Science

Judi Lynn

(160,623 posts) Sun Jul 14, 2019, 11:22 PM Jul 2019

Hawaii Telescope Construction Expected to Draw Protesters, Police

By VOA News
July 14, 2019 08:53 PM

Police and protesters are gearing up for a fight in Hawaii as construction is set to begin on a massive telescope on Mauna Kea, the islands' highest peak, considered sacred by some native Hawaiians.

State officials said the road to the top of Mauna Kea mountain on the Big Island will be closed starting Monday as equipment is delivered to the construction site.

Scientists chose Mauna Kea in 2009 after a five-year, worldwide search for the ideal site for the largest telescope in the Northern Hemisphere. Construction was supposed to begin in 2014 but was halted by protests.

Opponents of the $1.4 billion telescope will desecrate sacred land. According to the University of Hawaii, ancient Hawaiians considered the location kapu, or forbidden. Only the highest-ranking chiefs and priests were allowed to make the long trek to Mauna Kea’s summit above the clouds.

More:
https://www.voanews.com/usa/hawaii-telescope-construction-expected-draw-protesters-police

7 replies

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Hawaii Telescope Construction Expected to Draw Protesters, Police (Original Post) Judi Lynn Jul 2019 OP

I have mixed feelings on this one. 3Hotdogs Jul 2019 #1

Why can't the acquisition of new knowledge be seen as sacred..... EarnestPutz Jul 2019 #2

Nah, gods seem to get pissed off at a lot of shit. 3Hotdogs Jul 2019 #3

Public support for the stalled $1.4 billion Thirty Meter Telescope project has never been stronger Ptah Jul 2019 #4

I remember the protest... Callmecrazy Jul 2019 #5

Religious nutters are always obnoxious The Mouth Jul 2019 #6

Fuck the protesters. MicaelS Jul 2019 #7

3Hotdogs

(12,408 posts)

1. I have mixed feelings on this one.

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Sun Jul 14, 2019, 11:38 PM

Jul 2019

Superstition vs. science. No land is more sacred than any other.

But this science. What knowledge from this scope will benefit people?

EarnestPutz

(2,123 posts)

2. Why can't the acquisition of new knowledge be seen as sacred.....

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Mon Jul 15, 2019, 12:48 AM

Jul 2019

....and an appropriate use for a sacred place. Instead of "angering the gods", perhaps the gods would be pleased.

3Hotdogs

(12,408 posts)

3. Nah, gods seem to get pissed off at a lot of shit.

Reply to EarnestPutz (Reply #2)

Mon Jul 15, 2019, 07:51 AM

Jul 2019

How else, do you 'splane the hurricanes, urfquakes and Trump?

Ptah

(33,037 posts)

4. Public support for the stalled $1.4 billion Thirty Meter Telescope project has never been stronger

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Mon Jul 15, 2019, 03:51 PM

Jul 2019

HONOLULU — Public support for the stalled $1.4 billion Thirty Meter Telescope project has never been stronger, according to a newspaper poll.

The poll commissioned earlier this month by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser asked 800 randomly selected registered voters across the state if they support or oppose the construction of the telescope on Maunakea.

About 77 percent of the respondents said they support it, while 15 percent oppose it and 8 percent were undecided.

The poll found that support has especially grown among Hawaii natives. About 72 percent of native respondents supported the telescope in the latest poll. Two years ago the native approval was only 39 percent.

https://www.westhawaiitoday.com/2018/03/26/hawaii-news/poll-shows-strong-public-support-for-thirty-meter-telescope/

It is only the latest chapter in a long series of protests and legal skirmishes. In December 2015, the state’s Supreme Court invalidated a previous construction permit on the grounds that the project’s opponents had been deprived of due process. A state board had granted the permit before the opponents could be heard in a so-called contested case hearing.

The TMT astronomers said they would build their telescope in the Canary Islands if denied in Hawaii. Last October, the Hawaiian Supreme Court restored the telescope’s building permit. Earlier this summer, Governor Ige announced that a “notice to proceed” had been issued, allowing construction. As part of the deal, five telescopes currently operating on Mauna Kea will be shut down and their sites restored to original condition.

Mr. Ige said the environmental reviews required for the decommissioning of two of those telescopes had already begun.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/10/science/hawaii-telescope-tmt-mauna-kea.html

Callmecrazy

(3,065 posts)

5. I remember the protest...

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Mon Jul 15, 2019, 06:09 PM

Jul 2019

I think it initially was about some varmint; a rat or gopher lived up there and they would be displaced.
I also remember my reaction."Dig 'em up and toss them down the fucking hill and let them find another hole to live in. We need this hilltop for a telescope."
Now it's about sacred fucking land? Gimme a break. Playing the sacred ground card? Really?
It wasn't so sacred when we put all those other scopes up there.
Tell them our sacred priests want to have a look around.
Bunch of shit-stirrers is all they are.

The Mouth

(3,164 posts)

6. Religious nutters are always obnoxious

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Tue Jul 16, 2019, 12:25 PM

Jul 2019

and a detriment to civilization

The name and/or supposed attributes of sky-fairy friend(s) make no difference.

MicaelS

(8,747 posts)

7. Fuck the protesters.

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Fri Jul 19, 2019, 03:34 PM

Jul 2019

The Telescope is much more important.

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