The annual Pluto Protest March blasted off without a hitch last Saturday (Star Date 03.13.2010) and sent a message across the universe that planetary rights are not something to be tossed around like a beach ball at an Aerosmith concert. Pro-Plutonians and Anti-Plutonians of all shapes and sizes came out in full force to tell the IAU (International Astronomical Union) exactly where it could stick its decision to reclassify Pluto as a dwarf planet.
Protesters marched their way through the unsuspecting streets of Greenwood before invading Neptune Coffee to give the lucky patrons a piece of their mind. Keynote speaker Justin Allan took time from his hectic schedule as head of the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. to make this statement:
ATTENTION CONCERNED CITIZENS!
A grave injustice has occurred! Pluto—the smallest and most distant planet—has been removed from the planetary pantheon.
Pluto – a planet since its discovery in 1930 - didn’t fit the bill and was booted out of the line-up, kicked to the curb, removed! It was reclassified as a “Dwarf Planet” – diminished, as if this small, icy outpost was somehow inferior to the “gas giants”.
We are gathered here today to declare Pluto IS a Planet.
We are gathered here today to declare Pluto IS a Planet.
These inspired words left few dry eyes or optic receptors as hands joined with tentacles in a galactic show of support for this fallen planet. Although great strides have been made in advancing awareness about the plight of Pluto, its up to you concerned citizen to make Saturday's accomplishments more than just a footnote in galactic history. Silence the haters who hide behind their computer screens and their facebooks and write," Anyone who protests about Pluto needs to get a life and find something significant and productive to care and protest about, duncha think?" We here at the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. might not know what "duncha" is, but if it means sending our love across the galaxy to a PLANET cold and alone, then yes, we major duncha think.
If you yourself are a concerned Pro-Plutonian and want to get involved in the cause, then write your U.S. Senator and Representative urging them to declare March 13th (the anniversary of the announcement of Pluto's discovery) as "Pluto Day".
Or write to the the IAU and demand that they reconsider their resolution at:
IAU--UAI Secretariat
98-bis Blvd Arago
F-75014 Paris
France
I wish I could have attended the Seattle rally, but I live all the way on the other side of the country in NJ. I applaud everyone who came out to support Pluto's planet status and emphasize, you are not alone. Only four percent of the IAU voted on this, and most are not planetary scientists. Their decision was opposed by hundreds of professional astronomers led by New Horizons Principal Investigator Dr. Alan Stern.
ReplyDeleteLet the 424 IAU members who voted in 2006 "get a life." I am proud to have been actively protesting the demotion through my blog at http://laurele.livejournal.com for three-and-a-half years. I have written to the IAU and will again, and I will write my Congressional representatives in support of this resolution.