ABC News: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/man-fights-license-test-hawaiian-19874686
A Hawaiian man pulled over for speeding on Jan. 25 also had a good reason for not having his license. Actually, Daniel Anthony didn't have a license at all. His reason? His native state of Hawaii did not offer the drivers license test in Hawaiian, his chosen language. The unlicensed driver saw his state's refusal to offer him Hawaiian, an official language of the state, as "discrimination that violates the state constitution".
Anthony's struggles represent the state's efforts to preserve a nearly wiped out language. Only about 17,000 of the state's 1.4 million inhabitants use the language. Anthony believes that his efforts to speak and write Hawaiian are ways that he can help to preserve the almost extinct language.
The man has decided to wage a court battle against the government so that he will finally be able to take his license test in Hawaiian. His efforts not only center around his license test, but rather the Hawaiian language as a whole. He wants his native language to be truly recognized as an official language of Hawaii, rather than just a ceremonial language.
Personally, I believe Daniel Anthony's actions are justified. While his speeding on Jan. 25 was illegal and should be penalized, Anthony's refusal to take the test in English shows remarkable bravery and dedication to his native language. The man's actions could bring statewide attention to the issues faced by him and the other thousands of Hawaiian speakers who are unable to speak or write English. Ultimately, I hope that the Hawaiian government will grant Anthony the rights he believes he is entitled to and bring equality for all citizens of Hawaii, whether they speak Hawaiian or English.
