07-21-2015, 03:07 AM
quote:
Originally posted by imagtek
This seems to be human nature, and we are getting there in the USA and particularly Hawaii. We have it all here, and soon will have the the crown jewel of human high technology on our sacred mountaintop revealing the deepest secrets of the cosmos to all humanity. And the local people only want to tear it down. They want nothing more than a pile of rocks dumped out of the back of a pickup truck onto the ground. Because the pile of rocks is 'sacred' and the deepest aspirations of humanity for knowledge of our place in the universe is not.
imagtek, I think you are wrong in your analysis in many respects.
1) Please don't lump the obstructionists with "local people" - there is a small number of the local population that actually support these jokers. Clearly, the situation is frustrating and the reaction is to assume that the obstruction attitude is broadly held because few speak up to counter the theatrics. The majority of the born-and-raised local folk have a deep distaste for confrontation and simply won't get involved, publicly, in a dog fight like this. That doesn't mean that they don't support the project. Sorry, local custom, gotta accept it, and deal with it, as best you can in situations like this.
2) The motivation behind the protestors, IMHO, isn't boredom. It's a mix of envy and opportunism. There's an old-time (local) parable of the a'ama crab that, supposedly unlike other crabs, when captured in a bucket won't cooperate so that all can escape. Instead, when they see one crab get ahead of the others, will work to pull him back down so that no one escapes. They see the installation of a world-class scientific installation as someone, not part of their social group, succeeding; they're being left behind - gotta pull them big shots down.
The opportunism is simply that, by blocking this high profile project, the opportunists are looking for more (personal) stature in their community/sub-group, more money to Hawaiians (Eco/Ethno-Extortion), and more progress toward sovereignty (however they may choose to define it).
The allusions to Hawaiian culture (sacredness and aloha 'aina) is part of the opportunism - it's a convenient cover that can't be legally challenged or rationally argued. (For those who would like to challenge me on that statement, how many of the protestors/protectors have ever shown up for the volunteer invasive weed pulling Saturdays organized on a regular basis for several years by OMKM? - How many have volunteered to repair the vandalized fencing - likely instigated/inspired by Palikapu Dedman and his cohorts - that was installed to exclude damaging ungulates from the Natural Area Reserves?) This, to my thinking, is all just another example of the further use and abuse of Hawaiian culture, and of other sincere but credulous Hawaiians, in the interest of very modern objectives.
Completely frustrating for those in the community who are working hard to bring everyone forward and provide opportunities for all who are willing to participate - but maybe the best reaction is also part of the local ethic - keep your head down, work as hard as you are able, never give up, and progress will come in its own good time.