Albert,

Hawaii is a state but it is not part of America. We are, in fact, part of Polynesia.

Other facts that bolster your main argument:
1. The Hawaiian nation had higher literacy rates and more newspapers per capita than USA.
2. Hawaii had schools, hospitals, courts, banks, theatres, orchestra, libraries, cities, international trade, civil society and baseball years before any US state west of the Rockies.
3. Hawaii's internationally recognized government had an electrified capitol before the USA, and our electrified sugar mills were the most advanced industrial plants in the world. 
4. Hawaii's head of state met other leaders and forged alliances during the first round the world tour in history. 
5. Hawaii's kingdom was a century ahead of USA in terms of civil rights and racial equality, and ended slavery over 80 years before the USA.
6. PacCom covers half the planet. Pearl shipyard repairs & maintains ships and Nuke subs.
7. UH is tops in Astronomy,  Oceanography.