Out of balance
Out of balance
As IUCN World Conservation Congress participants gathered to deliberate on global conservation issues, comparable issues also prevail in Hawaii.
While attending, I noted a common factor throughout the sessions — governments and political leaders have failed to protect the natural and cultural resources as well as the rights and traditional practices of indigenous peoples. Meanwhile, their voices are ignored or silenced as they strive to protect their lands, waters and way of life. Politicians have allowed foreign and corporate business interests to degrade and adversely impact these resources and the people intimately connected to them.
Similarly, government and political figures in Hawaii have failed to protect our natural and cultural resources and the rights and customary practices of Native Hawaiians, despite the state Constitution and laws that mandate such protection.
This is the primary issue on Mauna Kea with the state and University of Hawaii permitting the overdevelopment on the summit with 13 telescopes and other astronomy facilities built by foreign countries and corporations, despite being in violation of conservation district rules.
The proposed Thirty Meter Telescope project represents “Too Many Telescopes” on public lands zoned for conservation protection. Things are out of balance on our majestic mountain.
TMT’s attempt to influence land use decisions to overlook conservation laws and to buy public opinions with $1 million for education and a promise of jobs is a blatant community bribe. As it is, the TMT partners (Canada, Japan, University of California, CalTech) already operate and own the larger telescopes on Mauna Kea.
Instead of building another massive telescope, why don’t the existing observatories (excluding UH’s) each contribute $1 million for a total of $10 million a year for education, since they’ve only been paying $1 a year for rent these past decades, and why don’t they hire more locals instead of only 18 percent from Hawaii Island?
E. Kalani Flores
Waimea
Tulsi Gabbard and the guru
Thanks for Max Dible’s well-written article about Tulsi Gabbard (Tribune-Herald, Aug. 28). However, there is now an elephant in the room. In attempting to analyze Gabbard’s changing position regarding LGBT issues, her religious experience was never mentioned.
Gabbard and her husband grew up in families with strong ties to a “guru” named Chris Butler. Butler is known inside his Science of Identity organization as Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa. Butler has been an outspoken and unapologetic homophobe as was Tulsi’s father, until the negative impact of his homophobia was felt in his political and business careers.
Gabbard has never made clear her current or past relationship with Butler and his organization, though I would guess it might have had some role in her positions over time regarding LGBT issues. Gabbard needs to come clean regarding her past and current relationship with Butler and its current and/or past influence on her views. As she has not been forthcoming in these affairs, I can only assume she still might align herself in some way with Butler.
Sorry, Tulsi, but you will never get my vote until you clarify this important part of your life experience.
Bob Lee
Hilo