Political Pedicure

All-nail, Half-nail, Toe-nail and No-nail

A native Hawaiian; Hanging on by a Toe-nail

The term “native Hawaiian” is inaccurate and misleading. The Supreme Court in the Rice versus Caetano decision characterized it as a proxy for racism. It is easy to understand why. Prior to the 1778 constitutional convention, there were two definitions for native Hawaiians: Hawaiians, who were individuals with 100% Hawaiian blood, and half Hawaiians, who had 50% Hawaiian blood and 50% non-Hawaiian blood. These individuals qualified in their respective collective categories because their majority blood quantum was Hawaiian.

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