DEAR MR. PRESIDENT

MAMO RECORDS
COPYRIGHT 1990
Peter K. Apo

DEAR MR. PRESIDENT:

I'M WRITING YOU TODAY – FROM THE ISLANDS OF HAWAII – THAT SEEM FAR AWAY.

I'M A NATIVE HAWAIIAN – AS AMERICAN AS CAN BE – AND I WONDER IF YOU KNOW OF ME IN WASHINGTON, D.C. – BECAUSE SOMEHOW DEEP INSIDE ME – I STILL DON'T FEEL I'M FREE.

YOU SEE THERE WAS A TIME – BEFORE 1893 – WHEN HAWAII WAS A KINGDOM – WITH ITS OWN SOVEREIGNTY. WE LIVED A SIMPLE LIFE – JUST TAKING WHAT WE NEED – BUT THEN THERE CAME THIS PROBLEM – I GUESS MOSTLY IT WAS GREED – AND THE QUEEN WE LOVED SO DEARLY – SEEMED TO HAVE GOT IN THE WAY – OF SOME FOREIGNERS DESIRE WHO STEAL THE LAND AWAY - AND WHEN SHE TRIED TO STAND HER GROUND – THERE WAS QUITE A SCENE – AND SHE FOUND HERSELF AT ODDS – WITH THE UNITED STATES MARINES.

THE REST IS PRETTY MUCH HISTORY – SHE LOST HER SOVEREIGN CROWN – AND ENDED UP A PRISONER WITHIN THE PALACE GROUNDS. SO I GUESS I HAVE TO ASK YOU – WITHOUT SOUNDING LIKE A FOOL – WHAT HAPPENED TO THE AMERICA – I LEARNED ABOUT IN SCHOOL.

THERE'S BEEN SOME TALK ABOUT HAWAIIAN NATIONHOOD – MOSTLY IT'S JUST TALK – MUCH OF IT MISUNDERSTOOD – AND WHILE IT DOESN'T SEEM TO ME LIKE SUCH A BAD IDEA – IT'S SURE GOT SOME PEOPLE UPSET – AND FULL OF FEAR. I GUESS I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S WRONG WITH WANTING TO BE FREE – MAYBE GET SOME OUR LAND BACK – AND PLAN OUR OWN DESTINY – EVERYONE ELSE SEEMS TO HAVE GOT THEIRS – MOSTLY AT OUR EXPENSE – SO IT SEEMS TO ME A MATTER OF COMMON SENSE. IF THINGS LIKE RIGHT AND WRONG – MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU, DON'T YOU THINK HAWAIIANS – HAVE SOMETHING COMING TOO?

AND YOU KNOW IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE ASKING FOR MORE THAN OUR SHARE – RETURNING WHAT WAS STOLEN – SEEMS TO ME AS FAIR. BUT SO MUCH TIME HAS PASSED – SINCE THE LAND WAS DIVIDED UP – THAT THOSE WHO CONTROL IT NOW – PROBABLY WOULDN'T WANT TO GIVE IT UP. THEY SAY IT'S FOR OUR OWN GOOD – THAT THE LAND IS KEPT IN TRUST – BUT IT SEEMS THE TRUTH IS – THEY HAVE NO TRUST IN US.

YOU KNOW – MY SON AND HIS FAMILY HAVE MOVED TO THE MAINLAND – BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD A HOME – AND THERE ARE HAWAIIANS LIVING ON THE BEACHES – WITH NO LAND TO CALL THEIR OWN. HOW CAN IT BE – THAT IN THIS LAND THAT ONCE WAS OURS – WHAT SHOULD BE OUR BIRTHRIGHT – GAVE WAY TO HIGH RAISE TOWERS.

WE WERE FRIENDLY, LOVING PEOPLE – WHO ALWAYS TRIED TO SHARE – THOSE THING WE VALUE DEEPLY – WITH THOS FOR WHOM WE CARED. BUT, IN THE END WE LOST IT ALL – I GUESS THAT'S WHAT BREAKS MY HEART. BUT – YOU KNOW THIS BUSINESS OF NATIONHOOD – MIGHT BE A CHANCE FOR A BRAND NEW START.

WELL – I KNOW YOUR'E REALLY BUSY – AND PROBABLY HAVE TO GO – SO, IN CLOSING MR. PRESIDENT – LET ME SAY – ALOHA NO

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