Protest looks
superferry-like familiar
The continuing disputes over building TMT on Maunakea clearly relate to more than just TMT. In my opinion, it partly relates to the “illegal” takeover of the Hawaiian Kingdom by the United States (although Kamehameha arguably did the same with other Hawaiian Islands).
Telescopes on Maunakea have existed since 1970 and if the dispute about TMT was the only issue, astronomers, who are now kept from doing their jobs by the protesters, or protectors, would be allowed back up the mountain as was the case since then.
Instead, they block everyone from going up with no regard for other people’s desires, religious beliefs or rights. The same tactic was used to stop the Hawaii interisland ferry so they know it works.
I appreciate that some Hawaiians consider Maunakea to be sacred, and I respect that, but clearly some areas are more sacred than others. It seems there should be a way to protect the most sacred areas while allowing TMT to be built so as to not lose all the economic and other benefits it would bring.
I guess compromise is a dirty word but unless it occurs I unfortunately see the next demand being that all the current telescopes also be removed. How can you dispute one telescope and not all the others? There are many nations involved with astronomy on Maunakea and now they are all being deprived of the ability to do important scientific research.
Milton Smith
Kailua-Kona
Councilwoman sounds
like Trump
Kona Councilwoman Rebecca Villegas sounded much like President Donald Trump at her meeting at Umekes. In an era of Trump, we see political candidates and elected officials often us phrases that sounds fairly similar.
At the Aug. 1 meeting regarding the homeless, Villegas sounded no different than Trump. She would state, “We need to take our town back” and Trump would say “Take our Country back.”
At this point, maybe the councilmember should start saying “Make Hawaii Great Again” and rally the troops who have the same ideology as her who have no respect and no aloha. Taking your town back means you’re moving backward, why not move forward?
Kawika Kehau
Kona
Shootings reminder
of what our values should be
The violence and shootings in the U.S. have shocked many this past week. I think a lot of people are wondering like I am, “What are we coming to?”
Yet coincidentally, I recently came across a TED talk made in 1998 where Billy Graham was invited to speak at their technology conference. And there, he pointed out that although science has accomplished much to eliminate suffering and hardship in the world, it cannot eliminate evil in the heart of man. For that, he said, you need God.
That explains much in our day. If faith is pushed out of the public square, retailers promote materialism, fashions defy modesty, music is profane, sexual immorality glorified, abortion justified, and education insists that we are little more than random chance multiplied a billion times over, is it any wonder that society continues to deteriorate? What else can we expect but dog-eat-dog, survival of the fittest, and every man for himself?
This is simply no way to live. As a nation, we need to make a change in our accepted values. Jesus called us to a lifestyle of self-denial; of love, truth, purity, humility, and simplicity. These are the things that give life, and millions believe in them. It’s time we turned our back on anything less.
Chuck Jonas
Kailua-Kona
