At this moment all over the Hawaiian islands, but especially atop Mauna Kea volcano, there are protests against the building of a new Thirty-Meter Telescope (TMT) on this sacred mountain. The telescope has become a cause célèbre among Native Hawaiians and their allies, and the issue is going viral. Newspapers around the world are reporting the story and people are abuzz on social media—especially as the issue becomes more emotionally charged. This week, a University of California, Berkeley professor sent around a petition in favor of the telescope with language in it that has incited charges of racism. A group of scientists countered with a statement saying the message was unacceptable.Related Content A New Way for Stewardship of Mother Earth: IndigeneityFrom the outside, this argument may seem like another case of Native beliefs versus modern science. As astronomer Tom Kerr wrote back in 2011, “It seems to me that it’s an argument about returning to the stone age versus understanding our universe and it’ll be interesting to see who wins in the end.”
The Heart of the Hawaiian Peoples’ Arguments Against the Telescope on Mauna Kea
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