John Carter McKnight has a stern lecture for the space advocacy movement.

I agree, I guess, but it seems kind of short on specifics. I think that there's a fundamental problem in that there isn't a single movement--there are indeed a lot of factions, and they may be irreconciliable.

We've been discussing that article on the Moon Society list. While we wouldn't mind working with others there are some groups who are fundamentally unrelated to each other. There's the silly Moon vs Mars debate (go to both!) but that one isn't as bad as the government vs private issue. I've run into many who are actively hostile to private aerospace for some reason.

But yes, as a Moon Society board member I felt the sting of truth in that article....

Aye, Mr. Mealling, it does sting a bit. I feel it, too.

But Rand is right, too, in pointing out that the specifics aren't all there. I really enjoyed McKnight's article, and his heart is in the right place, but it's easy to criticize. His challenge is real, however, and the first piece of the challenge is how do we put together the specifics.

So, what is the first specific, the first Rule of Private Space Utilization? Perhaps we should start with some concrete statement on what is common between all of the disparate interests out there. What is it that all ventures need, right now, to do anything at all?

At least McKnight is beginning to recognize that our vaunted space advocacy movement is as short on results as NASA. And he's noticing the way we're going about things is not, perhaps, the best way.

I don't know where I fit in his scheme of things. Local organizer, leader, none of the above? Damned if I know.

I do know working with space advocates has become more and more frustrating over the years. I've raised issues like the timing of the ISDC (Memorial Day weekend) (quoting Joe Hopkins "a bad idea that's become a tradition") to the various follies we practice to God knows what. I remember commenting on one of my negative reactions to the only Space Frontier conference I went to and being told "Stress happens when you're trying to change things!"

I'm pretty sure we (and I'll include myself in this charge) need to get better at listening to others. Active listening is a trait of an effective leader. A very important one, I would say.