Knowing

Hawaii used to have kings and queens.
I have just found out about that !
How cool.

Bob

So it was like the USA is now. Bush royal family and all. No democracy here, like the GOP boys like to proclaim after the 2000 appointment by the Supreme Court "this is a REPUBLIC not a democracy". And they were right about that part....unless it'll be just a monarchy for real. Newt Gingridge said in Time magazine recently that after George Jr rules for 8 years then Jeb should get the crown for the next 8.

bob

Bob

Don't blame W or the Supreme Court. Instead you should blame (pick one from the list below)

a) The morons in Florida who couldn't figure out the ballot - even though it was prepared by Democrats

b) Al Gore for losing his home state and his home Congressional District

c) Al Gore and Bill Clinton for losing Arkansas

If Gore wins either Tennessee or Arkansas he is President today. But it is uncommon in America for people to take responsibility for their own mistakes. It is much cooler to blame someone else

bob

Bob

Don't blame W or the Supreme Court. Instead you should blame (pick one from the list below)

a) The morons in Florida who couldn't figure out the ballot - even though it was prepared by Democrats

b) Al Gore for losing his home state and his home Congressional District

c) Al Gore and Bill Clinton for losing Arkansas

If Gore wins either Tennessee or Arkansas he is President today. But it is uncommon in America for people to take responsibility for their own mistakes. It is much cooler to blame someone else

Finally, you might like to look up the correct spelling for Newt's family name as it will give your future rants a bit more polish.

Bob-on-this

Why don't you throw in the Adams (Dad & Jr) and/or the Kennedy clan? Let's see, the Kennedy's... dad paid for votes and had the mob support his son all the way to the White House and Ted got away with killing a girl. We could go about Bobby but I hate pick on the dead.

Sarah

Knowing you can buy a video on the last Queen of Hawaii, Liloukilani through PBS.org in the shop video section. It is only 20 bucks. Hawaii has an extraordinary and heart renching history. IT'S A STATE, WE SHOULD ALL KNOW THIS STUFF. Hawaiian culture is 1000+ years old a lot of interesting info to absorb.

A short book you can buy online "A concise history of the Hawaiian Islands" is only 85 pages long and a great read. Want to tackle something more meaty consider "the shoal of time" a bit wordy but considered by many to be standard reading on Hawaiian history.

But if you are so intrigued by the monarchy one of my favorite books is "Hawaii Story" by Queen Liloukilani.
In her own words the happenings of her times.

Last but not least one of the most heart filled facts I learned on my first trip to Hawaii was about a song we all associate with Hawaii. I think I have even heard it on Loonietoon (sp)Cartoons ...Do you know the song "Aloha Oi". It was popularize on the mainland US as a good bye song to tourist leaving the island in the early part of the 20th century. Actually one national Park Lodge in Bryce canyon has staff still singing this as tour buses leave (changing Hawiian words of course). In any event this song if you recall communicates sadness and loss. When cruise lines pulled out in the 20's and 30's women on board would cry as they played this song not even understanding the Hawiian words. Well this song was written by Liloukilani while inprisoned in her residence (two rooms of palace)and after the siege of Oahu by American troops. She was not allowed to read but could write and compose music. She was saying good bye to a sovreign Hawaii in the song. That just breaks my heart a little every time I hear it. Go to Hawaii see the beauty that remains and imagine the beauty that has been lost.

StickToTheTopic

Good job everyone, hijaking Knowing's post.

Yes, Knowing my dear, Hawaii used to be a monarchy. Next time you are in Hawaii you should visit the Iolani Palace on Oahu. It's the only royal residence on US soil. You'll get to tour the palace and hear about how the Queen was under house arrest by the US government.

Knowing

Thanks Sarah and StickToTheTopic !
I'll will look into your suggestions re:
books and places to see !
I've just returned from my 1st trip ever to Hawaii (i.e. Maui) and was surprised to find out about the monarchy. I probably should have heard something about it but didn't...
Thanks

knewthat

And Don Ho used to be the king.

x

that's stupid coming from you

dncee11

Another good book is "Hawaii's Story" by Liliuokalani herself describing how Sanford B. Dole (yes, Dole Foods- bananas, pineapples, fresh fruits & vegs, juices, etc.) and the other haole planters virtually stole Hawaii from the native monarchy for themselves in the name of the USA. One of the last examples of "manifest destiny" or "the winning of the west".

Tonto

...and the US mainland belonged to the Indians before it was taken from them.

As Dick Gregory said, "Only the white man(Columbus) could discover a country that was already occupied.

Roger

The USA's role in the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy is one of this nation's most shameful episodes. Culturally, Hawaii does not belong as a state in a federation thousands of miles away with an almost completely different history. As a firm friend of Hawaii, now and forever, the USA should let Hawaii go on its own independent way. If Hawaii wants a constitutional monarchy, they should choose it if they wish.

duh

This gets my vote for the "DUH" post of the week.

Of course it used to be a monarchy, didn't you have US history in high school? Hey guess what, we bought Alaska from the Russians, and Lousiana from the French!

helen

Some of the above posts are only partially correct. If you study Hawaiian history carefully you'll learn that the U.S. was the good guy in a three-way struggle over Hawaii. If Hawaii hadn't become part of the U.S. it would have been taken by Britain or Japan. The islands were also coveted by Russia.

Mainland U.S. subsidies to the island over the years enable Hawaiian residents to have a substantially higher standard of living than they would enjoy if they were independent.

Karen

Helen's view is one that holds the American government accountable for nothing. It is also highly speculative that the Japanese and British would either invaded Hawaii and been able to maintain a grip.

Helen What kind of logic is that? You think it is acceptable for us to walk into any legitimate country and take over because someone else will do it if we don't.

As to whether we have benefited the Hawaiians?... sure they have enjoyed some benefits but that would be true of the Palestinians in Israel too. For both groups weighing the benefits against the historical loss of life, culture, land, the scale is tipped much farther in the direction of loss.

I think we get in trouble as Americans when we defend the U.S when it acts in unconscionable ways. I don't think you have to side step justice, humanity or your thought process to be patriot. The best citizens hold legislators accountable for bad policy.

Knowing always fun to learn something great that you wanted to yell it out to all of us.

Pele

Helen,

I suppose you also approve of the missionaries that went to Hawaii to "save" the native people.

Did it ever occur to you that we should not have intervened with Hawaii unless we were asked to by the monarchy.

The mainlanders wanted the land for themselves.

Captain Picard

Not to mention the havoc we wreaked on the environment and species of the Hawaiian Islands. One example was the introduction of the mongoose to the Hawaiian islands. Some idiot dreamt up this idea to help erradicate the overpopulation of rats we brought over on our ships. Unfortunately, no one bothered to check on what mongooses ate -- not rats but bird eggs. Thus, hundreds of species of rare birds were destroyed.

The destruction of culture and environment in Hawaii due to colonialism is almost on par with what missionaries and colonialists have done to the African continent.

This is the reason we in the 24th century have adopted the rules of the Prime Directive. Live it and learn it.

Jim

Karen,
It's highly speculative the Japanese would have grabbed Hawaii? Uh, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor then slaughtered people throughout the Pacific Rim and occupied it completely. That's called 20th century history, not speculation.

Captain Picard

Jim, um, have you just come through a space-time worm hole? The Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor AFTER Hawaii had become part of the United States. The Japanese bombed a US military base - right? Get your timeline straight, buddy.