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Presidential
Proclamation -- King Kamehameha Day |
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The White House |
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Office of the Press Secretary |
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For Immediate Release |
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June 10, 2010 |
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Two hundred years ago, King
Kamehameha the Great brought the Hawaiian Islands together under |
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a unified government. His
courage and leadership earned him a legacy as the "Napoleon of
the |
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Pacific," and today his
humanity is preserved in Ke Kanawai Mamalahoe, or "the Law of
the |
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Splintered Paddle." This law
protects civilians in times of war and remains enshrined in
Hawaii's |
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constitution as "a unique and
living symbol of the State's concern for public safety." |
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On this bicentennial King
Kamehameha Day, we celebrate the history and heritage of the
Aloha |
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State, which has immeasurably
enriched our national life and culture. The Hawaiian narrative
is one |
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of both profound triumph and,
sadly, deep injustice. It is the story of Native Hawaiians
oppressed |
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by crippling disease, aborted
treaties, and the eventual conquest of their sovereign kingdom.
These |
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grim milestones remind us of an
unjust time in our history, as well as the many pitfalls in our
Nation's |
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long and difficult journey to
perfect itself. Yet, through the peaks and valleys of our
American story, |
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Hawaii's steadfast sense of
community and mutual support shows the progress that results
when we |
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are united in a spirit of
limitless possibility. |
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In the decades since their
persecution, Native Hawaiians have remained resilient. They are
part of |
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the diverse people of Hawaii
who, as children of pioneers and immigrants from around the
world, |
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carry on the unique cultures
and traditions of their forebears. As Americans, we can all
admire |
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these traits, as well as the
raw natural beauty of the islands themselves. Truly, the Aloha
Spirit of |
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Hawaii echoes the American
Spirit, representing the opportunities we all have to grow and
learn |
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from one another as we carry
our Nation toward a brighter day. |
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NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK
OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue |
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of the authority vested in me
by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby |
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proclaim June 11, 2010, as King
Kamehameha Day. I call upon all Americans to celebrate the rich |
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heritage of Hawaii with
appropriate ceremonies and activities. |
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have
hereunto set my hand this tenth day of June, in the year of our |
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Lord two thousand ten, and of
the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred |
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and thirty-fourth. |
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BARACK OBAMA |
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