[ExI] Update on the Hawaiian observatory shutdown

[Stuart LaForge]

Quoting Rafal Smigdrozki:

> ### Oh, I agree with you there. Using state force to disperse the  
> rioters would be counterproductive. But there are other methods -  
> loudspeakers chanting slogans of science and playing music of the  
> spheres, counter-protests with cavalcades of science fans on foot,  
> pushing their way up, all on camera, bearing paraphernalia of our  
> faith - telescopes, laptops, weather balloons and alembics full of  
> frothing multicolored liquids. Let's have a citizens' astronomy  
> night at the mountain - bring your own telescope, have you and you  
> children look at the stars and listen to stories of our tribe's  
> travails at the hands of forces of darkness. And if the rioters  
> raise a hand against a child with a telescope, then that hand will  
> be struck down.
> One percent of the TMT budget used as a public-relations tool could  
> pay for a lot of counter-protests.

This is precisely the kind of creative strategies the astronomers need  
to consider. The astronomers most certainly need to leverage the  
support of the 44% of native Hawaiians who are in favor of the TMT  
against the 48% that oppose it. That's just a 4% margin and easily  
within the sway of clever PR and marketing.

Stuart LaForge