I really like the new TMT commercial on the tv. The one showing navigator Baybayan in support of the telescope. I especially like the implied connection between astronomy and the original celestial navigators. Very well done. Tasty. The right colors, lighting, tone. I bet this one will be a hit among folks that are already in support of the project. Though I suspect not so much with those who hold the much deeper impression of astronomy as one of the forces that led colonialism to the islands in the first place.
Like I said, I like the ad, but I don't think it's going to go very far in cleaning up the indelible stain left by Captain Cook.
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What stain is this exactly? I though he was mopped up well?
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True, the Tahitians did use astronomy to reach the islands and colonize the more peaceful Marquesan Hawaiians that had settled centuries before.
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Thanks for posting. I hadn't seen the ad. I looked online and the first search result was HNN with the headline:
TMT takes to TV airwaves as opponents attempt to broaden message virtually
Did I miss something? I can't find the ad or a link to the ad, which is supposed to be the topic, but there is a 3 1/2 minute video from the protestors.
"I'm at that stage in life where I stay out of discussions. Even if you say 1+1=5, you're right - have fun." - Keanu Reeves
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I keep talking about a silent majority of Native Hawaiians that support the TMT. I hope that part is true. If it is this is the logical next step, to appeal to them. Those who feel good about blocking public roads are probably not reachable but at least in theory they are the minority.
It seems plain that there is fear of retaliation against those who speak up in favor of the TMT. In this climate that is unavoidable. The protesters are visibly standing up for what they believe in although I think that the risks they are taking (arrest, in front of cameras, by police who later release them) are less than the risks that can be inferred await those who cross them. Prominent Hawaiians visibly standing up for the TMT would be a long awaited revelation.
There was a short report on the protests on the news in Central NY recently. As is the style these days the predominantly white news personalities were cheerfully bantering about this sort of "feel good" story and generally taking a sort of knee-jerk "enlightened" stance. One asked "can't they build it anywhere else?" To me that is a strange question because first, no, there is nowhere else on earth that is as good and second why would they look elsewhere? They have the support of the majority of Hawaii's citizens, the support of the majority of Native Hawaiians, and they have satisfied all the legal requirements. The question is sort of like can't black kids go to school somewhere else. Well sure. Why do you ask? I mean this news guy literally could not have considered the implications of his statement and yet he felt totally at ease making it. That would probably be different if there was a kindly Tutu on the record waxing poetic about her grandchild the astronomer carrying on the Hawaiian tradition of astronomy and how Hawaiians can now continue to lead the world in discovery.
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why would they look elsewhere?
Exactly -- what better place than somewhere that's a first-world country with functional rule of law?
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mark p says;
The protesters are visibly standing up for what they believe in although I think that the risks they are taking (arrest, in front of cameras, by police who later release them) are less than the risks that can be inferred await those who cross them.
Her we go again; The Hawaiian Mafia?
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The sicko who threatened the girl student and talked about bashing people. Kindly Ms Holi from the contested case hearings who made vague references about "the police wouldn't be able to stop them".
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I think "astronomy-buff" might have got away with his trolling if he hadn't put a link to my old blog in his profile claiming it's his home page.
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Interesting. Not the usual trolly troll kind of post either. Why bother to fake a website? Is he putting you on? Did you really bother to look at his profile?
Certainty will be the death of us.
