Slings and Arrows

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Bill Kaysing offered the public many theories and questions about the legitimacy of NASA’s Apollo Program.  For this he was both praised and ridiculed.

Praised by some who had a basic mistrust in anything proclaimed by the “government” or it’s agencies and some who understood that not everything in this life is exactly as it may appear or is said to be.  Anyone who has attended a magic show can easily attest to that.  First you see it then you don’t.

A characteristic of being naive is to accept everything one sees or is told as absolute fact without question.  What Bill Kaysing talked about, and wrote his opinions about, concerning the NASA Apollo Missions, was what he considered unusual, manufactured, or missing when events should have been obvious to a layman.  That he seemed passionate about it may have been an illusion created for a purpose.

Others who some how felt that writing and publishing ones suspicions about possible corruption, conspiracies, or violations of public trust, ridiculed him and charged that gaining financially from his work was in some way dishonest. Making a modest living as a writer was evidently unacceptable to them.  Those opinions are conspiracy theories themselves.  To further the hypocrisy of his detractors, they proffered their own wares in the same breath.

These were the self-promoting and self-appointed high priests of the “Ministry of Truth” the so-called “debunkers” shamelessly denouncing Bill as an anti-scientist and worse because he dared express his opinions without clearing them through the “Ministry” first.  The same self-promoters launched their otherwise lack-luster careers on the Internet by belittling and condemning Bill for expressing his opinions.

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“If there is a bedrock principle of the First Amendment, it is that the government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable.”
Justice William J. Brennan
1906 – 1997
United States Supreme Court Justice

One would-be astronaut and “toady” at NASA’s alter declares that Bill “did so much harm to the world”.  How?  By exercising his first amendment rights?  I wonder how this pompous sycophant answers children or friends if he disagrees with their observations.

This is not to infer that Bill was a child but Bill was not a scientist either – and never, ever claimed to be.  Bill Kaysing was a researcher, writer and an author. Bill Kaysing did not accept everything the government or it’s agencies proclaimed as absolute and beyond contestation.  Nor did he think that he had to clear his opinions through any individual or group of arrogant self-important, self-promoting poltroons who would attempt to destroy his reputation and work while promoting their own version of the same event while shirking one-on-one civilized debate in the process.

As for “integrity” of government agencies, it might be amusing to learn that NASA is an entity without a single elected individual.  Everyone from the janitor to the highest official is either hired or appointed by the President of the United States.

Their jobs are completely dependent upon funding from Senate Appropriations Committees, committees populated by elected individuals.  Elected! Politics! Public opinion! Get it!  NASA is no more than a non-profit agency funded at the publics pleasure.  Furthermore, the majority of so-called NASA employees work for sub-contractors to NASA.  These contracts are quite lucrative and anyone who “rocks-the-boat” or jeopardizes a contract is removed from the chain of influence as rapidly as possible.  Prime sub-contractors want little to do with employees who draw adverse attention to the status quo.

What does this mean?  It means; the risk of loosing ones job and being disgraced by NASA or one of it’s sub-contractors alone, is reason enough for anyone who knows what’s under NASA’s carpet to keep his trap shut.

Is NASA capable of misleading the public for it’s own preservation?  Absolutely not, NASA is an agency! It doesn’t think, but the administrators and employees whose jobs depend upon discretion are fully capable of such a conspiracy.  Salaries are paid all the way to the top of the pyramid and secrecy is easily maintained by threat of termination and social ruination should the lost sheep complain too loud.

Endemic?  Hmmm.  This must come as a surprise to those who blindly accept the proclamations of the “Self-appointed de-bunkers and defenders of the great and noble agency NASA.”

Don’t misunderstand although I make reference to NASA sarcastically, it is only because I find it ludicrous that there are those who pray to NASA and defend it’s honor as though it were a deity.

There are many honorable people who work for the agency.  I have not met them all. There are also many dishonorable people who work there.  I have not met all of them either.

My wife and I worked for a NASA field agency Jet Propulsion Laboratory for a combined total of seventeen years.  I don’t need to display myself on the Internet with a shuttle launch gantry in the background or pose in a fake space suit.  I worked for Deep Space Network Engineering and Support and my wife worked for Mission Control.  My signature is on both Voyager Spacecraft.  I was close enough to the prime mission to understand that failure was not an option.  Not as far as the senate appropriations committee and public opinion were concerned.  The unwritten prime mission of NASA is to maintain continued funding and existence as a government agency.

Do I have an opinion about the legitimacy of NASA photographic evidence from the Apollo Missions?  Yes.  Will I reveal it to anyone in this venue?  No.  Will I take part in on-line discussion of the Apollo missions?  No.  Why am I contributing to this website?  Out of respect for my Uncle Bill Kaysing and his First Amendment Rights Of Freedom Of Speech And Expression. 

Enough said of this issue.

William C. Kaysing, pen name: Wild Bill Kaysing, Fastest Pen In The West was a man of deep convictions and the generosity of a fool.   He died poor because he gave away all that he had.  He trusted everyone except the government and lived his life according to the examples he offered in his many books.  His enemies danced on his grave and made mirth of the fact that in his final years he lived in a mobile home on property owned by a friend who sheltered abandon animals, mainly cats.

Laughable?  Damn you if you think so!  Caring for others and Gods creatures is a Noble calling.  Bill was neither an extremist nor a lunatic.  He was a caring individual who enjoyed life and tried to share that joy with others.  In this website you will find reference to his many books, books about cooking, economical living, hot springs, health, breaking bad habits like smoking, safety, reference aids for senior citizens, shelters for homeless individuals and of course the Apollo conspiracy.

Bill left his mark on many people throughout the world some bad, but mostly good.  The most unfortunate aspect of his legacy is that he is mainly remembered for his conspiracy theory rather than his philosophy.  So be it.  But remember this: Had it not been for him drawing attention to the Apollo Missions many people, even today, would not have given them a second thought.

The nations and peoples of the world are in space.  Space agencies throughout the world will continue the advancement of the science of space exploration.  However, we must do so with care and consideration for the safety of the individuals whom we send on these perilous missions.

In my opinion and the opinion of many, space exploration is the destiny of man, but we must always remember: There are those who would disregard safety and prudent engineering by fabricating evidence of success in order to insure continued funding for their projects (and continued employment).

We must remain vigilant, even in the face of zealots who would challenge our opinions and defame our reputations for their own aggrandizement and fame.

Rest in peace, Uncle Bill, 

Dietrich von Schmausen