Someone seems to have shot a bullet into the door of the Subaru Observatory at the summit of Mauna Kea over the weekend.
This is what I’ve been talking about when I say we need Hawaiian leaders to dial down the temperature on the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) issue in the anti-TMT camp for the sake of safety.
Now it looks like someone has shot at one of the observatories. What next? Where are their leaders?
We have also seen posts like these:
I contacted Lanakila and he told me he advised the police about that second post. We are both concerned about safety for all on the mauna.
My concern is not the folks from the Big Island, but people who may come from off-island.
This is really getting out of hand.
As a very concerned citizen of the Big Island and supporter of the TMT and the astronomy community, it is very disturbing to see that the police are treating this as an act of vandalism like scribbling your name in paint on a building. There was a human being inside the building during the shooting and this is the same as a drive by shooting, an act of domestic terrorism. It makes one afraid to voice their opinions if acts like these are not even described as a serious incident. It is a shame. Someone could have been killed if they were in a different location in the building at the moment. This is not pono. Will people need bullet proof vests and metal detector screenings to enjoy astronomy on the mountain and see a sunset?
No, they won’t, because there were no firearms or bullets involved. I’m sure you are sorely disappointed that your hysterical pontification now holds zero merit.
How fast Mr. Ha and others jumped to conclusions and started to infer it was the Mauna Kea Protectors. What next? They deserve an apology.
Its also apparent that Subaru astronomy workers donʻt know what is happening at their own telescope. The day crew knew it was there several months ago. The night crew only recently saw it and called the police assuming it was a bullet hole. Paranoid and Confused!
If you look at the previous post you can see that it was written by a very angry person. Combining what most people thought was a bullet hole with a rant by a person threatening sniper action on the workers, one could reasonably be concerned. My post was an attempt to get the leaders to dial the temperature down. I’ve said over and over that if it was only Hawaii Island people, I would have no problem because the protectors are abiding by kapu aloha and the law enforcement people know them. I have nothing but respect for the protectors. Sorry if you misinterpreted my actions.
Richard, you say “This is really getting out of hand.”
Yes, it is, BECAUSE OF POSTS LIKE YOURS. Do you see how you tied the alleged “bullet hole” (WHICH WE NOW KNOW WAS NOT A BULLET HOLE) to threatening posts from two people (or trolls) who do not represent the Kū Kia‘i Mauna movement? Was that really necessary? It is clear that you do indeed have an agenda to malign the protectors. While we’re all clear that you are for the TMT project (and I respect your position), I did think of you as a relatively rational voice of reason in this conversation. But to immediately jump to the conclusion that an alleged bullet hole was obviously the result of a disgruntled “protector,” and to clearly assert that connection for your gullible followers to run with, is irresponsible, disgusting, and clearly reveals your agenda to grasp at whatever you can to paint a vile picture of the protectors as angry, violent savages. You are being very irresponsible, and I am very disappointed in you.
The point of me writing the article was to try to lower the temperature. I wrote a letter earlier to Civil Beat. It respected the protectors rather than maligned them: “The folks keeping vigil on Maunakea who call themselves “protectors” practice kapu aloha very seriously. They do not condone this in any way. Other Hawaiian leaders, such as the various sovereignty proponents as well as other influential Hawaiian leaders, need to step up and help to dial the temperature down. That is why I say this is the Big Island’s kuleana. We do not need hordes of adrenalin-filled young people venting their frustration on Maunakea. It is a narrow, steep and dangerous place up there.”
Richard, who’s hand is that in the picture? Whomever it is, they could have cleared it all up from the get go instead of taking this picture and posting it. They would have seen where the hole came from. But I guess no fun in that huh? Better to get the social media to go off against the Ku Kia’i Mauna!