Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 25, Number 11, 1 November 2008 — Hōʻike pilikia [ARTICLE]

Hōʻike pilikia

I just read the line, "Loeal Republicans would like Native Hawaiians to consider that Sen. McCain represents Arizona - home to a large Native Indian populahon and has experience as chairman of the U.S. Senate Indian Affairs Committee," on page 13 of the October issue. Apparently loeal Republicans do not want readers to know that McCain promised Arizona "Indians" he would defend their rights and beliefs as senator, but upon eleehon, inunediately set about introducing and supporting bills to disenfranchise Native Americans. Forexample, McCain introduced a hill to convert a Tonto Apaehe sacred site into a copper mine, and supported bills to divert headwaters from Fort Apaehe cornfields to golf courses and waterparks in Maricopa County and quite notoriously supported the construction of a telescope on Mount Graham, one of the four sacred mountains to all southwestern tribes. Worst of all, McCain supported bills granting states rights over Native American sovereignty,

whieh means that tribes formerly impoverished paying white lawyers to defend their water, land, mineral and cultural rights in federal courts are now bankrupted paying white lawyers to defend their rights in state courts. With McCain as president, OHA revenue would be frittered away like Kamehameha Schools, i.e., paying settlements and lawyer fees to white lawyers who file suit just to get rich. Arizona Indians would not elect McCain "chief," never mind "coimnander in chief!" Rico Leffanta Hnnnhihi