An Civil Beat article today reports that most state legislators who were willing to go on the record with a clear opinion say they support the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea. Just two said they are opposed.
But 33 “did not respond to Civil Beat’s phone calls, texts and emails.”
See “Where Hawaii Legislators Stand On The Thirty Meter Telescope,” Civil Beat, 10-7-2019.
Here’s the basic list as published by Civil Beat. To read the various justifications and attempts at clarification, you’ll have to read the original article using the link above.
Hawaii Senate
Support TMT: Sens. Roz Baker, Mike Gabbard, Breene Harimoto, Lorraine Inouye, Donna Kim, Sharon Moriwaki, Clarence Nishihara, Karl Rhoads and Glenn Wakai.
Support with reservations: Sen. Stanley Chang.
Oppose TMT: none on record.
Neither “yes” or “no”: Sens. J. Kalani English, Kai Kahele, Gil Riviere and Laura Thielen.
Declined comment: Sens. Les Ihara, Jarrett Keohokalole and Russell Ruderman.
Did not respond: Sens. Donovan Dela Cruz, Kurt Fevella, Dru Kanuha, Gil Keith-Agaran, Michelle Kidani, Ron Kouchi and Maile Shimabukuro.
Could not be reached: The office of Sen. Brian Taniguchi said he was traveling abroad and could not be reached for comment.
Hawaii House of Representatives
Support TMT: Reps. Della Au Belatti, Tom Brower, Rida Cabanilla, Romy Cachola, Bert Kobayashi, Bob McDermott, Val Okimoto, Richard Onishi, Scott Saiki, Calvin Say, Gregg Takayama, Cynthia Thielen and Jimmy Tokioka.
Support with reservations: Rep. John Mizuno.
Oppose TMT: Reps. Dale Kobayashi and Amy Perusso.
Neither “yes” or “no”: Reps. David Tarnas, Gene Ward and Tina Wildberger.
Declined comment: Reps. Sharon Har, Nicole Lowen and Chris Lee.
Did not respond: Reps. Henry Aquino, Richard Creagan, Ty Cullen, Lynn DeCoite, Stacelynn Eli, Cedric Gates, Mark Hashem, Troy Hashimoto, Daniel Holt, Linda Ichiyama, Aaron Ling Johanson, Sam Kong, Sylvia Luke, Scot Matayoshi, Lauren Matsumoto, Angus McKelvey, Dee Morikawa, Mark Nakashima, Scott Nishimoto, Takashi Ohno, Sean Quinlan, Joy San Buenaventura, Roy Takumi, Chris Todd, Justin Woodson, Ryan Yamane and Kyle Yamashita.
Could not be reached: Rep. Lisa Kitagawa was traveling and her office said she could not be reached for comment. Rep. Nadine Nakamura could not be reached because of a family emergency.
Interesting that the march Saturday in Honolulu – which even the media said attracted ten thousand participants – was barely covered in the news. Sunday Star Advertiser headline about some wahine who doctors at Queens saved a couple decades ago. Really? March news buried in B section. Even the evening news barely covered it and had to include some idiot saying it wasn?t an anti- TMT march, it was just a bunch of Hawaiians out for a walk. Really? Mainstream media is most definitely trying to convince the public that everyone wants TMT, legislators are too chicken sh.. to take a stance. what the hell? the tide has turned, time to get with the program.
It may very well be that one more event in a protest that has gone on over two months now is just not news. Been there, done that, do not need to pay attention every time to the same message.
Best quote, from Rep. Dale Kobayashi, explaining his opposition to TMT: “This is a battle for the soul of Hawaii” but he won’t bother to think it through or explain any reasoning other than “having grown up here, I just support other local groups and what is important to them.”
So there you have it, a true self-portrait of useless, spineless, parasitic anti-leadership.
Why even have a government, laws, lawmakers, courts, or law enforcement?
Everything could be so simple! If you want Dale’s lunch, you just take it.
If TMT leaves, and why shouldn’t they after all the law is not up held in Hawaii. Hawaii Community Foundation and Pauahi Foundation will lose the funding from TMT’s Think Fund for STEMeducation. We have Kanaka astronomy graduate students, and some of them are working at the observatories on Maunakea. All these young students depend on these funds to continue higher education and dream of observing with TMT. The lease rent that will go to stewardship of Maunakea will also no longer be available, it’s been paying for years now. OHA is supposed to get some money from the lease rent but they don’t deserve it in my opinion. The people protesting TMT are angry about our past but obstructing TMT won’t change that nor fix socio economic inequality, but the protests will ensure it. The professors up there have fooled their students into thinking this is the way to right all the wrongs. But the professors lied because since this illegal blockade nothing has changed in Hawaii except for the rising debt which will be covered by taxes. There is no kingdom, we can still vote and we must pay taxes to support the folks obstructing progress.
I emailed the article to all the legislators. Most assuredly the media is downplaying the opposition. Thankfully events can be shared by Facebook. I am supportive of those protesting. As long as our air, water, land & people are vilified, I am not interested in space.
In what way is our air, water, land or people being vilified?
The media, legislators, and most commentators miss, gloss over, or are afraid to acknowledge the proverbial elephant in the room that many Hawaiians are quite open and honest about. This is not just about the Mauna or TMT, spirituality and sacredness, narratives of oppression and repression, or even history and its interpretations and distortions.
No.
When all is said and done, this whole thing is about Hawaiian Identity Politics and the political power of Hawaiians.
As one guy who was interviewed at the protest march on Saturday told Hawaii News Now, “Just for the people, the Hawaiian people, we need to speak out,” said Lizama Kahu. “It’s time. It’s our time now. It’s Hawaiian time.”
Has the Majority Leader blocked the legislators from speaking on this issue? Seems like there has got to be an explanation for our legislator’s behavior.
WTF is “support with reservations” even???? SO SO sick of this copout “stand” by politicians…
How about “oppose with reservations”????
The local media is failing to report the scale of the TMT protests. This is not a conspiracy. It reflects the disinterest of newsreaders. Over the years, they have built up a resistance to such protests.