Letter: TMT proponents fail to understand opponents

Lee Cataluna’s recent column, “Protests rise up when voices go unheard” (Star-Advertiser, Oct. 20), is on target and provides appropriate criticism of politicians, established jurisprudence, community leaders and even everyday citizens.

So often issues aren’t resolved because proponents don’t listen or make positive efforts to truly understand opposing views.

The Thirty Meter Telescope and the Kahuku protests are good examples of the government’s, and some of the public’s, thinking that they can continue to get along by following so-called laws that shore up their arguments.

These proponents put down the protesters’ positions or look for compromises that will allow them to do what they set out to do in the first place — especially when the laws are manipulated. This is so with TMT.

The Hawaii Supreme Court concluded that installing the new telescope on ceded land is OK because TMT has gone through the “legal steps” to receive approvals for construction.

How absurd, how disappointing is the failure to hear the opposition’s protests. Auwe!

Wilbur Luna

Kapolei

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