Sanford B. Dole's 160th birthday was April 23, 2004. In honor of that event, Ken Conklin offered an essay to all of Hawai'i's daily newspapers. It is interesting to see how the various newspapers handled it, and also what responses and rebuttals were published. Journalism students will find this webpage interesting, because it contains essays and letters to editor both as submitted and as published after editing; and it provides a comparison of how different newspapers handled the same submitted document.
Printed newspapers have severe space limitations for articles and letters-to-editor. It is costly to print and distribute newspapers. Those costs must be paid by readers who buy the newspaper and demand a wide variety of content they consider interesting; and those costs are also paid by advertisers who get priority for the space they use since they are paying for their own space plus the space taken by non-advertising content. Therefore newspaper editors are reluctant to print lengthy articles on topics that may be of interest only to a small number of readers.
But given the space limitations, it should be noted that Hawai'i's newspapers are happy to print news articles and opinion pieces celebrating the events and personalities of the Hawaiian Kingdom and the modern-day sovereignty activists, and promoting the Akaka bill to create a phony Indian tribe for ethnic Hawaiians; while the newspapers are very stingy with the space they allocate to what would normally be regarded as mainstream viewpoints supporting the unity of Hawai'i and equality under the law.
Hawai'i celebrates a state holiday in honor of Kamehameha the Great, which is certainly appropriate. But Hawai'i also celebrates a state holiday in honor of Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana'ole and no holiday for Sanford B. Dole. Hawai'i's public schools named for ali'i who were famous during the Kingdom period, such as Kuhio, Ka'ahumanu, and Lili'uokalani have big celebrations of their birthdays which are covered by the newspapers; but there is no such celebration at Dole Middle School.
Let's take a look at how the various newspapers handled the essay in honor of President Dole's 160th birthday. First is the best version, published without length restrictions in an on-line newspaper. Then are all the versions published in the print newspapers, including responses and rebuttals. It is interesting to see how different newspapers made different judgments about what content to cut. It is also interesting to see how Hawaiian sovereignty activists are totally intolerant of celebrating important historical figures they dislike, although they would take great offense if anyone dared to publish a response saying bad things about Lili'uokalani or Kuhio when their birthdays are celebrated.
=====================
Ken Conklin sent a lengthy essay to an on-line newspaper, HawaiiReporter.com, that is not burdened by space limitations. The essay was specially written for that newspaper to take advantage of its lack of length restrictions. It was sent to the editor two days ahead of time, and it was published in full, on Friday April 23, 2004 as requested. It is by far the best version, although it probably had the smallest number of readers. Here is the article in full:
http://www.hawaiireporter.com/story.aspx?ae93be19-7435-42c0-a7f1-85d8f1d6eaec
Honoring Hawaii President Sanford B. Dole on His 160th Birthday
By Kenneth Conklin, 4/23/2004
In the history of Hawaii since 1778, three chiefs of government tower far above all others. They each exercised leadership through a lengthy period of profound and turbulent change. The power and scope of their influence reverberates until today. In the past century nobody has come close to their importance in Hawaiian history.
Everyone knows about Kamehameha the Great -- he was the first chief who ever seized control of all the Hawaiian islands under a single sovereignty, thereby creating the Kingdom of Hawaii as absolute ruler.
Kauikeaouli Kamehameha III converted the Kingdom from an absolute monarchy to the rule of law. He promulgated the first Constitution in 1840. He survived a foreign takeover by England in 1843, obtaining international recognition and treaties. He made it possible for foreigners to come to Hawaii and take an oath to become naturalized subjects of the Kingdom with equal rights; and he acknowledged that all persons born in Hawaii, regardless of race, were subjects of the Kingdom fully equal to natives. He gave up sole ownership of all the lands of Hawaii to create a system of government lands, crown lands, and private deeds in the Great Mahele beginning in 1848.
Sanford B. Dole was native-born at Punahou School, April 23, 1844. He spent eleven of his most formative years (ages 11-22) growing up Hawaiian-style, at Koloa, Kauai, where he became expert at konane (similar to checkers) and pahia (a special form of diving). After attending Williams College (Massachusetts) he became a lawyer, and included plantation laborers among his pro bono clients. He adopted a native girl (perhaps his biological child), whose descendants are Hawaiian community leaders today. His ties to Koloa remained strong, and he was elected to the Kingdom Legislature 1884-86 from Koloa. In 1887 he led the protest group that forced King Kalakaua to sign a new Constitution. Later Kalakaua appointed him to be a Justice of the Kingdom's Supreme Court.
