January 23, 2006
The Honorable John McCain
Chair, Committee on Indian Affairs
United States Senate
SH - 836
Washington, DC 20510
In Opposition to S. 147 - The Akaka Bill
Dear Senator McCain:
This letter is to urge you to oppose the “Native Hawaiian
Government Reorganization Act” (S. 147), known as the Akaka
Bill. This proposal deserves to be rejected because it is racially
divisive and would create a confusing patchwork of jurisdictions
that would be a nightmare to govern or to live within.
In the State of New York, during recent years, a patchwork
of two sets of intermingled taxing jurisdictions was being precipitated
by the Oneida Indians, as they systematically bought up property,
using revenue from casino gambling. The Oneidas claimed sovereignty
and refused to pay local property taxes as they accumulated the
patchwork of properties. In Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s
opinion for the majority last year, she cited numerous arguments
to reject the Oneidas’ claims of sovereignty.
In an observation that is relevant to the Akaka proposal,
she pointed to the disruption of government that would occur
if the tribe’s petition to claim sovereignty were granted.
“Today, we decline to project redress for the tribe into
the present and future, thereby disrupting the governance of
central New York’s counties and towns,” Justice Ginsberg
wrote.
Residents of Hawaii who are active in the Property Rights
Foundation of America have written to me expressing their intense
concern about the danger of the Akaka Bill.
Whether your concern is racial and ethnic harmony, functional
government,
capable civic participation, citizen confidence in government,
or simply the future of the United States of America as a strong,
undivided nation, it should be of the highest priority to see
that the Akaka Bill does not become law.
Respectfully,
Carol W. LaGrasse
President
cc. Sen. Larry E. Craig
Rep. J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker
Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr., Chair, Judiciary Committee
Rep. John E. Sweeney
