It’s big business
It’s big business
My temple on your temple. That is what colonial oppression is all about.
Astronomers believe their western scientific connection to the universe is more significant than Aloha ‘Aina’s connection to the universe, so they are entitled to build their optical temple on top of Mauna Kea, the highest sacred temple to Hawaiians.
It doesn’t get more colonial oppressive than that. The Thirty Meter Telescope pundits say they did their seven years of due diligence, but the protesters have been actively and legally acting to stop the industrial development and environmental destruction (desecration) of the mauna for decades.
The pursuit of astronomy is as religious as any other spiritual pursuit: They seek to touch the mind of god by finding out the details of the creation of the universe. But it also is as pro-corporate as any other capitalist endeavor — to seek out asteroids worth mining (with the hyper-miner Canadian investors indebted), to develop technologies for military applications (laser tech), and the search for exoplanets (to satisfy their commitments to the Department of Defense), and to generate fund-able research projects within the international astronomical community.
TMT is big business for astronomy.
So, they build their temple on your temple because that is what colonial oppressors have done to exert their self-proclaimed cultural entitlement.
Aloha ‘Aina is part of a larger global movement of indigenous people rising up to stand and protect sacred lands — the global biosphere, which is under dire threat by climate change, environmental destruction and extinction.
The most pressing problems that we face are not scientific; they are political. How can we activate a social revolution to save the planet?
TMT cannot solve these problems, but Aloha ‘Aina can. That is why Aloha ‘Aina is more important than TMT. Any astronomers who also are environmentalists must stand down on TMT and support Aloha ‘Aina’s protection of the mauna.
Lynda Lovon
Sebastopol, Calif.
Use the patch
After watching a video about how petroleum-based plastic trash can be converted into liquid fuels, we might as well take advantage of it because the Great Pacific garbage patch has the potential for employment and product.
This particular patch of floating plastic garbage is large enough so many could collect from it and not run into each other, and since it is in international waters, nobody can lay claim to any of it.
It has grown almost exponentially within the last 10 years, and, if left to increase at its present rate, it eventually could take over most of the north Pacific and drift into the southern half.
Lucky them!
Even if it isn’t used for fuel, it still can be used for other things, as well as helping clear this blight on the landscape that can be seen from orbit.
Dave Kisor
Pahoa