Some members of Hawaii's advisory committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights are raising concerns about their first public hearing tomorrow to debate a bill to federally recognize native Hawaiians, claiming its scheduling was rushed and the agenda set without consultation.

It has taken decades for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights to earn its well-respected legacy — and now the agenda of one administration threatens to topple that. The agency is being used by the government to advance conservative ideas about civil rights, including a rollback of affirmative action. That national drive is playing out this week in Hawai'i in hearings over the Native Hawaiian federal recognition legislation.
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...Hawai'i residents should be encouraged to speak out at the hearing, but to be aware of the context. Regardless of one's position on the Akaka bill, while witnessing political theater it's essential to know who is running the show.

OHA and its allies believe the Akaka Bill would protect Hawaiian institutions (like Kamehameha Schools), organizations (like Alu Like), and entitlements from legal challenges. Unfortunately OHA & Co. haven’t taken enough time to look behind the curtain as to why federal/state governments would be pro-Akaka Bill, despite all the legal opposition. (Hint: it has to do with land settlements, despite all the denials). And they haven’t seemed to absorb the history of the mixed blessing of what tribal recognition has done for(to) Native Americans. The Indian model has problems; I know, I'm an Indian. Legal challenges by anti-Indians and erosion of Indian rights and entitlements continue in Indian country despite protections that are much stronger than what the Akaka Bill would provide for Hawaiians.
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Sovereignty activists vary in their perspective (how many self-proclaimed kings/governments are there anyway these days?) but essentially they don’t want the Akaka Bill because they don’t agree with its avoiding the essential question of the illegal occupation of another nation and they don’t believe OHA or any other arm of the federal/state government has the right to negotiate such an approach. As an Indian, and knowing what I know of both Indian and Hawaiian history, I support the struggle. Sovereignty cannot be taken away forcefully, only surrendered, and Hawaiian sovereignty was never surrendered.