While Americans celebrate July 4 as Independence Day, the date signifies quite the opposite to many Hawaiians and to people of many countries around the world. This year, July 4 marks the 123rd anniversary of the launch of America’s brand of overseas imperialism.

On July 4, 1894, the traitorous cabal that had seized control of the Hawaiian Kingdom, which proclaimed itself “The Republic of Hawaii,” determined to annex Hawaii to the United States.

On July 4, 1898, having failed twice to annex Hawaii by a proper treaty, the U.S. Congress resorted to passing the “Newlands Resolution” to simulate an annexation.

With both July 4 actions, the perpetrators virtually gave themselves permission to take over the Hawaiian islands. That’s like someone saying to you, “I now own your home because I wrote a document yesterday that says I own your home.” Preposterous, right? But that is essentially what happened to Hawaii.

On July 7, 1898, three days after Congress passed the Newlands Resolution, President William McKinley signed the bogus measure. And five days after that, on July 12, a ceremony was held at Iolani Palace in Honolulu whereby the leaders of the “Republic of Hawaii” continued their high treason and deception by handing over Hawaii to the United States.

Thus, the real legacy of July Fourth in Hawaii is not independence, but the loss of independence. So why does the general public not know this?

Once the U.S. took over, the public education system of the Hawaiian Kingdom (one of the best in the world) was turned into an indoctrination device to: 1) conceal the truth of what really happened to the Hawaiian Kingdom, and 2) seduce generations of Hawaii’s children into embracing America as their mother country.

As the years passed, all vestiges of Hawaiian national identity, and much of Hawaiian culture, faded away. Generations of Hawaii’s children became loyal, patriotic Americans.

A key to the re-education program was changing the name of Honolulu High School to President William McKinley High School. It became the flagship of the propaganda campaign to inculcate the American way. The school’s bronze statue of McKinley holds in its right hand a fictitious, “Treaty of Annexation.”

While the academic achievements and espirit de corps of the high school is undeniable and admirable, the name “McKinley” is an anathema, perpetuating the monumental lie that Hawaii was duly annexed when it was actually ruthlessly hijacked.

That’s like being told you were adopted, but then finding out you had been kidnapped! But now the kidnapper and many victims suffering from Stockholm syndrome, deny anything is wrong and that being abducted was for their own good and Hawaiians should be grateful, forgive, forget and move on.

President McKinley not only oversaw the violation of the sovereignty of the Hawaiian Kingdom, he unleashed a virulent brand of American imperialism that caused havoc, suffering, death and destruction all over the world for the past 123 years.

As long as the school bears the name of President McKinley, it will bear the stigma of the fake annexation and the abusive policies of American imperialism he instigated.

Removing the stigma of the McKinley name would serve to: preserve the merits, dignity and legacy of the students, faculty and staff of the school itself; be truthful and historically accurate; maintain the integrity of the state’s education system (by not perpetuating falsehoods); and serve as an initial step toward truth, reconciliation and recovery for the generations of Hawaiians who suffered from the loss of their country.

Leon Kaulahao Siu is a Hawaiian national, musician, diplomat and advocate for the reinstatement of the Hawaiian Kingdom.