by Clyde Key
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Text of Helen Norden’s proposed message to the aliens:
Greetings to our friends across the Universe:
We, the people of Earth, are pleased to learn that we are not alone in the universe. It is our hope that we can share our knowledge with you and that you, in turn, will share your knowledge with us. We realize that your civilization must be advanced far beyond ours. However, we learn and we are maturing.
We must confess that our history has many blemishes, that our world as a whole is racist and sexist. We are scarred from wars and our planet suffers from the pollution we cause. Indeed, we have been our own worst enemies throughout the entire course of our existence. Shamefully, the strongest have exploited and enslaved the week, and even now, such evil seeks to retain its grip on our institutions.
Therefore it is our hope that you will freely offer the secrets of your civilization for the enlightenment of our planet.
Sincerely,
From the Citizens of Earth