TMT and ‘protectors’
I applaud the Maunakea “protectors” for the strength of their convictions against the Thirty Meter Telescope project.
I will applaud them even more when they prove their convictions by (a) refusing to let their children benefit from the STEM educational support offered by the TMT; (b) when they refuse to apply for any of the high-paying jobs that will be offered during the construction or operation of TMT; (c) when they refuse to respect Mayor Harry Kim’s effort to make Maunakea a special place to bring together Hawaiian culture and science; and most of all (d) when they refuse to take any pride in seeing Hawaii become even more of a well-respected leader in the spirit of Hawaiian exploration heritage and in global astronomy.
John P. Lockwood
Hilo
It was offensive
I watched the press conference on June 20 with Gov. David Ige, Attorney General Clare Conners, Department of Land and Natural Resources head Suzanne Case, and University of Hawaii President David Lassner about Maunakea and the Thirty Meter Telescope.
I felt it was very offensive for the state to destroy Hawaiian structures on the mauna, especially without first having any dialogue with the people involved who built the structures.
All of the government officials in the press conference talked about continuing the conversation, but their actions spoke much loader than their words.
There is no conversation. Not once did any official mention the word sacred in conjunction with Maunakea. The government officials’ body language and facial expressions spoke volumes of their complicity in wrongs being committed against Native Hawaiians.
And, frankly, I think the state officials’ actions and the press conference did a disservice to what they are trying to accomplish. In short. they poured fuel on the fire of injustice to the Hawaiian people, and they have helped build the movement saying respect the sacred.
I ask all the government officials involved to please reconsider the course ahead. And I ask others, especially people of different faiths, to stand in solidarity with Hawaii’s host people to protect and respect Hawaii’s most sacred temple.
NO TMT.
Jim Albertini
Kurtistown
‘Ultimate misogynist’
After reading the letter “Say ‘no’ to Joe!” in Your Views (Tribune-Herald, June 13), it left me much dismayed and in a distressed state of mind.
Does the writer not realize, or is blind to the fact, that President Trump is the ultimate misogynist?
President Trump has trampled all over women’s rights, gone on record calling a woman a “dog,” has stated, “You grab ‘em by the (expletive)” to the women he has met in the past.
If Joe Biden’s two failed presidential attempts were a result of his behavior towards women, then can you tell me, pray tell, how in the hell Donald Trump was elected president of the United States?!
Prentiss Moreno
Hilo