X-Message-Number: 23689
Date: Sat, 20 Mar 2004 13:52:59 -0500
From: Keith Henson <>
Subject: Re: Kennita's plan

>
>From: Charles Platt <>
>Subject: kennita's plan
>References: <>
>
>Kennita Watson writes:
>
>"I plan to attend the 2005 Frozen Dead Guy Days, with as high
>a profile as I can manage, because I actually think it will
>be *good* for cryonics."
>
>This is a classic example of the kind of thing that just
>makes me want to give up and walk away. I have had experience
>doing PR, and I believe the other person who patiently took
>the time to explain some fundamentals to Kennita also has
>experience. In response, we find an absolute and total
>uninterest in listening to anyone's advice. It doesn't matter
>if arguments are logical, based on extensive experience, and
>are merely advocating caution. There will be no additional
>thought. SKennitaknows what she knows and she is going to do
>what she wants to do, period.

I would venture to say that PR is not well enough understood to predict the 
effects of Kennita going as a private person to Frozen Dead Guy Days.  Who 
could have predicted a home brew freezing would turn into a local event 
that brings in more visitors than the entire town's population?

>Kennita, I wouldn't give a damn, except that you are
>screwing with my life. I have already presented you with the
>best possible evidence that people who do wacky stuff (such
>as freezing your father in the back yard without getting
>permission, as a result of which the town outlaws cryonics)

At least one politically active local is favorable toward cryonics.  It 
might be worth running a poll to find out how the community feels about 
it.  The business community has been impressed with the income.  It is not 
entirely out of the question that fairly minor efforts there could get the 
local ordinance reversed if someone wanted to give it a try.

>are NOT HELPFUL to everyone else. An Arizona legislator
>mentioned a similar case as "evidence" that all cryonics is a
>sham, and therefore should be regulated into oblivion. He is
>not the only person who thinks this way. Why do you want to
>give more ammunition to our enemies?

And how would Kennita going there give more ammunition to our enemies?

>Additional publicity for Trygve Bauge has a very real risk of
>damaging the credibility of this field and inviting hostile
>legislation.

These things take on a life of their own.  I don't think any efforts on our 
part are going to affect the level of publicity Trygve gets.  (There is a 
possible exception, if Alcor were to take over care for Trygve's 
grandfather, it seems likely it would *decrease* the publicity.)

>Why do you think you are so unique that you can
>somehow turn it all around and prove positive results? What
>gives you this idea?  What right do you have to take that
>chance, since we have already seen that it is likely to
>endanger our field?

Anybody who does *anything* in cryonics, starting a new cryonics 
organization, hiring people, or accepting a last minute patient runs a 
chance of it blowing up in their face--as you of all people should 
know.  We have to do things all the time where we can't predict the 
consequences or even agree on the potential pitfalls.

Not complaining, it's just a fact of life.

Keith Henson

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