It turns out that NASA’s Mars Explorer Program still has a shot at getting a manned mission to the Red Planet! Which means I was wrong when was afraid we had gone totally third world, abandoning our future in space for a few bucks in local pork barrel projects used to line some politicians pockets. But I wasn’t completely wrong; if you want the future of humanity to include some Americans colonizing our new homes in space (and not just the Chinese and their other western pacific rim culture allies) you need to make your voices heard. From now until July first, go to the Mars Forum, register as a forum member (it’s free), read through the entries, and make your voice heard. There are some great ideas there, some flames, and some irrelevant commentary, like every forum you have ever been to. But this time the stakes may just be the future of the human race for the next half million years; wouldn’t you want your children and grandchildren to have a shot at being part of it?