GRASS IN REVIEW
GRASSROOT INSTITUTE OF HAWAII
Nurturing the rights and responsibilities of the individual in a civil society.
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WEEKLY GRASS IN REVIEW - July 25, 2007 |
Serfing in Hawaii
A Message from Dick Rowland
 In a commentary on June 26, 2007, the Georgia Public Policy Foundation published a very meaningful essay by David Boaz which appears below. But before you read it, think about this: Hawaiian Homelands are available to those who are at least 50 percent Native Hawaiians, but the tenant does not own the land. Instead, they lease it from the Department of Hawaiian Homelands. Future generations may lose the land because of insufficient bloodline. One solution would be to distribute the land in fee simple to each authorized beneficiary. Or the land could be title transferred to a corporation totally owned by the current authorized beneficiaries. Either way, the Department of Hawaiian Homelands would have no function. The state would no longer own the land.
Yet every time the idea of individual ownership is proposed, “leaders” respond “Oh no, we could not do that. They might sell it.”
Oh my. Now read the Jamestown story and afterward, ask yourself, What makes a serf? What perpetuates serfdom? Does property ownership promote freedom, prosperity and autonomy and severely limit the powerful leaders?
As my friend Ron Williamson likes to say – “thinkaboutit”.
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IN THE NEWS - HIGHLIGHTED COMMENTARIES
Grassroot Institute is regularly featured in news articles and broadcasts around the state. Here is a sample of some of our recent articles, research stories, and other articles of interest.
Private Property Saved Jamestown and, With It, America
By David Boaz
Four hundred years ago this month, 105 men and boys disembarked from three ships and established the first permanent English settlement in North America. They built a fort along what they called the James River, in honor of their king. The land was lush and fertile, yet within three years most of the colonists died during what came to be known as “the starving time.” Only the establishment of private property saved the Jamestown colony.
(To read more, click here.)
GRASSROOT CORRESPONDENCE
Most in Hawaii Don’t Support the Akaka Bill
By Paul de Silva
Congresswoman Mazie Hirono's press release on the appointment of William Burgess and Paul Sullivan to the Hawai'i Civil Rights Advisory Board in which she states that the "group does not appear to reflect the position of the majority of the people of Hawai'i" misrepresents what I know to be the more prevalent public opinion about the Akaka bill.
(To read more, click here.)
Political Ads Shouldn't Be Gagged, Either
By Sean Parnell
Wednesday's opinion by the Star-Bulletin regarding the Supreme Court's recent ruling protecting political speech rights manages to both enlighten and confuse.
(To read more, click here.)
FRESH PERSPECTIVE
Opportunity for Young Adults:
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii created the Fresh Perspective column exclusively to publish the work of high school and college students. In addition to work appearing on GRIH’s website, their work is also submitted to Hawaii Reporter. Submissions are welcome from any interested young adult, and we will publish work that is clearly written and grammatically sound. For earlier Fresh Perspectives please click here.
Contact: roz@grassrootinstitute.org for more info.
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TRY OUR BLOGS
Use these links to access various topics.
The Mystery of Hawaiian History>>>Blog Archives>>>Response to 7/17 Editorial by New Member of Civil Rights Committee
The Mystery of Hawaiian History>>>Blog Archives>>>Hawaiian Bones: Rites for the Dead vs. Rights of the Living
Dash of Calabash>>>Blog Archives>>>The Misuse of Taxpayer Money
Read what others have written or add your own thoughts. Click here for more blogs.
LIBERTY NETWORK
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii is a member of an extensive international liberty network of organizations that promote more individual autonomy and less governmental involvement in human affairs.
- On July 18, 2007 Dick Rowland participated in a one hour national telephone conference discussing health care reform.
- On July 19, 2007 Dick Rowland participated an hour long national telephone conference call on Tax Reform and the Climate for Liberty in our states.
- The Reason Foundation recently formed a coalition to encourage all presidential candidates to pledge to the American public that theirs will be the most transparent administration in U.S. history. The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii was proud to sign on and support this effort. Please see the attached document for the coalition letter and language of the Oath of Presidential Transparency.
UPCOMING EVENTS
All of the Institute’s events, research publication dates and speaking engagements are available on our website.
July 31, 2007
A Luncheon
Celebration in Honor of Milton Friedman's 95th Birthday in the Card Room,
Pacific Club
11:30 AM – 1:30 PM
Join Us in Celebrating a
Legacy of Freedom! July 31, 2007 would
have been Milton
Friedman’s 95th
birthday. To
honor his vision
and the impact
he has had on
our society, we are
bringing people
together to discuss
ideas that were dear
to him—individual
liberties, free markets,
and school choice. Doug Bandow will be the main
speaker at the Hawaii event. Click here to learn more.
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How fast does the state spend your money?
State spending is out of control. Watch the dollars fly out the window.....
Have an Institute speaker at your next meeting!
From taxation to education, from health care to transportation, the Institute’s staff is ready to address your group regarding the important policy issues facing all citizens of Hawaii. Call (808) 591-9193 to check availability and make arrangements, or e-mail us at roz@grassrootinstitute.org.
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Grassroot Institute is a proud member of the State Policy Network and Townhall..
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SUPPORT GOOD PUBLIC POLICY
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CRABGRASS
A team of economists and psychologists at the University of Oregon have found that donating money to charity activates regions of the brain associated with pleasure.
(Source: Science)
About a third of U.S. soldiers returning from duty in Iraq seek mental health counseling within the first year of being back home.
(Source: The Boston Globe)
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
“Being conservative used to mean that you stood for certain political ideas, but it also meant that you stood for certain virtues, especially personal responsibility and old-fashioned honor. After these last six years, it's hard to know what conservatives stand for, except never having to say you're sorry.”
-- Columnist Rod Dreher
“Hell, I never vote for anybody, I always vote against.”
-- Comic actor W. C. Fields (1880-1946)
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