In 1893 he honorably resigned his judgeship before the revolution; and then led the Provisional Government afterward. U.S. President Grover Cleveland "ordered" him to undo the revolution and reinstate the Queen. Hawaii President Dole wrote a lengthy and strongly-worded letter of refusal, confirming that Hawaii desired annexation but was not a puppet regime. Dole then helped create the Republic of Hawaii and was its only President through four more years as an independent nation, recognized by all the nations who had previously recognized the Kingdom. His strong leadership allowed the Republic of Hawaii not only to defy President Cleveland but also to crush the attempted counter-revolution which made use of rifles and bombs the U.S. Navy permitted to be smuggled in to Robert Wilcox.
When U.S. President McKinley came into office, President Dole renewed the negotiations for annexation. Dole drove a hard bargain. The U.S. paid off the accumulated national debt of the Kingdom and Republic (paying more than the market value of the ceded lands at that time). Dole also required the U.S. to hold the ceded lands not as U.S. property but as a public trust for the benefit of all the residents of Hawaii. In 1900, he became Hawaii's first Territorial governor. In 1903 he was appointed judge of the U.S. District Court (Honolulu). Following many years of charitable works, he died in 1926.
Dole and Liliuokalani were friends. He protected her safety and civil rights during the 1893 revolution. Unlike monarchs beheaded and shot during the French and Russian revolutions, Liluuokalani was allowed to simply walk a block to her private home and live there unmolested. Rifles and bombs were found hidden in her flower bed during the Wilcox attempted counter-revolition of 1895. She was put on trial and convicted of misprision of treason (knowing about plans for the counter-revolution and failing to report it); and she spent several months in a genteel "imprisonment" in a huge private room at Iolani Palace (with full-time servant, and sewing and writing supplies). President Dole pardoned her, allowing her to speak, write, and travel freely. She was allowed to organize a petition drive opposing the Republic's most cherished goal of annexation, and to go to Washington D.C. to lobby Congress against the treaty proposed by Dole. But in the end, President Dole's patience and perseverance paid off, and the Republic's treaty of annexation was approved by a joint resolution of Congress signed by President McKinley in 1898.
Sanford B. Dole was Hawaii's longest-ruling chief executive at Iolani Palace (1893-1903), where his firm hand guided Hawaii through a decade of extraordinarily turbulent times. His spirit remains there, and his statue belongs there. He was the last chief of government of an independent nation of Hawaii. Happy 160th birthday, Mr. President.
For a political biography of Sanford B. Dole, including his official positions and an indication of some of his ethnic Hawaiian descendants focusing on the line including Nainoa Thompson, see:
https://www.angelfire.com/hi2/hawaiiansovereignty/dolebiog.html
For the letter from the U.S. government to President Dole on December 19, 1893 demanding that Liliuokalani be restored to the throne, see:
https://www.angelfire.com/hi2/hawaiiansovereignty/doleusdemandrestorequeen12191893.html
For President Dole's powerful letter of Dec. 23, 1893 refusing the U.S. demand to restore Liliuokalani to the throne, see:
https://www.angelfire.com/hi2/hawaiiansovereignty/dolerefusal12231893.html
Kenneth R. Conklin, Ph.D., is an independent scholar in Kaneohe, Hawaii. His Web site on Hawaiian Sovereignty is at:
https://www.angelfire.com/hi2/hawaiiansovereignty
He can be contacted at: Ken_Conklin@yahoo.com
===================
On April 15, 2004 Ken Conklin sent an e-mail to all Hawai'i's daily print newspapers offering each of them a choice of two versions of a tribute for Dole's 160th birthday -- a 500-word essay, and a somewhat shorter letter-to-editor. The expectation was that the editors would probably choose the shorter version (and perhaps shorten that one even further), but the hope was that when making cuts they would use the shorter version as a guide to what content was most important. Having long experience with editors giving inappropriate titles to letters, Ken Conklin always provides a title (which is usually ignored by the editors, who think they are more clever).
