Subject: A cause worthy of Y2K -- STOP CASSINI #89, February 1st, 1999
Hi!
If any reader of this newsletter knows of something more important that happened today, (or ever), than the fact that Carol Rosin has written the enclosed two statements (prompted, I am embarrassed to say, by my issues of earlier today, #s 87 & 88), will that reader please present this editor with what happened that is more important?
PLEASE, READ THIS ISSUE!!! Pass it on to others you know. Let Carol's words pervade the presses, the soapboxes, the alleyways, the editorial pages, the Op-Ed pages, the pamphlets, the church doorways, the schools of America and EVERYWHERE, all around the world.
Here is the cause that perhaps, only the millennium is worthy of. Here is what we all should be thinking about between now and the Y2K bug, which will be trivial in comparison to what Carol here is talking about -- and I'm not discounting even the possibility of an accidental nuclear launch or two come 1/1/2000. That would pale compared to what she writes of. It's all in here. All it needs is for people to listen.
Trash all 88 issues that came before this one. Ignore my words, ignore me. But don't ignore Carol Rosin.
We are all so blind, such fools. So petty. The game is not afoot, and does not involve me -- it is above our heads. No one ever looks up! Right now, there is a war going on -- in space. There is only one possible loser -- the human population. And there is no possible winner.
The war is made possible only by our apathy and our amazing ability to be distracted by trivialities. I now step aside, for Carol Rosin is taking the floor, and we all must listen.
Sincerely, Russell D. Hoffman, Editor, Stop Cassini newsletter
Today's subjects:
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*** Introducing Carol Rosin (but you should already know who she is)
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Carol Rosin
Founder, Institute for Security and Cooperation in Outer Space, ISCOS
First woman exec in an aerospace industry
Spokesperson for the late Dr. Wernher von Braun
Space and missile defense consultant who helped start the movement to ban
weapons from space, who started the "the Leaky Umbrella Campaign," the
"SOS-Save Outer Space" Campaign, etc..:
"Rosin is regarded to be the original political architect of the movement to
stop the SDI and ASAT's," a quote from "Military Space" magazine.
Testified numerous times before the Congress about this issue.
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*** From the mailbag: Carol Rosin responds (#1)
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INCOMING EMAIL FROM CAROL ROSIN
Date: Mon, 1 Feb 1999 17:57:10 -0800 (PST)
X-Sender: rosin@west.net
To: "Russell D. Hoffman" (rhoffman@animatedsoftware.com)
From: carol rosin (rosin@west.net)
Subject: Re: 16th Happy Symposium on the wonderful uses of space
nuclear power and propulsion... STOP CASSINI #87 February 1st, 1999
#87 is pretty funny to me. I mean truly laughable. Puts a sick smile on my face.
Here's my answer to a question that an author we know just asked me about...why the media didn't cover the funding of the Star Wars and related programs that just happened.
This answer is relevant to all this, really:
Note, this is what I've been telling you would happen if WE didn't take a position from the beginning to first ban all space-based weapons instead of focusing on the nuclear issues: We have now witnessed the first tier of the Star Wars space-based weapons system funded. And, the media completely missed the fact that Clinton made an important trade-off which allows him to stay in office in return for his support for the first phase of the Star Wars funding and a few wars thrown in. Yes, everybody is happy now. You remember that candidate who promised that if elected he'd stop Star Wars. Well, what's one more lie...it just got missed, so what.
Of course, this whole story of the Clinton trade-off slid by the media. Hidden perfectly. No protest. And the spin masters call it something other than what it really is. They add that it isn't what Reagan really wanted (though in reality, it is the first part of it...soon to build momentum so that none of it can be stopped). It must be so utterly boring to the media (no sex, no blood and guts, yet) that while it did hit the news, they barely notice that it is often called a Ballistic Missile Defense System or a Global Protection System instead of a Strategic Defense Initiative. They say it isn't the Star Wars program as Reagan called for. And, either the public believes them, or wants it, or doesn't care...not because of a media error, but because of the lack of information, misinformation, ignorance or apathy.
We all know Clinton lies, and we all know he is now tied into this space-based weapon system that is absolutely unnecessary, unworkable, destabalizing, unwanted, untestible, dangerous, draining, and too costly...and won't stop a suitcase bomb or a bacteria warfare. Yet, there is no outcry when it is funded ... those who do know about it are afraid to lose their jobs or are desperate for funding so they will support anything as long as they get the money.
Though we have only a teenie window of opportunity in which we could steer things easily into a direction that most everyone would love instead of into this one that will kill us all, the war game on earth has now officially been escalated into space...funding-wise.
You see, there isn't anything new that is really attractive to the media. There is no dramatic or creative talk of how we could transform the war game of technologies and mindsets, the old game, into a space game with the highest of technologies and consciousness... without losing any jobs or profits.
If there was any talk at all to the media, it has mostly been centered on the stopping of underground nuclear testing, the stopping of the Cassini mission, or on other secondary bandaids related to the nuclear issue.
