Dr. Gordon Squires’ commentary was well written and summarized the Thirty Meter Telescope’s efforts to be a good corporate citizen from Day 1 (“Culture, science can coexist on mauna,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Oct. 13).

For 10 years, TMT’s developers did all that was asked of them and more. They won in the courts and in the public square. Unfortunately, their efforts didn’t count for much. When the going got tough, our leaders put the interest of the kia‘i above the rule of law.

It would take 10 years to build the TMT. Although I admire Squires’ optimism, what reasonable person would say, “Let’s try this for another 10 years?”

The old saying, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me” comes to mind.

Bert Oshiro

Hawaii Kai

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