Singing letter writer’s praises
Hana hou, Ted Johnson, on your letter, “Parable of the protectors” Sept. 5. I shared it on Facebook with my comment that I pictured myself standing up in my Sunday school group singing “Onward Christian Soldiers” as I read his letter.
I added to my sharing on Facebook that I’d love to see a gathering of choirs on the road to the summit of Maunakea carrying a banner saying, “We Want Our Cookies,” singing “Onward Christian Soldiers.”
It’s possible. Who’ll lead?
Dennis Lawson
Kalaoa
Keep your enemies closer
I read with interest the letter from John Kahawaii concerning why Hawaiians are against the TMT. The part most interesting to me was the comment that the TMT was not able to track missiles.
If you think about a giant asteroid, like a missile, hurtling toward earth with the potential to shift the whole life structure of the planet, similar to what happened to the dinosaurs 65 million years ago, then you can possibly comprehend what the TMT might be able to detect in time for us to come up with a plan to deflect such a life-changing event.
But let’s think of Jan. 13, 2018, when we all thought we were about to be blown up by missiles, and how we’re still in danger of getting blown up today. North Korea is madly testing missiles, yet North Korea is controlled by the Chinese through the Chinese economy. Part of the TMT is owned by the Chinese, and so, would the Chinese allow attacks on the Big Island if they had a vested interest in the telescope on the Big Island? It would be less likely.
Then think if the TMT was not allowed to be built. Would the Chinese consider that they had been snubbed, and if North Korea were to attack, would the Chinese make sure that the Big Island was then a top priority as a target? I suggest that there are bigger issues than Hawaiian sovereignty at stake.
Carl Merner
Holualoa
Kamehameha overthrew islands, too
It appears that the TMT protests may go deeper than just another observatory; many Hawaiians are resentful that they became part of the United States.
Before Kamehameha conquered all of the Hawaiian Islands, there were tribes each with their own leader on each of the different islands. Then along came white people with guns. Kamehameha liked these guns and he was able to trade for them. Now he had quite the advantage over his spear-wielding neighbors and he was able to “overthrow” the other island tribes with a lot of slaughter and bloodshed. Today, the people of the islands celebrate King Kamehameha with King Kamehameha Day. He “united” the islands by overthrowing and conquering the competition.
Later the Hawaiian Islands became united with the United States. There was no bloodshed and no big annual celebration. But many people on the islands are dissatisfied with this, even though there was no violent slaughter.
Many islanders want to go back to the old ways of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Who would be their leader? King Kamehameha is dead and lots of wannabes would want to take his place. Are any of them qualified and would everyone be satisfied with the outcome? Just how far back to they want to go? Back to each island with its own leader or all of the islands combined as they were after the King Kamehameha overthrow? Be careful there, because with the old ways, a protest would have been silenced in the beginning.
Sounds like many of these people have their priorities muddled. Maybe we should bring in some celebrities, musicians and politicians for their advice. They seem to know a smidgen of a few things and have an opinion on everything.
Teresa Tagon
Keauhou