Here is what was submitted, following a brief cover-letter:
** Complete version of letter or viewpoint **
TITLE: Honoring President Sanford B. Dole on His 160th Birthday
Sanford B. Dole was native-born at Punahou School, April 23, 1844. He spent eleven of his most formative years (ages 11-22) growing up Hawaiian-style, at Koloa, Kaua'i, where he became expert at konane (similar to checkers) and pahia (a special form of diving). After attending Williams College (Massachusetts) he became a lawyer, and included plantation laborers among his pro bono clients. He adopted a native girl (perhaps his biological child), whose descendants are Hawaiian community leaders today. His ties to Koloa remained strong, and he was elected to the Kingdom legislature 1884-86 from Koloa. In 1887 he led the protest group that forced King Kalakaua to sign a new Constitution. Later Kalakaua appointed him to the Kingdom's Supreme Court.
In 1893 he honorably resigned his judgeship before the revolution; and then led the Provisional Government afterward. U.S. President Grover Cleveland "ordered" him to undo the revolution and reinstate the Queen. Hawai'i President Dole wrote a lengthy letter of refusal, confirming that Hawai'i desired annexation but was not a puppet regime. Dole then helped create the Republic of Hawai'i and was its only President through four more years as an independent nation, recognized by all the nations who had previously recognized the Kingdom. His strong leadership allowed the Republic of Hawai'i not only to defy President Cleveland but also to crush the attempted counter-revolution which made use of rifles and bombs the U.S. Navy permitted to be smuggled in to Robert Wilcox.
When U.S. President McKinley came into office, President Dole led the negotiations for annexation. Dole drove a hard bargain. The U.S. paid off the accumulated national debt of the Kingdom and Republic (paying more than the market value of the ceded lands at that time). Dole also required the U.S. to hold the ceded lands not as U.S. property but as a public trust for the benefit of all the residents of Hawai'i. In 1900, he became Hawai'i's first Territorial Governor. In 1903 he was appointed judge of the U.S. District Court (Honolulu). Following many years of charitable works, he died in 1926.
Dole and Lili'uokalani were friends. During the 1893 revolution she was allowed to simply walk a block to her private home and live there unmolested, unlike deposed monarchs in France and Russia who were beheaded or shot. Rifles and bombs in her flower bed during the Wilcox revolt earned her a genteel "imprisonment" in a huge private room at 'Iolani Palace (with full-time servant, and sewing and writing supplies). After a few months President Dole pardoned her, allowing her to speak, write, and travel freely. She was allowed to organize a petition drive opposing Dole's most cherished goal of annexation, and to go to Washington D.C. to lobby Congress against it.
Sanford B. Dole was Hawai'i's longest-ruling chief executive at 'Iolani Palace (1893-1903), where his firm hand guided Hawai'i through a decade of extraordinarily turbulent times. His spirit remains there, and his statue belongs there. He was the last head of an independent nation of Hawai'i. Happy birthday, Mr. President! For more information, see:
https://www.angelfire.com/hi2/hawaiiansovereignty/dole.html
---------------------
** Shorter version, if you really must cut **
TITLE: Honoring President Sanford B. Dole on His 160th Birthday
Sanford B. Dole was native-born at Punahou School, April 23, 1844, and grew up at Koloa, Kaua'i, until age 22. He adopted a native girl (perhaps his biological child) whose descendants are Hawaiian community leaders today. He was elected to the Kingdom legislature 1884-86 from Koloa. In 1887 he led the protest forcing King Kalakaua to sign a new Constitution. Later Kalakaua appointed him to the Supreme Court.
In 1893 he resigned before the revolution; then led the Provisional Government afterward. U.S. President Grover Cleveland "ordered" him to undo the revolution and reinstate the Queen. Dole wrote a powerful refusal, confirming that Hawai'i desired annexation but was not a puppet regime. Dole then became the only President of the Republic of Hawai'i through four more years as an independent nation.
When U.S. President McKinley came into office, President Dole again sought annexation but drove a hard bargain. The U.S. paid the accumulated national debt of the Kingdom and Republic (more than the ceded lands were worth). Dole also required the U.S. to hold the ceded lands as a public trust for the benefit of all Hawai'i residents. In 1900, he became Hawai'i's first Territorial Governor. In 1903 he became judge of the U.S. District Court (Honolulu). He died in 1926 after years of charitable works.