Sometimes those who protested said they were against the militarization of space...even though space is already militarized and even though the military has a totally different role in space that benefits us all...IF we don't put weapons in space. The foundation, the premise upon which all this was happening, the weaponization of space, was confused as it was presented to the media, at best, and at worst was put on the back burner as an issue. There has been nothing new, recently, in the space conversation that would attract the media to this story...except the funding that has been recently allotted.
The media would have been attracted if a worldwide movement had begun to ban all space-based weapons...to sign a verifiable treaty to ban all weapons in space. This movement, which would call for the ban while simultaneously calling for an expanded world cooperative space program to replace the war industry, would have caused the media to take notice and to track the space related nuclear issue in a unique way...to focus on alternatives instead of on the usual anti-nuke protests.
But, the nuclear protestors who took on the space issue didn't want to take on the space issue as a primary issue...and so they became part of the old game that always did fit. Protests and reactions to what the military industrial complex produced.
Unfortunately, these protesters could seem to relate to a positive vision...the one that showed how we could/can create a healthy and prosperous planet with more jobs and profits, more products and services, a stimulated economy with a real security system based on cooperative world space military, civilian and commercial technologies and services that would provide an abundance of unlimited benefits and opportunities to all the world's peoples. We could apply these services and technologies directly to solve our earthbound problems...including those of the environment, humans and other animals...as we evolve into the universes. All of this can only be created by transforming the war game into a space game. But, just as there are vested interests in the nuclear and weapons industry, there are vested interests in those who work to try to "stop" them.
It doesn't surprise me one bit that there is no media attention. Once ISCOS, the only group who focused only on this space weapons and alternatives issue including on the stimulation of relevant action disappeared, and got NO recognition or support from those who supposedly care about this issue, the "egos" rose to the surface to give their speeches and sell their books mostly about why nukes in space are a bad thing. Most of the "peace in space" activists, the handful of them, bumped each other out of the limelight with their infighting. Why would the media be attracted to this? No wonder the media wasn't interested. They have plenty of hot issues to cover.
The media has been given little or no information except from a small few authors and so-called experts...hardly enough to attract or maintain their attention. There are no dramatic coalition statements to make and no individuals working with the high level decision makers who are at the helm ... and so the small and splintered coalition doesn't attract any media attention or even educate them.
Of course, there are the scientist groups and a few peace groups who continue to say they are against space weapons and the nuclear technogies they deem dangerous while they compromise in their positions, as they lie to their subscribers about what they are REALLY going for in the Congress...taking compromised positions so that they will "look credible" and be "politically effective," neither of which they are. Then there are the space advocates pushing for commercial and civilian ventures in legislation, not acknowledging the inexorable link to the military ventures ... in fact, never never mentioning "space-based weapons" for fear of losing their funding or jobs. And, I mean, 12 people protesting on a launch pad ... people who never did see the whole picture and, therefore, didn't call for the priority issue (a ban on space-based weapons...which would have put a literal lid on all this and would have called for a new way of thinking entirely) ... well, gimmie a break. Why would the media cover such a weak picture.
Finally we see, WAG THE DOG style, the truth that isn't being addressed ... more wars to cover-up what is really going on plus Clinton trading space weapons funding for being able to remain in his seat. The media, and most everyone, missed this completely. The trade-off Clinton made...with the lack of media attention, is what makes me realize it's about time to throw in the towel. There is no awakening ... no shift in consciousness or awareness...and we are all about to die...geeze, I used to be such a positive person.... But, clearly, this story was completely missed by the media...and, how could they know about it?
This trade-off, more weapons, now the first tier of space weapons being funded midst the wars and the cigars, was not noticed by the media. The rest of the story is old news. This is the new news that should have hit the media fan. The media doesn't seem to realize that the space weapons funding so satisfies the Republicans that they will do their Senate hearings (mainly to satisfy their media image and constituents) but that there is no need, now, to replace him. Now, the Democrats and the Republicans are the same...all want to tear down the forests, have lots of wars so we can further build what is already the largest R&D program in recorded history, the space-based weapons program...well, hmmmm, they are non-partisan on one issue. They are all now committed to continuing the destruction and suffering on earth by escalating the arms race into space...always to "seize the high ground." This could include an escalation of dangerous nuclear technologies...as the mindset hasn't changed one bit. As was said in a strategy paper I submitted, years ago, to Congress as a supplement to one of my Congressional testimonies on this issue, words I found that were designed by the Heritage Foundation, included our USA intention to "steal the language of the arms control community" as they build this space-based weapon system "regardless of the merits or non-merits of the system." In other words, the trade-off gets lost in the news intentionally, and almost everyone gets what they want. At least, that's how the media must be seeing it. They sure aren't seeing any protest or new suggestions.
With the lack of media attention and public action, it won't surprise me at all when we very soon shall see our bodies and environment continue to break down, and soon will see our children's faces melt, due to lack of intelligent attention and funding on important issues as brains and money get further dedicated to developing this next phase of unlimited extended warfare into that place above all our heads. If we survive much longer, we'll get a chance to see hundreds of battlestations with thousands of weapons pointed down our throats. Meanwhile, we'll be satisfied with the usual crumbs, called "spin-offs," of the war gamers. So, why would the media be attracted to this story? Boring.
