Astronomy and the Island Co...

As the TMT project moves steadily through the legal process there has been almost no sign of the opposition. What opposition there has been has seemed to be pro-forma, we have seen only a shadow of the passion that has marked previous legal wrangling over use of the summit.

The TMT is the latest lightning rod in the controversy over the presence of telescopes on Mauna Kea. Reaction to this particular project a reflection of the current status of the entire issue. Watching the TMT approvals process shows something has changed.

It is clear that community opinion over the observatories has shifted. The astronomy community has steadily moved towards responsible management of the summit, with proper procedures and planning. There is now a plan, a plan that clearly spells out how potentially contentious issues like public access are to be handled. In response it seems the island community has also shifted it's position to meet in a common ground.

It is also clear that many have come to realize how important the observatories are in providing a stable element to the island economy and people's lives at a time when other island industries have seen major upheaval. The employment and business opportunities astronomy represents have been a moderating factor, keeping the island economic situation from being far worse.

Every week I spend an evening talking to visitors on the mountain. For a few hours I am the face of astronomy on Mauna Kea, as my green laser dances among the stars. Through the evening I field a wide range of questions about the mountain and the observatories. Among the usual island visitors there is a steady number of local visitors, from both Hawai'i and neighbor islands. There are a surprising number of young folks, high school students and younger adults, who make the journey up the mountain to see the stars. Maybe the MK Visitor Station just makes a good date?

As I stand in front of the crowd the questions sometimes come fast and furious. Common questions cover subjects like current research, who gets to observe and observatory funding. I do not remember getting asked about funding so frequently in the past, but everyone seems sensitive to such issues these days. Another common question is about jobs, another sign of the times. I can give good answers here, there are open positions, and not all of them are for astronomers or engineers.

But one thing I do not usually get is hostility. The majority of attitudes I get range from indifference to welcome acceptance of the observatories. Maybe this is because the observatories have become part of the island community. To the younger residents they always have been there, part of island life and part of the mountain. The giant telescopes and Hawaii's leading role in astronomy becomes another reason to be proud of an island heritage.

Despite acceptance from much of the community there remains a hard core of opposition. Vocal and organized these parts of the community want to see Mauna Kea as it was. This is completely understandable, from either an aesthetic or cultural standpoint. The well trod issues of conservation versus development are starkly portrayed here. And the answers are seldom easy, there is no answer that will please everyone, there is only one Mauna Kea.

Still, it has been notable that the organizations that would see the telescopes removed from Mauna Kea have been remarkably ineffectual this time around. Part of this is explained through the new planning processes, Hawaiians believe in following the rules, and the rules have been followed this time. Part of this may be explained through the shift in community acceptance of astronomy, it is no longer us and them. But still, where is the hard core opposition? Where are the lawsuits?

Everyone keeps waiting for this to change.

There has been a little more visible opposition lately, press releases from opposition organizations, opinion pieces showing up in the local press. Are these the prelude to a serious legal challenge? Are opponents simply testing the waters? If so, they may be disappointed at the response.

One of these latest items came from a familiar name, Nelson Ho, chairman of the Big Island chapter of the Sierra Club. He wrote a letter to the editor published by several of the local papers. The letter reiterates the usual talking points used to oppose astronomy on Mauna Kea, the usual strong language includes several distortions or outright false statements, some of which have been previously addressed on this blog. Notable is that Ho gives little mention to the one valid issue... the cultural uses and meanings of Mauna Kea.

It was also notable that Ho's piece drew an immediate response in the same forum, a series of very pointed rebuttals. Read the first one listed below, "Superstition and False Representations", for a very nice rebuttal of Ho's on a point by point basis. The article highlighting King David Kalakaua's support for astronomy definitely gives a different perspective than that usually portrayed of native Hawaiians.

Superstition and False Representations

Sierra Club Opposition is a Bad Decision

Consider the King's Interest in Astronomy

Sierra Club Wants to Kill the TMT Project

TMT in Jeopardy?

Sierra Club's Agenda

One letter draws at least five responses that emphatically argue the other side of the issue? More interestingly the comments on these stories show a similar ratio, overwhelmingly in favor of the TMT project. Quite a few commenters vehemently trashing what Nelson Ho had to say. One quote in particular is already drawing particular criticism... "TMT's 140 permanent positions... are manini compared with the jobs created by local ventures like the new Big Island Target stores that are hiring four times that number." A statement destined to backfire...

"Sound like Mr Ho and the Sierra Club doesn't think Hawaiians are smart enough to work at tech jobs, only service jobs. His statement that the Target jobs are better than the TMT jobs is insulting and degrading. Locals should be insensed at this fools assertion that we can only do service jobs. What an arrogant attitude that is!!! With his attitude we should close the local universities and only train for cashiers and housekeepers for the visitors." -briyotya

It is clear that the challenges to the TMT are not over, it is also clear that the situation is not the same as it was when we last had a series of legal battles over the future of Mauna Kea. As approvals for the TMT are completed and ground breaking approaches we can only expect that opposition will harden, the only question is how much. Certainly not as much as opponents would like.