Dole protected Lili'uokalani's safety during the 1893 revolution. Unlike monarchs beheaded and shot during the French and Russian revolutions, Lilu'uokalani simply walked a block to her private home. Rifles and bombs in her flower bed during the Wilcox revolt earned her "imprisonment" at 'Iolani Palace with full-time servant, sewing and writing supplies. After a few months President Dole pardoned her, allowing her to speak, write, and travel freely. She organized a petition drive against Dole's most cherished goal of annexation, and he let her go to Washington D.C. to lobby Congress.
Sanford B. Dole was Hawai'i's longest-ruling chief executive at 'Iolani Palace (1893-1903), and the last head of an independent nation of Hawai'i. See:
https://www.angelfire.com/hi2/hawaiiansovereignty/dole.html
====================
Below are all the versions of the Dole tribute published in the print newspapers, including responses and rebuttals. Note that the Maui News ignored the request to hold the article for Dole's birthday, and published it 2 days early. Likewise the Advertiser published it one day early. It is interesting to see how different newspapers made different judgments about what content to cut. The Garden Island News, on Kaua'i, did not publish anything even though the first paragraph emphasizes Dole's special ties to Koloa, Kaua'i. West Hawaii Today (Kona) also did not publish anything; and neither did the Hawaii Tribune-Herald (Hilo) (although they generally publish only mahalo letters). The best print-newspaper version was the one in the Star-Bulletin, which also was the only newspaper that included the webpage URL; and it's interesting that there were no published responses to it. The Advertiser included a thumbnail photo of Ken Conklin, but no photo of Sanford B. Dole! The Advertiser also published a hostile response from Isaac Harp, which the editors took the time to clean up substantially (both the Harp letter as he submitted it and the version of his letter as published are included below). Ken Conklin immediately wrote and submitted a rebuttal to Isaac Harp’s response, but it took almost 4 weeks before the Advertiser published the rebuttal! It’s hard to imagine why there was such a delay; and then it’s doubly hard to imagine why the letter was published even after such a long delay! It is also interesting to see how Hawaiian sovereignty activists are totally intolerant of celebrating important historical figures they dislike, although they would take great offense if anyone dared to publish a response saying bad things about Lili'uokalani or Kuhio when their birthdays are celebrated.
====================
The Maui News, April 21, 2004
http://www.mauinews.com/letters/story/0421202004_let05hawaii0421.asp
Hawaii president's birthday anniversary Friday
Sanford B. Dole was born at Punahou School, April 23, 1844, and grew up at Koloa, Kauai, where he lived until age 22. He adopted a native girl (perhaps his biological child) whose descendants are Hawaiian community leaders today. He was elected to the Kingdom Legislature 1884-86 from Koloa. In 1887 he led the protest forcing King Kalakaua to sign a new constitution. Later Kalakaua appointed him to the Supreme Court.
Dole resigned in 1893 before the revolution, and as head of the provisional government, protected Queen Lili'uokalani. U.S. President Grover Cleveland "ordered" him to undo the revolution and reinstate Queen Lili'uokalani. Dole refused, confirming that Hawaii desired annexation but was not a puppet regime. Dole then became the only president of the Republic of Hawaii and pardoned the queen, allowing her to campaign against annexation.
When U.S. President McKinley came into office, President Dole again sought annexation but drove a hard bargain. The U.S. paid the accumulated national debt of the Kingdom and Republic (more than the ceded lands were worth). Dole also required the U.S. to hold the ceded lands as a public trust for the benefit of all Hawaii residents. In 1900, he became Hawaii's first territorial governor. In 1903 he became judge of the U.S. District Court in Honolulu. He died in 1926 after years of charitable works.
Sanford B. Dole was Hawaii's longest-ruling chief executive at Iolani Palace (1893-1903), and the last head of an independent nation of Hawaii.
Kenneth R. Conklin
Kaneohe
---------
Maui News, Monday, April 26, 2004
http://www.mauinews.com/letters/story/0426202004_let08%20hawaii0426.asp
Hawaii's only president deserves more descriptive title
I'm sure Sanford Ballard Dole was all that Kenneth Conklin says he was (Letters, April 21).
However, Mr. Dole's fan left out one title: treasonous overthrower of a legitimate sovereign nation and kingdom.
I just wanted to be sure that is never forgotten.
