the movement–being flown in front of Hawaiian homes.  Check out web sites here, here and here.  They are a movement.)

Here’s one measure of the movement’s strength:  the fate of Hawaii’s Statehood Day.  Hawaii has come a long way since it was made a state on August 21, 1959.  As State Senator Sam Slom writes about that day in 1959:  “Nearly every church bell rang. Almost every ship in Honolulu Harbor blew her whistle. Fireworks and bonfires were ablaze. Bands played in Waikiki, shops closed, and teenagers jitterbugged and waved banners outside Iolani Palace. Hula in the streets was prominent.” 

Hawaiians had fought decades to join the union.  Ninety four percent of the population voted to affirm the measure.  And for years afterward “Statehood Day” was publicly celebrated.  But according to Slom, Statehood Day fell out of fashion in the 1990s:  “The last ‘major’ observance of this holiday took place in Candlestick Park, San Francisco, with Democrat Governor Benjamin Cayetano and area Hawaii residents and visitors. The Governor explained that the celebration in Hawaii had become too controversial, and that it might now be perceived as culturally insensitive by Native Hawaiian leaders. When Republican Gov. Linda Lingle was elected in 2002–the first Republican elected in Hawaii in 40 years — it was assumed Hawaii would make a return to American values while honoring Native Hawaiian rights as well. Despite federal and state monies set aside for celebration of Statehood, meaningful celebrations have not taken place. “

Slom and others decided to put together their own Statehood Day celebration this year.  But just as the small celebration was getting started, it was crashed by about fifty protestors equipped with bullhorns to shout at participants–beginning with the seated members of the high school band that had been invited to play patriotic music.  Rather than allow the students to be heckled, the band withdrew.

Here is a MSM account of the day and an excerpt from that story:

“The total number celebrating statehood with Slom appeared to be fewer than 50, not including the Kalani High School Band, which he had invited to play.

The band left the event before it started and without playing their instruments after being heckled by protesters.

‘We should not be here. We don’t have to subject our students to that kind of situation,’ one adult with the band said as the students were escorted away.

Slom tried to make a short speech about the significance of Statehood Day but could hardly be heard over protesters shouting comments such as, ‘We have less freedom now. We had more freedom in our own kingdom.’

Though there were moments of heated argument and boisterous shouting, the hour-long encounter between the two sides had moments of civility as well.

‘I’m not attacking you as a person,’ protester Kamana Beamer told Slom. ‘I’m attacking America’s occupation of Hawaii.”’

Perhaps 50 protesters is not a lot–though I doubt you could get 50 protesters to show up in any other state capital in the country to demand independence from the union.  But these 50 protesters were particuarly over the top in harassing a high school marching band.  They make Hawaii seem like a third world country (which oddly enough seems to be what they’re campaigning for). 

What concerns me, however, is not the 50 protesters.  It’s the fact that the State of Hawaii is willing to abandon public celebrations of Statehood Day out of fear of annoying ethnic Hawaiian leaders.  That kind of spinelessness does not bode well for Hawaii.  If that’s the reason they have downplayed Statehood Day, I predict that the Hawaiian political climate will get a lot sillier before things start getting better.

Here is a more detailed and colorful account of the day with further links.