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Divisive giant telescope cleared for construction on Hawaiian peak
Last week, the state of Hawaii gave astronomers a green light to begin to build the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT), which would rise on the volcanic peak of Mauna Kea as one of the largest telescopes in the world. Project leaders say they are set to begin construction after a 4-year delay caused by sit-down protests and court challenges from Native Hawaiians opposed to structures on a site they consider sacred. But some astronomers worry the threat of disruptions and even violence will persist.
"These are passionate people," says Richard Ellis, an astronomer at University College London who helped develop the TMT concept. "They know that once it gets going their case is weaker." Others say the project should do more to engage with the protesters. "We need to talk with people who disagree with us," says Thayne Currie, an astrophysicist the NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California, who works on Japan's Subaru Telescope on Mauna Kea.
Although legal barriers are now removed, opponents say they can still try to block access to the road that leads up to the 4200-meter-high summit. "What other tools do we have, apart from having people arrested in large numbers?" asks Kealoha Pisciotta, founder of Mauna Kea Anaina Hou, one of the main opposition organizations. In 2015, 1000 protesters gathered on the mountain, but "there are way, way more people involved now," she says. The astronomers "may have won in the courts, but they haven't won the moral high ground."
Previously: Protests Temporarily Halt Thirty-Meter Telescope's Construction in Hawaii
Hawaiian Court Revokes Permit for Construction of Thirty-Meter-Telescope
Thirty Meter Telescope Considering Move as Hawaii Officials Open Hearing
Canary Islands Chosen as Backup Site for the Thirty-Meter Telescope
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 26 2019, @04:20PM (3 children)
Given the problems that it has caused for all of humanity, can any position that espouses the concept of "sacred land" really be considered a moral high ground?
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 26 2019, @11:45PM (2 children)
No, especially when the land isn't even sacred.
There are a number of actual sacred sites located on Mauna Kea. These are protected sites and not used for construction or any other non-religious purpose. There is absolutely no evidence that the mountain as a whole was ever considered sacred. When asked to justify these claims, the agitators usually say something like "oh, it's a wholeness of experience and belief, something that can't be explained," i.e. 100% pure bullshit. Agitators like to sometimes pretend that the mountain's name is actually "Mauna Wakea," named after a deity. It's not. It means "White Mountain," because the mountain has prominent snow and ice.
The whole thing is made up. Complete garbage. Nothing but lies.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by JoeMerchant on Thursday June 27 2019, @02:38AM (1 child)
Feelings are not bullshit. They felt that the mountain was theirs, not divided up into ranches and exploited for profit, but theirs to enjoy and share in its natural state.
More roads, more traffic, more construction on the mountain is changing that, just like every scrap of white-sand beach has been developed with "luxury resorts," so now the natives can have blue jeans and lite beer, but they can't enjoy their beaches like they used to.
The telescope isn't even going to give them an extra can in their six pack, not the way a new resort hotel or airport would. I don't blame them for "not seeing the benefit" and sticking to their desire to preserve things the way they were.
Legal arguments, based on other people's laws, are the bullshit in this scenario, but legal arguments, in the imperialist's court, are what will be deciding how it plays out.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 0, Troll) by khallow on Thursday June 27 2019, @03:15AM
Sure.