Ruth Bingham erroneously writes in her otherwise positive review that there are “many historical inaccuracies” in Paliku Theatre’s current production of “1776, the Musical” (“Production conveys high drama of ‘1776’,” Star-Advertiser, Sept. 6).

She maintains that “slavery was not a point of contention in declaring independence.” It most certainly was.

Thomas Jefferson’s paragraph attacking slavery in the draft of the Declaration of Independence that was presented to the Congress sparked intense debate. Jefferson later said delegates from South Carolina, Georgia and northern colonies would not sign the Declaration unless the paragraph was removed.

Bingham also mistakenly wrote, “John Adams was hardly obnoxious and disliked,” as a line in the show states. After the convention, Adams, a blunt-spoken man wrote how he convinced Jefferson to write the Declaration by telling him, “I am obnoxious, suspected and unpopular. You are none of those.”

“1776, the Musical” delivers an accurate history lesson that brings history to life in a highly entertaining fashion.

Joe Moore

Hawaii Loa Ridge

TMT controversy recalls Lakota Indians tragedy

Reading the commentaries on the pros and cons of the Thirty Meter Telescope (“Should state allow TMT on Mauna Kea?” Island Voices, Star-Advertiser, Sept. 7) brought to mind a similar incident that occurred in the Dakota Territory in 1874.

Gold was discovered in the Black Hills, a sacred area for the Lakota Indians. Greed soon declared the Treaty of 1868 null and void, and the Black Hills were overrun by prospectors looking to strike it rich.

There’s a similar story that is happening here. Mauna Kea offers a different kind of “gold,” the opportunity to gain insight into distant worlds of which we know little. But is this justification enough to trample over the mountain that is sacred to the Hawaiian people, disregarding the laws in place to protect it?

Looking back, no one can condone what the U.S. did to the Lakota. That said, maybe we shouldn’t condone what is happening on Mauna Kea.

Moses Akana

Aiea

Hawaiians had many uses for Mauna Kea

The Thirty Meter Telescope should be approved because pre-arrival Hawaiians were undeterred by creation myths. They quarried granite at the top of Mauna Kea for 800 years and left a 5-square-mile excavation that is still visible today.

Successive generations harvested and sowed a massive forest of sandalwood trees that blanketed the mountain. Later, large-scale ranching allowed cattle to devastate the remaining vegetation for more than 100 years. We Hawaiians should preserve the past, of course, but not allow it to prevent us from moving into the 21st century and correcting old mistakes.

The TMT telescope could jumpstart progress, provide more than $1 billion in economic benefits and salvage the past. When its job is completed, the building could be dismantled and carted away. Then we could show real respect for the aina by replanting the sandalwood forest and restoring Mauna Kea’s original glory.

Jim Growney

Diamond Head

Kudos to Abercrombie for role in hosting IUCN

As the IUCN World Conservation Congress comes to a close this weekend, I want to extend a special mahalo to former Gov. Neil Abercrombie and the host committee for their foresight and commitment in bringing this historic event to Hawaii nei.

As a global citizen concerned with the state of the natural environment, I must say IUCN is the most exciting event that Hawaii has hosted — and I’ll take it any day over the Pro Bowl or the likes of it.

Lola Salimova

Makiki