Louis Vierra
Haiku
---------
Maui News, Monday, May 03, 2004
http://www.mauinews.com/letters/story/053202004_let09sanford.asp
Sanford Dole can't be made a hero of Hawaii
Thank you, Louie Vierra. Your letter of April 26 said it all. Ken Conklin keeps trying too hard to make us believe in Sanford Dole's right of subjugation.
Conklin believes in this usurper so much he sent letters to all newspapers in the islands to get his point across.
Sorry, Mr. Conklin, Sanford Dole committed treason. His only concern was for his "gang" and their deep pockets. You cannot make a hero out of a traitor.
Ruth Keahi
Wailuku
==================
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, April 23, 2004
http://starbulletin.com/2004/04/23/editorial/letters.html
Let's honor leader Sanford B. Dole's 160th birthday
Sanford B. Dole was native-born at Punahou School on April 23, 1844, and grew up at Koloa, Kauai, until age 22. He adopted a native girl (perhaps his biological child) whose descendants are Hawaiian community leaders today. He was elected to the kingdom legislature 1884-86 from Koloa. In 1887 he led the protest forcing King Kalakaua to sign a new Constitution. Kalakaua later appointed Dole to the Supreme Court.
In 1893, he resigned before the revolution; then led the provisional government afterward. U.S. President Grover Cleveland ordered him to undo the revolution and reinstate the queen. Dole wrote a powerful refusal, confirming that Hawaii desired annexation but was not a puppet regime. Dole then became the only president of the Republic of Hawaii through four more years as an independent nation.
When U.S. President McKinley came into office, President Dole again sought annexation but drove a hard bargain. The United States paid the accumulated national debt of the Kingdom and Republic (more than the ceded lands were worth). Dole also required the United States to hold the ceded lands as a public trust for the benefit of all Hawaii residents. In 1900, he became Hawaii's first territorial governor. In 1903, he became judge of the U.S. District Court (Honolulu). Dole died in 1926 after years of charitable works.
Dole protected Liliuokalani's safety during the 1893 revolution. Unlike monarchs beheaded and shot during the French and Russian revolutions, Liliuokalani simply walked a block to her private home. Rifles and bombs in her flower bed during the Wilcox revolt earned her "imprisonment" at Iolani Palace with a full-time servant and sewing and writing supplies.
After a few months, President Dole pardoned her, allowing her to speak, write and travel freely. She organized a petition drive against Dole's most cherished goal of annexation, and he let her go to Washington, D.C., to lobby Congress.
Sanford B. Dole was Hawaii's longest-ruling chief executive at Iolani Palace (1893-1903) and the last head of an independent nation of Hawaii. For more, see
www.angelfire.com/hi2/hawaiiansovereignty/dole.html
Kenneth R. Conklin
Kaneohe
==================
Honolulu Advertiser, April 22, 2004
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2004/Apr/22/op/op05a.html
ISLAND VOICES
Honoring Dole on his 160th birthday
By Ken Conklin
Sanford B. Dole was native-born at Punahou School, April 23, 1844. He spent 11 of his most formative years (ages 11 to 22) growing up Hawaiian-style, at Koloa, Kaua'i.
After attending Williams College in Massachusetts, he became a lawyer and included plantation laborers among his pro bono clients. He adopted a native girl (perhaps his biological child), whose descendants are Hawaiian community leaders today. His ties to Koloa remained strong, and he was elected to the kingdom Legislature, 1884-86, from Koloa. In 1887, he led the protest group that forced King Kalakaua to sign a new constitution. Later Kalakaua appointed him to the kingdom's Supreme Court.
In 1893, he resigned his judgeship before the revolution, and then led the provisional government afterward. U.S. President Grover Cleveland "ordered" him to undo the revolution and reinstate the queen. Hawai'i President Dole wrote a lengthy letter of refusal, confirming that Hawai'i desired annexation but was not a puppet regime.
Dole then helped create the Republic of Hawai'i and was its only president through four more years as an independent nation, recognized by all the nations who had previously recognized the kingdom.
When U.S. President William McKinley came into office, President Dole led the negotiations for annexation. Dole drove a hard bargain. The United States paid off the accumulated national debt of the kingdom and republic (paying more than the market value of the ceded lands at that time). Dole also required the United States to hold the ceded lands not as U.S. property but as a public trust for the benefit of all the residents of Hawai'i.
