Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 16, Number 5, 1 May 1999 — Rice racism and reactionary trends [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Rice racism and reactionary trends

fREDDY RICE is the petitioner in the Rice vs. Cayetano case. He is a third-generation haole with a long family history of anti-Hawauan, pro-annexationist activities. When interviewed by the Star Bulletin, Rice said his ancestors supported Queen Lili'uokalani before the 1893 ihegal overthrow. This assertion was also made by Rice in the briefs he filed. However, research by the Native Hawahan Legal Corporation reveals that Rice is a liar. Historical records indicate the fohowing: • His grandfather, Wihiam Hyde Rice, was "one of the 13 committeemen who waited on King Kalākaua, giving him 24 hours to sign the [1887 Bayonet] constitution." (" Men ofHawai'i"

Biographical Reference Library, pp. 225.) • Wihiam Hyde Rice also "helped draw up the constitution of the Republic of Hawai'i." (" History Makers of Hawai'if A. Grove Day, pp. 108.) Whham Hyde Rice was married to Mary Waterhouse, Freddy's grandmother. • According to The Pacific Coast Commercial Record, circa 1892, Mary's grandfather, John Thomas Waterhouse Sr. "from his strong regard for his native land" did not become a Hawaiian subject. • The fohowing is written about Mary's father, John Thomas Waterhouse Jr.: "He inherited his father's annexationist views and promoted them whhe serving in the legislature under the Monarchy, the Provisional Government and the Republic." (" History Makers of Hawai'i," A. Grove Day, pp. 125.) • Freddy's father, Harold W. Rice, was a territorial senator. "On February 18, 1893, Senator H. W. Rice introduced a bhl to restrict the procreation of socially, inadequate persons by steril-

izing anyone classified as a fee-ble-minded, insane and/or epileptic person, idiot, imbeche,

or moral degenerate, or person of habitual criminahty." (" Hawaiian Journal ofHistory," Vol. 8, 1974, pp. 96.) Harold Rice's effort to pass the sterilization law is significant given the fact that in 1893, Hawaiians who had been evicted from their lands were being arrested and jahed under vagrancy laws that were passed

after the māhele. In 1893, Hawaiians were considered "socially inadequate" by the annexationists. Īhe Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation's research also uncovered the source of Rice's funding: "His lawsuit is funded by the D.C. -based Campaign for a Colorblind America. The group, according to the Texas Observer, "is dedicated to eliminating racial distinctions in Ameiiean poliheal hfe." The campaign has successfuhy chahenged what it cahs "racial apartheid" - voter districts with a majority of AfiicanAmerican and Hispanic voters. An Hispanic attorney commented, "We're in the midst of a trend of taking away equal rights, services, benefits, opportunities for minorities, for women, for immigrants." The article further notes, "The campaign is a return to an America not 'color blind' but bhnd to only certain colors, and the ideas, perspectives, and histories they represent." Rice has filed several lawsuits - ah aimed at hurting Hawaiians. He has sued to stop Hawai-

ian education at the Kamehameha Schools. He sued to stop Hawaiians from electing OHA Trustees. Rice even sued the YWCA for donating space for Hawaiian language classes. Rice is part of a conservative and reactionary haole movement sweeping across the continent. The goal of the Campaign for Color-Blind America is to diminish pohheal power and eradicate government entitlements currently provided to native peoples, Asians, black Americans and anyone else who is not white. What makes these efforts racist is that Rice and his coalition have the money and power to impose their behefs anel biases on others. OHA wih present thc best case it ean in its amicus brief. Because of the racism underlying the suit, I anticipate that there wih be amicus briefs from other people of color including the Indian Nations. One thing is sure: Regardless of the outcome of the suit, Hawaiians wih never give up our struggle for justice, self-determination and the return of our traditional lands. Rice v.v. Cayetano throws fuel on the fire, it extinguishes nothing! ■

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