After 10 long years, an agreement was reached to tear down five existing telescopes and allow the new Thirty Meter Telescope. When it finally came time for the telescope to begin construction, a religious fervor (not a political compromise, a legal agreement or a scientific issue) struck.

It is fascinating, and I admit beautiful, to see the Hawaiian young people vigorously rally to a cause, but an anti-science cause troubles me. Religion versus science never is a reasonable debate. Would it not be better to see the wonderful fervor of the young Hawaiian people used to benefit Hawaiians? Wouldn’t it be more beneficial to see the energy of the young people protecting the cold mountain directed toward solving real problems, like the great need for affordable housing for the people of Hawaii — particularly Native Hawaiians?

Paul Nachtigall

Kailua

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