In 1900, he became Hawai'i's first territorial governor. In 1903 he was appointed judge of the U.S. District Court (Honolulu). Following many years of charitable works, he died in 1926.
Sanford B. Dole was Hawai'i's longest-ruling chief executive at 'Iolani Palace (1893 to 1903), where his firm hand guided Hawai'i through a decade of extraordinarily turbulent times. His spirit remains there, and his statue belongs there. He was the last head of an independent nation of Hawai'i. Happy birthday, Mr. President!
** photo caption: **
Ken Conklin is a writer and researcher who lives in Kane'ohe.
** photo URL **
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/dailypix/2004/Apr/22/op05a_b.jpg
------------------
On Sunday April 25 a Hawaiian sovereignty independence activist, Isaac Harp, sent a reply letter to the Advertiser in hopes they would publish it. It took Harp 3 days to compose his letter. He also sent the letter at the same time to Ken Conklin and Thurston Twigg-Smith (perhaps as a way of spitting in our faces), and to some internet e-mail groups. He was clearly very proud of it. Harp's letter was cleaned up by the Advertiser editors in an act of kindness and charity to him, and then published. First, Harp's letter as submitted. Then Harp's letter as published.
Subject: Honoring Dole?
Date: Sun, 25 Apr 2004
In his April 22nd Honolulu Advertiser commentary titled "Honoring Dole on his 160th birthday," Kenneth Conklin has gone beyond his usual comic attempts to twist history to support the unlawful United States control over Hawaii. Like Lorrin Thurston (grandfather of Thurston Twigg-Smith), Sanford B. Dole (who Conklin honors) cared only about what he could gain for himself by abusing the power of the United States military to gain physical, although unlawful control of Hawaii.
Conklin wrote that Dole led the provisional government and that "U.S. President Grover Cleveland "ordered" him to undo the revolution and reinstate the queen." Dole abused the power of the United States military and then refused to obey his President after doing so. Conklin claims that Dole became Hawaii's President; what a joke.
Dole also lied to his President by claiming that Hawai'i desired annexation. The large majority of the citizens of the Kingdom of Hawaii opposed annexation by signing petitions opposing annexation. Now that the Ku'e petitions have surfaced from the century of being hidden in the United States, there is no doubt that Sanford B. Dole was a liar. Hawaii did not desire annexation. On the contrary, the citizens of the Kingdom of Hawaii wanted their country back as many of the descendants, both Hawaiian and non-Hawaiian do today.
Like Thurston Twigg-Smith who cites bogus material such as the "Morgan Report" to legitimize his grandfather Lorrin Thurston's role in the unlawful overthrow of Hawaii's government, Kenneth Conklin practices "selective research" to support his position of honoring a liar. If Conklin had any credibility as a researcher, he would research all of the facts rather than select only those lies that were written to legitimize the unlawful overthrow and material to support the continued unlawful occupation of Hawaii by the United States.
Although many Americans were involved in the lies and deception to cover up the unlawful acts against Hawaii there is a bit of truth that has been recorded by the United States. The truth can be found in the "Blount Report," a report ordered by U.S. President Grover Cleveland shortly after the unlawful overthrow, which President Cleveland termed, "An act of war."
A very significant fact is that Blount came to Hawaii on a fact finding mission, which served as the basis of his report, while Morgan never visited Hawaii until years after writing his bogus report. Apparently the Morgan Report is based on what the McKinley administration wanted reflected in in the report rather than facts.
If you want to know the truth about the unlawful overthrow of Hawaii, read the Blount Report, a report prepared by a skilled researcher who sought the truth rather than a Kenneth Conklin/Thurston Twigg-Smith/Morgan approach of seeking lies to support lies. U.S. President William McKinley, who ordered Blount to write his report, was to Hawaii back then what U.S. President select George W. Bush is to Iraq and the world today - pilau.
------------------
Here is the letter by Isaac Harp as actually published by the Advertiser after substantial editing:
Honolulu Advertiser April 29, 2004
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2004/Apr/29/op/op03aletters.html
Letters to the Editor
Commentary honoring Dole misstated the facts
In his April 22 commentary "Honoring Dole on his 160th birthday," Kenneth Conklin has gone beyond his usual comic attempts to twist history to support the unlawful United States control over Hawai'i.
