The schism between the protectors and the Thirty Meter Telescope advocates is deeply cultural and irreconcilable, with no compromise possible. Either it will be on top of the mountain, or it won’t. The protectors’ connection to the mountain is what it is. No one should spurn their position or say their perspective is wrong, or not authentic.

The mountain is a natural process with a life of its own. It is not there to enable a few careers, related jobs and interesting theories. The protectors forbid further desecration, and who is to say they are wrong?

Expanding vision by millions of light years is so beyond the natural range of our species’ five senses. The ancient Hawaiian voyagers were guided by their natural senses, not black holes and infinite universes millions of light years away. That they would have loved the TMT is another black hole that could be seriously doubted.

The first telescope on the mountain was a mistake, but they multiplied. Now it is time to get a different TMT host.

Carol Han

Makiki

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