Revisionist history, as perpetrated by the Curriculum Research & Development Group of the College of Education, University of Hawaii, may be the root of the misguided thinking behind the now-failed Akaka Bill; namely, that Hawaiians are victims of White Imperialists and must now forsake Western-style democracy -- with all its inherent rights -- and return to the days of an absolute monarchy.

A History of Hawaii, a benign-looking, anti-American textbook that is required reading for public school tenth-graders, details not only the evils of the White man, but also paints a very unflattering picture of Hawaiian rulers as incestuous, alcoholic, some being in cahoots with gamblers and opium dealers, extravagant beyond their means and weak-willed victims ruled by the coercion of stronger-willed foreigners.

Many of the excerpts that are supposed to be historical are actually fictional journal entries or dialogues, with references to “reliable sources.” Ultimately, the victims in this textbook are Hawaiians and Japanese, while the heroes are Democrats and labor unions. Democratic politicians such as U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye and the now deceased U.S. Rep. Patsy Mink, both holding office at the time of publication, are featured in half-page biographies.

The text describes how interaction with the modern world led to market -- not merely subsistence -- Pacific Island economies, prosperity and literacy. Hawaiian rulers adopted models for a constitutional monarchy, property ownership and a judicial system to ensure civil rights.

But the words “forced,” “haole” or “white,” and “imperialist” are repeated throughout the entire text. In a lesson on imperialism, High School students must color a map with crayons to highlight American and European imperialism in countries “that fell under” Western dominance. Nearly every Hawaiian ruler is said to have been “forced” to sign treaties by “haoles.” Hawaiians were killed off only by “white” diseases. Foreign labor was imported to work the plantations either because Hawaiian’s left for California due to the gold rush or because they were killed off by diseases, depending on which chapter is being read. The majority of the text exceeds the subject of “Hawaiian history” and moves into the realm of propaganda, urging students to write about Martin Luther King or call the National Organization for Women (NOW). In a discussion of land, a passage states that ceded lands are the only thing left that once gave them a “feeling oneness with the world and nature.” The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) was created to “provide Hawaiians the right to determine priorities which would effectuate the betterment of their condition and welfare…” However, all citizens of Hawaii already have the right to better themselves based on U.S. constitutional rights.

A section on the military in Hawaii includes two opposing views of the military presence here, including 9 pages of questions regarding the safety of nuclear weapons stored in Pearl Harbor. Jim Albertini, head of a local peace group, is given triple play over Admiral Robert Long, who was commander-in-chief, Pacific Command, in dismissing the admiral’s assurances regarding the safety of nuclear submarines in Pearl Harbor and concerns regarding the Soviet threat during the 1980s.

A racist poem, “The Color of Ghosts,” by an obscure poet only referred to as “dgbair,” rounds out the “history” lesson. The narrator is from Boston, and feels “gritty” like New York. The narrator confesses to being haole – “the color of ghosts, the color of whalers, missionaries and plantation boss-men, who bought guns, bibles and ships full of workers, and took women, land and too many lives.” He is talking to the “sansei” that sees only the ghosts noisily following the narrator around. He must remain “strange,” never considered “local,” never belonging.

High school students who do not pass a Hawaiian History course using this text will not qualify for a high school diploma. What do families think of this indoctrination of their children by the anti-American and racist propaganda foisted upon their children by the DOE?

Laura Brown is the education reporter and researcher for HawaiiReporter.com and the education policy analyst for the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii. She can be reached via email at mailto:laurabrown@hawaii.rr.com