Like Lorrin Thurston (grandfather of Thurston Twigg-Smith), Sanford B. Dole (whom Conklin honors) cared only about what he could gain for himself by abusing the power of the U.S. military to gain physical, although unlawful, control of Hawai'i. Conklin wrote that Dole led the provisional government and that "U.S. President Grover Cleveland 'ordered' him to undo the revolution and reinstate the queen." Dole abused the power of the U.S. military and then refused to obey his president after doing so.
Dole also lied to his president by claiming that Hawai'i desired annexation. The large majority of the citizens of the Kingdom of Hawai'i opposed annexation by signing petitions opposing annexation.
Like Twigg-Smith, who cites bogus material such as the Morgan Report to legitimize his grandfather's role in the unlawful overthrow of Hawai'i's government, Conklin practices "selective research" to support his position.
Although many Americans were involved in the lies and deception to cover up the unlawful acts against Hawai'i, there is a bit of truth that has been recorded in the Blount Report, a report ordered by President Grover Cleveland shortly after the unlawful overthrow, which Cleveland termed "an act of war." A very significant fact is that Blount came to Hawai'i on a fact-finding mission, which served as the basis of his report, while Morgan never visited Hawai'i until years after writing his bogus report. Apparently the Morgan Report is based on what the McKinley administration wanted reflected in the report rather than facts.
Isaac D. Harp
Lahaina, Maui
------------------
On April 29, 2004, the same day Isaac Harp published his response letter, Ken Conklin sent the Advertiser a rebuttal letter. That rebuttal was not published for almost 4 weeks! But then it was published essentially unchanged from the way it was submitted.
The Honolulu Advertiser, Monday, May 24, 2004
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2004/May/24/op/op03aletters.html
Letters to the Editor
Response is a lesson on how to twist history
Isaac Harp's April 29 response to my commentary in honor of President
Sanford Dole's 160th birthday accuses me of twisting history. Harp's
letter is itself a lesson on how to twist history.
Harp says: "Apparently the Morgan Report is based on what the
McKinley administration wanted reflected in the report rather than
facts." I never mentioned the Morgan Report - Harp is doing the
twisting. The Morgan Report came from a congressional committee using
testimony under oath (unlike the one-man Blount Report). It was
published in the Congressional Record more than two years before
William McKinley was elected president. There was no McKinley
administration yet.
Harp refers to Grover Cleveland as being Dole's president. He says
Dole "refused to obey his president ... Dole also lied to his
president ... " Mr. Harp, Sanford B. Dole was Hawai'i's president at
the time of these events. Dole was a native-born subject of the
Hawaiian Kingdom. Dole was not an American. Grover Cleveland was
never Dole's president.
Today's sovereignty activists try to deny that non-natives were full
members of the kingdom, just as today's Akaka bill excludes us who
have no native ancestry.
Ken Conklin
Kane'ohe
----------------
Two e-mails from Isaac Harp’s group were kindly forwarded to me by someone who shall remain anonymous. These two individuals occasionally publish letters to editor, when their poor writing is generously assisted by the newspaper editors.
Foster Ampong writes to Isaac Harp’s group:
Subject : Re: Conklin: Honoring Dole on his 160th birthday
LOL!!!!!!!This guy (Conklin) is really a joke. maybe his trying to get
the
Hawaiins pissed off. Everything!...aside from the fact that Dole was
born in
the islands, and he (Conklin) left out his role and actions in the
overthrow
were "Treasonous" are nothing more than spin ans propaganda....his
comments
are so unintellegent.
Foster
David Inciong writes to Isaac Harp’s group (and apparently also to the Advertiser letters editor):
Fwd: ISLAND VOICES Honoring Dole on his 160th birthday Ken Conklin
The perpetual ultracrepidarian once again asserts his slant and a dig
in
order to honor Dole. His claims are truly arbitrary considering the
facts of the
matter. Conklin's perverse interpretation of Hawaiian-US history has
garnered
him the prestigious title as the person Hawaiians most hate. While he
bathes
in that glory, he contradicts historical facts he relates by alluding
that
Hawai'i desired annexation; yet declares Dole faced a decade of
extraordinarily
turbulent times as the alleged president in Hawai'i, placed there by
the
intervention of the US. Dole has been considered persona non grata as
is Conklin.
They both deserve each other.
==================
You may now
SEE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SANFORD B. DOLE
or
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or
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