The sex and war stories are humorous and dramatic. The public laps them up, while claiming they aren't interested. The world laughs at the US media, but the world media, too, has nothing more to project. We've got zillions of channels on TV to turn to if we don't like these stories, to fill our minds. Space ... so what ... there are plenty of movies about it that are similar to the real life ones.
Until we, who understand that we can have peace on earth through peace in space, that we can survive in harmony and love in the light, by becoming aware of what can be done only right NOW to ban weapons from space and to build world cooperative space military, civilian and commercial ventures...until we focus on this with all our hearts and minds on educating the media about what space is all about (not just to build commercial ventures or just to build Star Wars)...we deserve to get little or no media coverage.
If we do something dramatic, build a movement about transforming the military industrial complex and relationships around the world (without threatening jobs, politics or the economy...and with stimulating all of them in a most positive way), until we reach the decision makers with what is feasible that we want in our space frontier that will benefit all of us, until we call for a worldwide ban on all space-based weapons and simultaneously for ideas from everyone of all ages around the world about what we can do in space together ... we won't get the kind of media attention space deserves.
Listen, I could go public about the [men] I slept with while I worked in Washington. But, at this point, that story is told. It's done. We all know this part, now. This story is just more of the same. What's exciting about the media saturating the world with this story is that now, maybe now, the people of the world will be more receptive to a brand new story that will stimulate them with even more sex appeal and fun.
Look at it this way, Clinton has given us a gift...this cover-up/trade-off story. It's certainly a complex, exciting, sexy, dramatic, humorous story worthy of media attention. It's riveted the world. And, best of all, we should now be able to see that the media might just want to see this next level of truth...the trade-off...and how it leads us into an entirely new way of thinking...a cosmic way. We've linked the world to this story. Now, with the space issue emerging in the middle of it, if we raise the issue...the world might just grasp it and start an entire movement to cause a huge change that would allow our species and many others to survive and relish in the Space Age together on this Earth. And, the media who "get it," who help bring the space piece to the awareness of the world public and decision makers, would also help us get the word out...about the importance of cooperative space R&D to our survival on earth! Don't you think the media would love to participate in telling a story like this one?
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*** From the mailbag: Carol Rosin responds (#2)
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This newsletter content doesn't surprise me at all. I've been trying to tell everyone that if we don't ban weapons from space as our primary focus...and stop trying to stop these nuclear tests and launches (or at least put them as a secondary issue), we won't stop the industry from putting either weapons or nukes in space. But no, no one would listen. The "coalition" of anti-nuke activists do it again...lose. It's kinda like going to a surgeon...if you go to a surgeon, they recommend surgery. If you gather anti-nuclear types, you get a focus on nukes. Unfortunately, from one who came out of the military industrial complex strategy department, that isn't the game they are playing. They are playing the game of going into space...and nukes are only a small part of it. They'll hide the rest by focusing the public and Congressional eyes on the civilian and commercial uses...and the experts in that field are "afraid" to mention, let alone be against, nuclear technologies in space. Their jobs and funding are at stake. Meanwhile, just as I thought, we're going to have lots of weapons and nuclear technologies in that space above all our heads. Why? Because even though there is a TEENIE window open of opportunity in which we could get the word out, the Coalition Against the Weaponization and Nuclearization of Space fits their protest perfectly into the game by continuing to emphasize the WRONG protest and NO solutions that are realistic. I mean, these are the same people who think we should build roads and schools instead of guns...duh. That ain't where the industry is headed...wrong argument, again. As usual, nothing new is vote or media worthy coming from the so-called coalition who have their hearts in the right place but who have their egos confused with their minds and their old way of thinking and acting. And so, the game goes on as usual. Just a bit of sex scandles and more wars to cover-up...WAG THE DOG style. And the game simply accelerates as it escalates into the space frontier. Guess I'll go to my grave not wanting to say outloud, "I told you so."
Will our group wake up? Doubtful. Too busy selling their anti-nuclear books and protesting nukes. Too bad. We could have banned all weapons from the space frontier, thus CAUSING another way of "THINKING" to emerge.
But since WE don't allow our spirits to guide us rather than our egos, we continue the fight in the same earthbound way against issues that will not be dented, without incorporating a cosmic consciousness, without putting a literal lid on the reasons we "need" nukes in space, and without calling for worldwide space military, commercial and civilian space cooperative R&D and ventures that could have taken us, Akido style, into the millennium in a way worthy of the Space Age.
So, I think it's time to focus on whatever makes you happy in life. We are all going to die sooner than we thought. And these words come from a former optimist. END OF INCOMING EMAIL FROM CAROL ROSIN
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AND IN CONCLUSION...
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Please feel free to post these newsletters anywhere you feel it's appropriate! THANKS!!!
Welcome new subscribers!
Thanks for reading,
Sincerely,
Russell D. Hoffman
STOP CASSINI webmaster.
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