Mauna Kea standoff time to reflect, respect
Mauna Kea standoff time to reflect, respect
The argument in favor of the telescope seems to be: Our data will be better obtained from a Mauna Kea telescope than the other potential locations. This data helps us understand our place in the universe. The Hawaiian people will benefit along with the rest of humanity from what is learned from this location.
I think that is backwards. Maybe humanity could learn about our place here on Earth first. Maybe that is actually more important. America used many tons of depleted uranium in the Iraq war, ruining the land and causing radiation that will be there for generations. This is just one on a large list of similar situations the U.S. has produced which do not respect the Earth or its people.
Maybe we should implement the Hawaiian principles of deep respect for the aina and treating others with aloha. If we tried with real intention to live these principles as a society, would not humanity benefit more tangibly from this than from looking outward?
Maybe this Mauna Kea situation is actually a great time for Western society to reflect on the wisdom of the societies we have displaced. Maybe Mauna Kea is sacred to all humanity and the Hawaiians are our guides to remember to live more in harmony with the Earth and each other.
I believe America is great among nations. I believe that we can learn how to be greater by learning from our history. That means also the history of our presence here in Hawaii. That means what we do with Mauna Kea can define a new, respectful, humble way of conducting ourselves as a nation. Or we could just say “our way is better and more important” again and write another chapter where we failed to conduct ourselves properly and with deep consideration and respect for the larger picture of humanity and our planet.
The choice is ours.
Rick Goding, Des Moines, Iowa
Aloha Kakou, and those with interest in the best for Mauna Kea.
Watching PBS the other night, they clearly said the obvious, that the Hubble Space Telescope, that takes pictures of outer space…from outer space…has no comparison when compared to the telescopes on earth on Maura Kea, the Canary Islands of Spain, and others in South America.
The earth telescopes appear to be looking at mere dots in the sky while the Hubble Telescope has pictures of galaxies where you can see their shapes and their “contents” (my word of whatever it is called).
But compared to the Hubble Space Telescope, what we have seen of outer space from the earth telescopes, and shared with the general public, does not seem to be worth a “plug nickel” in comparison to the $4Million dollars they want to spend on Mauna Kea…on the construction the Telescope and the salaries of a bunch of star gazing enthusiasts spending our tax dollars instead of their own money.
Drain the swamp of wasted tax money. Earth telescopes are for amateurs, Hubble Space Telescopes are for professionals.
Just because one gets a college degree in stargazing, doesn’t mean the tax payer needs to support their large salaries counting dots in the sky.
Besides why do we want to explore the Heavens when it could turn to hell when other life out there may be more advanced than us and check out earth from afar and realize we have abused our planet nearly to death and so these other outer space occupants might want to destroy us before we multiply.
What if their alien space craft already have dashboard warning lights that say “Warning: Approaching Earth…Avoid…!…dirty, dangerous, polluted, and they kill each other…and they are poisoning their home planet, and their water, food, and air ! ! !
Pffttt…!…Oh, sorry pressed the wrong button…INCOMING…!
Best to leave Mauna Kea to the stars and forget the telescopes and rmoce all the old telescopes and go with the new Hubble Space Relscope in outer space., which reduces earth telescopes to toys.
You are wrong Charlie, large ground based telescopes far out perform Hubble both in resolution and light gathering ability. Aperture is everything in astronomy, and you just can’t put a 30 meter telescope in space. With modern adaptive optics, a space based Telescope only makes sense if you want to do astronomy at wavelengths the earths atmosphere absorbs, like certain infrared wavelengths and ultraviolet. If you don’t like TMT for the cultural reasons, fine. But don’t make facts up
no tmt, enuf telescopes up there, Hawaiians just take it in the okole over and over, time for this to stop, time for them to be recognized, time for some land repatriation.
What does depleted uranium in Iraq have to do with a telescope on Mauna Kea?
Ask a dumb question, get a dumb answer! YOU have neglected your own due diligence REsearch, if you Still havent heard or understand “depleted uranium” vis biliaryclintonobummer bushy regimes and the military madness of killing machines that include TMT, PMRF intercept missile station and remember the “Oops incoming missile not a test” out from Cali Vandenberg AFB accompanied by DEW, 808kamtrales, fracking, earthquakes and awakening tutu pele as she chases ‘Aila Au’ out from area Hawaii Island geothermal, stoking the fiyah!
These too are my sentiments on the Mauna Kea Telescope and our need to put our attention on Earth.
Thank you, Rick Goding for your concise eloquence and for your heart.
Now, if we could get the entire planet to think and act as Mr. Goding has outlined EXtremely nicely, (mAhalo) there definitely would be a huge difference and impact. It is said, “Aloha will save the world”. Praying every second that the spiritual connection has arrived. Uhane Hemolele in kia’i hale! Ku’e! E’o Ea!!