Dennis Tito to Receive Boy Scouts' Prestigious 'Americanism' Award
Vindication of the Man whom Nasa Called "Unpatriotic"
by Patrick Collins
On February 21, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) will give their much-sought-after award for 'Americanism' to
Dennis Tito
, the first person in history to pay his own way to space. In doing this the BSA are reminding Americans of who they are, of what it was about Americans that made the USA the richest country in the world. At their best they are pioneering, entrepreneurial, individual, visionary. The BSA's full citation can be found on the Wilshire company's web-site.
The selection of Dennis Tito is particularly notable because the then head of the US government's world-famous space agency tried his hardest to prevent Dennis Tito from making
his historic space trip. The Nasa administrator even abused Dennis Tito as being "unpatriotic"!
It is very encouraging that the BSA understands the difference between a true American hero whose name will deservedly live in history, and a government monopolist peddling offensive lies to defend his taxpayer-funded 'gravy train'.
At the time of Dennis Tito's flight, the press reflected the fact that 80% of the US public rightly supported
Dennis Tito - 'the little guy' - against the self-interested, $14 billion/year government monopoly. However, most of the media have still not taken the next step to realising that Nasa's opposition to this true American was no accident - it is inherent in its determination to defend its monopoly at whatever cost to US taxpayers.
It is also notable that the BSA did not choose any of the US government's astronauts (nor the ex-head of Nasa). That is because these people are, at best, representatives not of what made America great, but of a government monopoly organisation - the very opposite of what America stands for. Through their actively delaying the development of passenger space travel, Nasa staff under the previous administrator were all accomplices in "deceiving and oppressing" the public, to use the immortal words of Adam Smith in his warning to beware of all attempts by government to spend taxpayers' money "on their behalf". We must all hope that
Sean O'Keefe, the new administrator of Nasa, will see his way to reorganising Nasa to work in the economic interest of the American people, instead of against it.
, the first person in history to pay his own way to space. In doing this the BSA are reminding Americans of who they are, of what it was about Americans that made the USA the richest country in the world. At their best they are pioneering, entrepreneurial, individual, visionary. The BSA's full citation can be found on the Wilshire company's web-site. The selection of Dennis Tito
is particularly notable because the then head of the US government's world-famous space agency tried his hardest to prevent Dennis Tito from making his historic space trip. The Nasa administrator even abused Dennis Tito
as being "unpatriotic"! It is very encouraging that the BSA understands the difference between a true American hero whose name will deservedly live in history, and a government monopolist peddling offensive lies to defend his taxpayer-funded 'gravy train'.
At the time of Dennis Tito
's flight, the press reflected the fact that 80% of the US public rightly supported
Dennis Tito - 'the little guy' - against the self-interested, $14 billion/year government monopoly. However, most of the media have still not taken the next step to realising that Nasa's opposition to this true American was no accident - it is inherent in its determination to defend its monopoly at whatever cost to US taxpayers. It is also notable that the BSA did not choose any of the US government's astronauts (nor the ex-head of Nasa). That is because these people are, at best, representatives not of what made America great, but of a government monopoly organisation - the very opposite of what America stands for. Through their actively delaying the development of passenger space travel, Nasa staff under the previous administrator were all accomplices in "deceiving and oppressing" the public, to use the immortal words of Adam Smith
in his warning to beware of all attempts by government to spend taxpayers' money "on their behalf". We must all hope that
Sean O'Keefe, the new administrator of Nasa, will see his way to reorganising Nasa to work in the economic interest of the American people, instead of against it. 