X-Message-Number: 6452
Date: 06 Jul 96 11:32:41 EDT
From: "Kent, Saul" <>
Subject: SCI.CRYONICS: Partisanship

	An "anonymous" poster on Cryonet stated that:

	"Wakfer is anything other than nonpartisan."

	The fact that the post is "anonymous" suggests that the message
was intended to be critical of Paul's leadership in The Prometheus
Project. It also indicates that the poster doesn't want to be
identified with an unpopular position. 

	As a strong supporter of The Prometheus Project, I certainly 
hope that this anonymous position *will* be unpopular, and I encourage 
*all* Cryonet readers to post their opinions on this issue.

	In fact, Paul Wakfer *is* partisan, just as I and most of the
supporters of The Project are...and just as most of the members of the
cryonics community are. One could argue, in fact, that the mere act of
*joining* a cryonics organization makes one a partisan of that
organization.

	It is just because Paul is partisan that he has emphasized
repeatedly that The Prometheus Project is a NONpartisan effort. Paul
knows that it is widely known that he is a member of CryoCare and the
the head of Cryospan. He wants it known that his advocacy of "his"
cryonics organizations IS NOT AND SHOULD NOT BE an issue in a project
that seeks to develop a technology which all cryonics organizations will
use and which will benefit the entire cryonics movement.

	In truth, new projects are started by activists and almost
all activists are partisans. However, partisans of all types *must*
be able to work together on projects that require a group effort to
succeed. If the leaders and members of *all* cryonics organizations
*cannot* overcome their partisanship to work together on a project 
of such magnitude and monumental importance, it will be a very sad
day for the cryonics movement.

	Only cooperation among *all* cryonics organizations will give 
us the best possible chance of perfecting brain cryopreservation and 
the best possible chance of surviving as individuals. The only way of
guaranteeing nonpartisanship for The Prometheus Project is for all
cryonics organizations to participate as equally as possible. Since the
company that will conduct the research and own the technologies developed
through the research will be owned by its investors, ownership in the
company on the part of *all* cryonics organizations will be needed in
order to *guarantee* a nonpartisan effort.

	I, therefore, call upon *all* cryonics organizations to match
the $10,000/year pledge (for 10 years) made by CryoCare. I also call
on all organizations to report on The Project in their publications 
and to encourage their members to make pledges. For it is *only* 
through the participation of all cryonics organizations that we can
guarantee the nonpartisanship of the Prometheus Project and optimize
our chances of survival.

---Saul Kent


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