Parallels of Statehood & Current Beliefs

Parallels of Statehood and Current Beliefs

By: Derek Chow

When I was given this assignment to write about Admissions Day, I didn’t realize how difficult the task would be.

I thought, “easy, I will just write about the controversy at the time of Hawai‘i becoming a state with the current backdrop of the protests ongoing throughout the nation.”

And since being born and raised in Hawai‘i, it would be easy to write about growing up as an US citizen.

Little did I know that my reading of history to write this article would make me realize that the history of statehood and current beliefs in Hawaii have many parallels to what is disturbing our nation today.

Here are some facts leading up to Statehood:

• President Dwight D. Eisenhower proclaimed Hawaii as a state on August 21, 1959. • Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole, who was the non-voting congressional delegate of the Territory of Hawai‘i, had sought to have Hawai‘i enter the union as early as 1919. • Of 155,000 registered voters in Hawai‘i in 1959, 140,000 voted for Hawai‘i to become a state. • There were about 500,000 residents of Hawai‘i at the time. • Hawai‘i had been occupied by the United States since 1898. • Hawai‘i is believed to have been colonized by Polynesian voyagers in the eighth century. Hawaii has been visited by Spain (1500’s), by Britain (1700’s), by Russia (1800’s) and finally by the US. I don’t think anyone would argue being given a paid day off from work, so there is one benefit, and this particular holiday is specific to Hawai‘i, though other states have their own holiday.

In Hawai‘i still, and maybe more so in the last few years, given the wakened awareness of the people to sense of being and self-determination, developments like the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) and park development at Waimanalo Park/Sherwood Forest have been challenged.

For many, statehood remains controversial as many believe that Hawai‘i was improperly forced to become a state by the powerful minority.

In fact, some believe that Hawai‘i should seek sovereignty from the US as well as be paid reparations for past injuries.

I don’t challenge the belief of those wanting to seek sovereignty or reparations. Although, I would like to consider the possibilities of truly being independent from the US.

There are still many countries around the world that remain independent countries, but one thing that is clear, while independent, their survival and existence are through alliances with more powerful countries.

As we celebrate Hawai‘i’s Statehood Day or Admission Day, let me reflect on some history and try to invoke some thought about what it should mean to us today in 2020. Probably the closest geographically to Hawai‘i are the Pacific Territories of American Samoa, Guam and Northern Mariana Islands and the Freely Associated States of the Republic of Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, and