The Dougout

The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii is a small, free market think tank in Honolulu. It has come out against the Akaka Bill, environmentalism and the Honolulu light rail boondoggle, while supporting patriotism, lower taxes, and the SuperFerry. Needless to say the Hawaii political establishment, and its allies, does not like any such dissent in their socialist fiefdom. For example, a few months ago there was the "demonstration" at the Grassroot's headquarters. The purpose of this "demonstration" was to spark a "confrontation" and intimidate the Grassroot Institute and its neighbors.

Now those hostile to any debate about Hawaii's future think they have a new ally in their Jihad against the Grassroot Institute: the IRS. Doug over at Poinography is postively giddy about a new report out on Hawaii's non-profits:

Inspired by the latest installment of an ongoing series in the Advertiser about non-profits in Hawaii, I followed the link to a website that gathers information about non-profits nationwide, registered as a user, and looked up the 2005 (latest they have on hand) IRS Form 990 filed by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii. You’ll probably have to register too (no charge) for this link (PDF) to work. Evidently they use a pretty loose interpretation of what constitutes lobbying, because the GIH claims zero activity in Part VI-B of the Form 990 Schedule A,...

Yet in Part III of the Form 990 “Statement of Program Service Accomplishments” they reported their efforts (guest speakers, a public debate, a telephone survey) to oppose the Akaka Bill as “educational” endeavors. Right… Not an attempt to influence that national legislation? Hmmm.

Obviously, any "advocacy" can be defined as "education" and vice-versa, however those that support the Grassroot Institute do so voluntarily and know for what purpose their money is going to be used.

As everyone who lives in Hawaii is well aware, some "non-profits" are more equal than others. For example a department of the state government, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, proudly trumpets on their website the vast sums of tax dollars they have spent lobbying for both state and federal legislation. A small sampling from OHA:

• Awarded $280,000 in grants and sponsorships to support conferences, councils, and projects on self-determination
• Sponsored or conducted Kau Inoa registration activities at 85 community events throughout Hawaii and the Continent
• Produced and broadcast two live television programs “Why Hawaiian Federal Recognition?” and “Akaka Bill: The Time is Now”
• Organized and sponsored a 6-city tour of film The Hawaiians, Reflecting Spirit in key cities (Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Nashville, Las Vegas, and Phoenix) to promote better understanding of Hawaiian history and contemporary political issues
• Provided $20,000 in scholarships to the CNHA 5th Annual Convention
• Worked with Congressional representatives and their staff to seek passage of favorable legislation, including the Akaka Bill
• Hosted dozens of Native Hawaiian organizations and individuals to raise awareness of Native Hawaiian issues at the federal level, including the Akaka Bill
• Maintained relationships with dozens of national organizations to garner their support on Hawaiian issues, including the American Bar Association’s (ABA) support for the Akaka Bill
• Served as a resource to the American Bar Association (ABA) at their annual Lobby Day held in Washington D.C.
• Continued to work with Hawaiian-based charter schools and grant $2.2 million to them for the school year
• With the help of the State Legislature, increased funding for a total amount of $1.1 million for Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation to provide legal services to Native Hawaiians needing legal assistance in these areas
• Compiled and monitored OHA legislative package consisting of 39 bills relating to ceded land revenues, autonomy, education, environment and the construction of a Hawaiian Community Center. 8 were enacted into law
• Helped with passage of SB 2948, Act 178, to provide $15.1 million annually to OHA from State land trust revenues and a one-time payment of $17.5 million for undisputed additional revenue for June 2001 to July 2005
• Launched Na Oiwi Olino interactive, live daily radio program on KINE AM 940, 7:00-9:00 a.m., Monday through Friday
• Produced 24 Roundtable discussions for Olelo broadcasting
• Published monthly newspaper Ka Wai Ola

Keep this under your hat, we would not want the mainstream media looking into the activities of a state agency using tax dollars to fund their agenda of racial supremacy.

Update, 9/22/07: The Party Line from the horses mouth, I received the following email from Jerry Norris OHA's "Government Relations Specialist" a few days ago:

ALOHA sorry to burst your bubble, but the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) is NOT a non-profirt [sic]. And while you are correct in identifying some of the costs….not all costs are “tax” or “tax payer” dollars. A substantial amount of our funding comes from revenues from ceded lands…which are NOT tax dollars.

Since OHA is a part of the Hawaii state government, I am not sure what his title means or therefore what he does there. Norris' email does exemplify OHA's state within a state mentality. He is right, OHA is not an organization of private citizens exercising their constitutional rights of assembly and free speech. OHA is a agency state that uses state revenue in order to further its mission of sedition and racial supremacy. The so-called ceded lands are state lands and all revenue derived from these lands is therefore state revenue. Norris by assuming that the ceded lands are part of OHA's private empire is begging the question. This is typical of OHA wanting it both ways. For the purposes of funding and legal authority, OHA is part of the state government. When it comes to using state revenue to lobby and indoctrinate, electing OHA officials, and state land being their private preserve, they are a separate race based government that operates under their own rules and laws.