Who are the "protectors" I've heard mentioned?

[glassnumbers]

Thanks Ironyak! It can be tiring at first but if you just keep hitting the pond/ocean every day, after a few months you can swim quite well.

As for the religious folks blocking the telescope, that's sad. I understand the strength of religious beliefs, I used to be very religious when I was younger. It's just, by blocking that telescope, they are blocking the very thing that Hawai'i has been working to reverse recently, which is the lack of high-tech jobs, the whole "brain-drain" issue. If it were a dog food factory I'd understand, but this is a telescope looking to the stars. If anything, I'd see it as a sacred monument as to all that Mauna Kea has given us, and how far we've come thanks to her blessings. I really don't get the desecration angle at all, that telescope is something that would empower the Hawai'ian people with more jobs and funding.

http://www.hamakuasprings.com/2016/02/is...ly-sacred/

here is a something as well, guy bulldozed the road up to Mauna Kea back in the 60's, nobody protested, everyone was cool with that. Nobody protested the road being built, and this was the 60's, Hawai'i had just became a state, and protesting was en vogue.

[kalakoa]

As for the religious folks blocking the telescope

If the State sanctions their religion, loss of TMT will become a mere footnote.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

As for the religious folks blocking the telescope, that's sad.

There have been religious and cultural practices on Mauna Kea for hundred of years. Compare that with what "The Protectors" assert are their religious and cultural practices.

You could never convince a monkey to give you a banana by promising him limitless bananas after death in monkey heaven.

[TomK]

Ironyak,

"Read up on the TMT - it's a very contentious issue, but many here on PW used the term "protectors" derisively akin to the use of "social justic warrior" (don't like the comparison? Bring it :)"

You also need to remember that those in the group who blocked access to the TMT construction crews and everyone else were those that came up with the term "protectors". You can't really blame people for using the term derisively because what happened on Mauna Kea (including trapping people at altitude) was not being particularly protective. Nor do they seem interested in "protecting" anything else.

Personally, I try and stick to the term "protestors" because that's more accurate.

As for the religious aspect glassnumbers mentions, yes, some of the group have based their protests on religious arguments, but I believe they are in a small minority. Many see this as a sovereignty issue and many others came over from the mainland because it was a protest they thought they should join, for various reasons.

For example, see:

http://darkerview.com/wordpress/?p=15608

I can attest to Andrew's views as I saw and experienced pretty much the same thing while I was on the mountain during the protests.

Edited for clarity.

[leilaniguy]

Professional protesters. Not paid, but know how to work the system to the limit.

[glassnumbers]

Man, all my life I've been fighting against right wing conservative kind of bullcrap, this hippy bullcrap is distressing as hell. Just, Oh my god, these people are idiots. I read that link, that dummy going off about sovereignty? Does he live on the summit of mauna kea? noooooo? then what the hell is he babbling about? If the telescope was in literally any other livable location, he'd have a point, but nobody lives on the summit of Mauna Kea, nor would they.

Also, a telescope has literally nothing to do with Hawai'i being overthrown, what the ****. These people really piss me off because what they are talking about has zero goddamned relation to a telescope, they are just ****ting all over one of the few tech opportunities the Big Island gets just so they can step on a soapbox. Like I said before, if it was a dog food factory, or if it was being constructed on top of Akana Falls, I'd completely understand. However, it's being constructed on top of a mountain where nobody lives and no damage is being done.

It's a god damned telescope, though, and to be perfectly honest, the observatory on Mauna Kea is part of the things that make Hawai'i so magical. You have the Hawai'i land and beaches and ocean, it's all warm and tropical, folks are surfing, bbq'ing pork. Meanwhile, up top on freezing, arid Mauna Kea, people are peering off light years into distant galaxies, seeing things no man has seen before. To block the construction of TMT, when it's causing no destruction and will only add to the island and humanity as a whole, well, they may call themselves "Aloha 'Aina"...While the Aina part is obvious and undisputable, the Aloha part is um, mystifying, because there's no aloha in robbing Hawai'i of desperately needed tech jobs and funding.

[TomK]

You're not saying anything new, glassnumbers. When you have a few days free, just read the various threads here about the TMT.

www.punaweb.org/Forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=22438
www.punaweb.org/Forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=21074
www.punaweb.org/Forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=21234
www.punaweb.org/Forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=19779

There are several others, but think these are the main ones.

[Guest]

Whats Interesting to me is how TomK made multiple posts on the very first page of all those threads that he recently posted for glassnumbers. TomK seems to be very interested if not some what involved with the TMT project. jmo

[Rob Tucker]

So am I.

TMT would be a great fit here.

[kalakoa]

TomK seems to be very interested if not some what involved with the TMT

Almost as if he's in the same industry, and would like better diversity of local employment.