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from the they-will-just-have-to-hubble-along dept.
From Nature.com:
Hawaii's supreme court has ruled that the construction permit for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) on top of the mountain Mauna Kea is invalid. The 2 December decision is a major blow to the international consortium backing the US$1.5-billion telescope, and a win for the Native Hawaiians who have protested against its construction on what they regard as a sacred summit.
And the top reddit comment on the article, which I found neatly summed up the situation.
I spent time in Hawaii and talked to locals that were born and raised there about this issue. Its polarizing.
People against it brought up the need for spirituality and respect for the Hawaiian culture lost over hundred of years of Western influence.
Argument for the telescope, however, claimed that building it would do nothing but respect their history. How did the ancient Hawaiians get to the island? They used the stars. It was "in their blood" to understand the heavens. Most of the those complaining are young disenfranchised people struggling in one of the crappiest economies in America.
Of course this could be a generalization based on second hand observation.
As for me, as big as these telescopes are, they look like ants on top of these massive volcanoes. Ruining the scenery is nonsense.
We covered the Groundbreaking for World's Largest Telescope nearly a month ago.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday December 05 2015, @12:37AM
These Hawaiians don't want fugly buildings on the beautiful mountain that makes them feel good when they look at every day. Spirituality or not, they should have a say. It's simple respect, and really no different than not wanting people building stuff in the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday December 05 2015, @05:49AM
If they want to look at something pretty, they can turn around and look at some of the best beaches in the world. And yes, people do build things in the Grand Canyon area and Yellowstone. If we have to respect everyone's aesthetic tastes before progress is made, we would have never made it to the stoneage.
(Score: 2) by frojack on Saturday December 05 2015, @09:14AM
They can't see the telescope from were they live. In fact you can't even see the mountain from most places on the Island. (Fire up street view if you don't believe me).
Its not that they don't get a say. They want the final say, no point counting the votes, and to hell with every other opinion.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.