hen the course of an organization's affairs takes a direction different from that of its member chapters, or of any group of members who have taken note of such a diversion, and it becomes necessary for those chapters, or such individuals, to separate themselves from that organization, a decent respect for the opinions of those sharing common goals requires those separating to declare the reasons impelling them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident: that the purpose of pro-space organizations is to promote the settlement of the space frontier, that any new activity of this magnitude is not readily achieved by a pre-constructed or foreordained path, that diversity of opinion must be supported and new ideas given an environment in which to flourish if the endeavor of space settlement is to have a chance to succeed, that whenever any allegedly pro-space organization becomes destructive of these ends, turns its back on space settlement, promotes a pre-constructed path supporting established interests only, and kills all efforts to bring new concepts into the development pathway, it is the duty of all space activists to discard such an organization and to establish new organizations and formulate new relationships as to them shall seem most likely to effect their purposes.Prudence, and a decent respect for long established organizations would seem to dictate a willingness to solve problems and make such changes as seem necessary from within the confines of established organizations. But, when an organization does not provide an environment for promoting change, indeed, when an organization actively seeks to prevent change, then the chapters and the members must separate from that organization and continue in a direction which seems most likely to achieve the original goals and ends held by such chapters or individuals who find themselves in agreement.
Such has been the history of the National Space Society's attempts to stamp out the original purpose of the chapters and their members. That purpose being to establish a public forum that would promote human settlement of space and the planets. To more clearly show the extent of the usurpations we present our view of the evidence so as to make our case clear to all who seek to understand.
When a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce us under despotic idiocy, it is our right, it is our duty to throw off such foolishness and provide new guards for our future security. Such has been the patient sufferance of this chapter, and such is now the necessity which constrains us to alter our relationships with outside groups. The history of the National Space Society is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having, in direct object, the establishment of a concentration of power to serve selected interests. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid galaxy:
The National Space Society ruling power clique has repeatedly thwarted the efforts of election reformers, promoting a sham democracy under whose rules only litmus-tested, approved, and "nominated" candidates have consistently won election, establishing what has amounted to a self-perpetuating board masquerading as a membership-elected board;
The National Space Society ruling power clique has repeatedly scrutinized election material of "petition" candidates, in at least one instance not permitting a candidate's statement to be circulated along with those of others;
The National Space Society was to hold its first elections after the merger of the much-maligned National Space Institute and the much-hallowed, venerable, and comparatively honest L5 Society during the year 1988 and, at the time of the May 1988 Space Development Conference in Denver the ruling power clique had agreed to rules for the conduct of this first election that were violated in a manner most foul amounting to ballots being sent out already marked on behalf of the ruling power clique and leading to a lopsided and sickening travesty of an election;
The National Space Society ruling power clique has repeatedly established policies without regard to the due process established in the Bylaws of the National Space Society, often without a vote of the Board of Directors, in at least one instance during a Space Development Conference at which a meeting of the Board of Directors was held but during which these policy matters were not discussed;
The National Space Society has raised the rate for membership, has decided to strictly enforce adherence to a membership quota amongst chapter officers, and has done so without providing recourse to the membership; in view of the aforementioned election shams such increased rates and enforced quotas amount to taxation without representation;
The National Space Society has ceased to use the full vision statement agreed upon by the Board of Directors and wholeheartedly endorsed by the membership and the chapters, and, for whatever weak-minded reason of the ruling power clique has stopped using "to establish communities beyond the Earth" clearly indicating a disregard for the basic purpose for which the L5 Society was founded;
The National Space Society ruling power clique has refused to activate its membership alert system to preserve commercially developed space facility funding in spite of the majority view of its Legislation Committee at the time and in spite of repeated requests by chapter leaders in view of which the nation continues to be burdened by an over-costly space station and lacks the benefit of an operational industrial space facility;
The National Space Society ruling power clique has allowed chairmanship of key committees to pass to individuals not on the Board of Directors (especially the 1990 chairmanship of the Legislation Committee);
The National Space Society ruling power clique took the laughable position of attacking the People's Republic of China for its low launch pricing practices (when the organization should be supporting any reduction in launch costs) in a press release without consulting with the full Board of Directors although there was a meeting of the Board at the same conference at which the policy was proposed to the legislation committee;
The National Space Society paid many thousands of dollars to a law firm to draft a petition under the 1974 Trade Act to continue its ludicrous attack against the People's Republic of China in spite of the need for this money in retiring debt to its directors or sponsoring chapter projects, and allowed this activity to continue in spite of valid concerns raised not only about the validity of the position, not only about the process through which the policy was developed, but also about the appearance of a conflict of interest within the person authorizing the expenditure who worked for one of the established aerospace interests which might benefit from higher Chinese launch prices;
The National Space Society has tolerated leadership from a man who once said that if chapters needed money, "They have many options available to them, from having a booth at a shopping mall to standing on a street corner with a cup;"
The National Space Society has allowed an aerospace industries association to provide tens of thousands of dollars to it annually even though that association's chartered purpose was to control the direction and activities of the National Space Society, a type of control that the ruling power clique never felt might conflict with the basic purpose of changing the nature of space development and providing a significantly expanded opportunity for space settlement;
The National Space Society saw fit to fire every single member of the staff of the L5 Society whose good work in Tucson, Arizona was rewarded with a lure to the cesspit of Washington, DC followed by the sack;
The National Space Society has paid hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to a staff that has provided limited results while denying funds to many worthwhile chapter projects;
The National Space Society has ignored the requests of its Chapters' Assembly on occasions too numerous to number;
The National Space Society ruling power self-styled elite has worked to subvert chapters, has promoted distortions and lies about leaders of chapters and about leaders of organizations formed by those with the sense to leave the National Space Society;
In every stage of these oppressions, we have petitioned for redress, often in the most humble terms; our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. An organization whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyranny is unfit to be associated with free people.
Nor have we been wanting in attention to our other chapter brethren. We have warned them, from time to time of attempts by the National Space Society to take unacceptable actions. We have reminded them of the circumstances we share. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them, by the ties of our common kindred, to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They, too, have been deaf to the voice of justice and consanguinity, preferring to remain with the evil they know, regardless of the limits to which it submits them, rather than to establish new organizational mechanisms to better serve their needs. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity which denounces our separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in conflict, in peace, friends.
We therefore, the representatives and members of the Houston Space Society, in general meeting assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the universe for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name and by the authority of the good people of this chapter, solemnly publish and declare, that this organization is and of right ought to be free and independent: that it is absolved from all allegiance to the National Space Society, and that all political and organizational connection between us and the National Space Society is, and ought to be, totally dissolved; and that, as a free organization, we have full power to enter conflicts, conclude negotiations, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent organizations may of right do. And, for the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.
