Bills' letter to the media, published in the Independent:

To all concerned:

  This letter is asking the question about self censorship by the local
TV and print media.  "Defending America Space Comm 2006" is concluding
today (jan 26) at the Broadmoor Convention Center  with virtually no
local press coverage.  It is sponsored by AFCEA, Air Force Space Command,
Northern Command and Army Space and Missile Command has major
participation from a host of military contractors.  There were 70
exhibitors in the trade show room.  More than 600 were in attendance. 
Subjects covered included the range of big budget items such as missile
defense, electronic surveillance, new weaponry,  and by extension the
important issues of waste, fraud and abuse and civil liberties questions
relating to secret surveillance of American citizens.
    And yet, none of our TV stations or daily or weekly papers did any
coverage of the event, because, it seems, they were not asked to.  It
could be argued that local reporters would be overmatched trying to
decipher the details of the latest in high tech gadgetry and weaponry
that was discussed there.  But I know a lot of local reporters who are
more than qualified to ask about waste, fraud and abuse and about civil
liberties and secrecy in government etc.  
    These participants provide the bread and butter of our local economy.
 That should not mean they get to have their own private "county fair" of
self congratulation and sensory enjoyment at in house discussions of
current and future  multi billion dollar contracts.
It appears the press did not attend because they were not invited.  One
could assume that they would have gone if they had  gotten a PR hype
invitation to cover a "good news" story.  But since they didn't,  they
didn't feel obligated to inform us at all.  
  
Bill Sulzman
Citizens for Peace in Space
P.O. Box 915
Colorado Springs, CO 80901
719 389 0644