(This one on how the TMT organization failed to realize the importance of social media until the protests against them went viral)
This summer, the TMT issue was back in the headlines as the state scheduled the beginning of the construction this summer. However, activists have blocked the access road, with a protest that has gone viral worldwide. At issue is development on a site sacred to Native Hawaiians, which got the protesters (who prefer to be called "protectors" or Kia’i) support from indigenous activists worldwide.
However, as with all ethnic groups, not everyone has the same opinion. One example was Paul Coleman, a Native Hawaiian astronomer who worked in the telescopes already on Mauna Kea. Coleman passed away last year.
Meanwhile, Kauionalani Onodera, a Native Hawaiian who works as an engineer on the telescopes on Haleakala wrote an editorial on Honolulu Civil Beat
Throughout the recent protests, staff working on the telescopes already on Mauna Kea were blocked from their worksite. However, this past week, there was a compromise in which the Kia’i would allow those workers access to their current worksite.
But the protests against TMT isn't going to go away. It was already a public relations disaster when governor David Ige called a State of Emergency proclamation in response to the nonviolent protest with allegations of alcohol & drug use on the protest site. In this age of "going viral", there was no recorded evidence of alcohol or drug use. In fact, there is a code of conduct enforced by the Kia’i which prohibits alcohol & drug use. In fact, even profanity is strongly discouraged.
TMT opponents also said they have been enforcing rules that include no alcohol, drugs or smoking and no swearing in the puuhonua, and that there has been no loss of order.“This is a puuhonua, so you have to malama — take care of — the people,” Cabanilla said. “Aloha lives in this place.”
Taking aggressive actions against the protest will also become a major public relations disaster. Already, the images of kupuna (elderly) activists being arrested in the early days of the protest enraged many!
It's time for governor David Ige to cut his losses. Compromise! The Kia’i already compromised by allowing staff of the existing telescopes to access their worksites. Ige should do his part by calling off the TMT project. It's not worth it! It's too divisive! To continue with the project is just a waste of time!
My position is this: allow the already operating telescopes to continue operating (except for the ones already in the process of being decommissioned), but no more! The days of adding new telescopes are over! Just use the ones we already have!
