A Tragedy At Mauna Kea

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   wrenchBiscuitposted 10 years ago

   
   A Tragedy at Mauna Kea
   
   Now, they will proceed to destroy sacred land in Hawaii for the purpose of building a telescope to view the stars. And so, once again the ignorant capitalists offer further proof of their inability, or unwillingness to accept what should be obvious to even a child. But it appears that their arrogance has permanently blinded them to the truth. And what is the truth? The truth is very plain and simple, but many do not want to accept it. I will explain:
   
   First of all, there are observatories and telescopes all around the world. Another telescope is not something the world simply cannot do without. There is nothing wrong with gazing at the stars, or the science of astronomy, but our primary purpose on this Earth is to look into the heart of a man, not into the heart of a distant star. This has always been a problem with the human species. The human has always looked for treasure at the bottom of the ocean; in a mine filled with gold and silver; on a continent that doesn't belong to them, or far out into the heavens. It is very sad that the greatest treasure known to man has always been looking back at him with two eyes, and usually, even speaking the same language. Our only purpose is to live and to die; to love and to hate, and then to understand the difference. Some may ask,"How do you know such things?" And I can only reply that if a man must ask such a question, then he is not capable of understanding the answer.
   
   Here are some of the facts surrounding this issue:
   
   "Astronomers say the telescope will allow them to peer closer to the start of the universe and answer more of its great mysteries."
   
   "TMT (Thirty Meter Telescope) is expected to create 300 full-time construction jobs and 120 to 140 permanent jobs, but protesters said there already has been too much development on Mauna Kea."
   
   "Betty Moore Foundation the nonprofit, created from the fortune of Intel founder Moore, is said to be the largest financial backer of the $1.4 billion, multinational project, which is also due to receive some $175 million in construction costs and $4.8 million in annual operation funding from the University of California."
   
   "Native Hawaiian activists, who have been fighting the project in court for years, call Mauna Kea one of their culture’s most sacred sites, one that is not only historically and currently used for burials, interment of umbilical cords (piko) and traditional celestial observation, but also environmentally fragile. The delicate ecosystem of the mountain also known as Mauna a Wakea (“the mountain of the Sky Father,” considered an ancestor of the Hawaiian people) is also home to the rare endemic wēkiu insect and shrinking Lake Waiau."
   
   A Tragedy at Mauna Kea © 2015 wrenchBiscuit

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      rhamsonposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      What can be done as the Feds already own the land with a National Park. Is the telescope going to be set on land already set aside as holy ground for the Hawaiians? I know from living in Hawaii in the past for several years that the locals lack enough political clout to make the Feds do anything they don't want to. And having experience with government entities they seem to wait any issues out until the protestors get weary of protesting. How long was this in the works and was there enough warning that it was going to take place?
      
      I currently live in Maryland where the commissioners were hell bent on constructing an Island Trail on Kent Island. Nothing anybody could do would stop them. They even built it over a long forgotten to many graveyard where black slaves had been buried. They put up a plaque, did not look for any graves to exhume and relocate and continued on with their trail. I am afraid the same thing will happen as many Hawaiian culturally historical atrocities have taken place. The land grab is always an issue there.

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      1. 72

         wrenchBiscuitposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         This is the earliest dated article I could find so far. So I know the controversy has been brewing since 2011.
         
         http://kahea.org/press-room/press-clips … -telescope

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            rhamsonposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            I read the article and find it ironic that the money was of some importance and not access and environmental issues . I am not saying it was of more importance but that having it mentioned takes away from the complaint of disturbed burial artifacts. What is disturbing is the power of the University of Hawaii in that it can have such control of the situation. Having lived there you see a huge presence of the UH and how it has such connections to do what they want. I don't know if it continues today but when I was there in the '80's there was a few corruption investigations being done.

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      Credence2posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      WB, having lived on the Big Island for 3-4 years, I have witnessed the influence and power of the locals wane in comparison with those of a more acquisitive nature. The indigenous people are poorly prepared for the capitalist juggernaut that would as easily run them down as a little mammal caught on the interstate. In the face of rising costs of living hawaii is becoming toxic for Hawaiians ans so many have moved to the mainland to survive. There was talk of providing a foundation of protection for indigenous resident through government negotiation, somewhat similar to what is found between the government and mainland Native American tribes. While not a panacea, it may slow the descent, buying more time. That never got anywhere. Most of the wealth is controlled by either the Anglo or Japanese. The locals did not have it in them to play the game of hardball that their adversaries were already well versed in. There is FRACKING going on at the time I left, and this is just the beginning of the outrages to come. We thought many times how nice It would be if Madame Pele, would erupt every now and then and sterilize things a bit.
      
      Oh, yes, there is trouble in paradise.

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         wrenchBiscuitposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         I was stationed at Pearl Harbor for two years. I met a lot of nice people over there, and I was always treated with respect.   What you have revealed is truly an outrage, because I was not aware that there were any native  Hawaiian people moving to the mainland because they couldn't afford to live on their own islands. Now, I am totally disgusted. Such a thing could never happen in a free society governed by a moral code. It amazes me how anyone could actually believe that capitalism and freedom can coexist.

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            Credence2posted 10 years agoin reply to this

            I hear that many move to Texas or Nevada. BTW, that is one hell of a disgusting looking pig. The perfect image of capitalism untethered. As islandantoinette mentioned. Hawaii is one of the few places In my travels where being a person of color has been to my advantage rather than otherwise.

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