got this from martiansoil.com; didn't find anything quickly on marssociety.org
""
Mars Society Launches 'Why Should We Go There' Contest
In an effort to explain to the average person, why governments should push for more funding for Mars exploration, the Mars Society has launched its 'Why Should We Go There' contest:
Mars Society members consist of engineers, microbiologists, rocket scientists and other key players who are helping to shape the technologies that will enable us to get to Mars, explore the planet and possibly one day settle there.
But the Mars Society is more than a technical society. Our members also include writers, anthropologists, philosophers and activists who believe that setting a positive course for the future of humanity begins now, with us.
One of the hardest parts of convincing the "person on the street" and therefore the voters, and thence the politicians, is explaining why sending humans to Mars is so critical to our vision of a positive future. The reasons we adopt are as varied as our political, religious and philosophical viewpoints and are usually as well thought out as they are highly personal. It is time to emphasize the importance of why, not just how or when or how much money.
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http://www.martiansoil.com/archives/001149.php#more
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