I am Hawaiian. I went to Kamehameha Schools. I am not affronted by the telescopes on Mauna Kea. But I am confused about the rally cry that Mauna Kea is sacred.

Of course it’s sacred. But so is the rest of the land, the ocean, the air. Where is the outrage and organized protest about areas getting trashed from overuse? About the toxic and illegal dumpsites Carroll Cox so bravely exposes? About climate change? Hawaii is the extinction capital of the world. Where is the outrage and protest over that?

The science done on Mauna Kea perpetuates Hawaiian science, language, concepts and culture. “Powehi” and “Oumuamua” are Hawaiian words, our words given to astronomical objects, perpetuating our language to both science and all humanity. That, too, is sacred.

The mountain is not the only thing that is sacred. But if you’re going to call the mountain sacred, all the land beneath, its foundation, must be sacred, too, and all of Hawaii needs to be protected.

Ariane Gilman

Manoa

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