Gabriel Rothblatt#SpacePAC

{{short description|Technoprogressive political activist, writer and speaker}}

{{Multiple issues|{{BLP primary sources|date=February 2015}}{{COI|date=March 2015}}

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{{Infobox person|

image=File:Gabriel Rothblatt at the Mormon Transhumanist Association.jpg

|caption=Rothblatt speaks at the Mormon Transhumanist Association in 2013

|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1982|10|05}}

|parents=Martine Rothblatt

|alma_mater=University of Vermont

}}

Gabriel Rothblatt (born October 5, 1982) is an American technoprogressive political activist and a writer and speaker in the futurist and transhumanist movements. He ran for Congress in 2014.

Early life and education

Born to Bina and transgender businesswoman Martine Rothblatt, Rothblatt is Black, Jewish, and comes from an LGBTQ family.{{cite web |url=http://www.michigandaily.com/news/students-attend-talk-space-exploration |title=Space exploration faces future funding hurdles |author=Nabeel Chollampat |date=December 4, 2014 |website=The Michigan Daily |access-date=March 14, 2015}}{{cite web |title=Biography Gabriel Rothblatt for Congress |url=http://gabrielrothblattforcongress.us/ |url-status=usurped |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160709192555/http://gabrielrothblattforcongress.us/ |archivedate=2016-07-09 |access-date= |publisher=Gabriel Rothblatt For Congress}} His parents founded Sirius Satellite Radio, United Therapeutics and other companies{{Which|date=June 2023}}.{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2014/07/18/gabriel-rothblatt-florida-space/12825105/ |title=House bid a stepping stone for space-focused candidate |author=Fredreka Schouten |date=July 18, 2014 |website= |publisher= USA Today |access-date=March 14, 2015}} After graduating from high school, he earned a degree in political philosophy at the University of Vermont. He works for MIO, LLC as a property manager and has previously managed a restaurant franchise and worked as an insurance broker. His great grandfather, Isadore Rothblatt, was a union organizer and was beaten to death by anti-union activists because of his union activities with the Leatherworker's Union of Chicago. Rothblatt and his wife Taj divorced in June 2021.{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}} They have four children together.{{cite web |url=http://www.democracyforamerica.com/campaigns/3047-americans-for-gabriel-rothblatt |title=Americans for Gabriel Rothblatt |author= |date= |website= |publisher=Democracy For America |access-date=March 14, 2015}}

Activism

=Human rights=

Rothblatt is an outspoken advocate for human rights. In his 2014 congressional campaign, he was endorsed by the National Organization for Women{{cite web|url=http://womenscenterinbrevard.org/meet-the-dudes/gabriel-rothblatt/ |title=Meet the Dudes |author= |date= |website= |publisher=Women's Center in Brevard |access-date=March 14, 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141231032914/http://womenscenterinbrevard.org/meet-the-dudes/gabriel-rothblatt/ |archivedate=December 31, 2014 }} and the Teamsters Local Union 769.{{cite web |url=http://teamstersjc75.org/2014%20Election%20Candidates/2014_LU_769(2).pdf |title=Teamsters Local Union 769|author= |date= |website= |publisher=Teamsters Joint Council 75|access-date=March 14, 2015}} He also was a featured speaker at the South Brevard NAACP's banquet dinner.{{cite web |url=http://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2014/10/12/brevard-naacp-chapters-set-plans-annual-banquets/17156085/ |title=Brevard NAACP chapters set plans for annual banquets |author=Sara Paulson |date=October 16, 2014 |website= |publisher=Florida Today |access-date=March 14, 2015}} He is a Member Delegate of the Space Coast Progressive Alliance and Vice President of the Brevard Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.{{cite web |url=http://www.scpaflorida.com/item/2973-scpa-annual-elections-jan-8-2015vSCPA |title=Annual Elections Jan. 8, 2015 |author= |date=Jan 3, 2014 |website= |publisher=Space Coast Progressive Alliance |access-date=March 14, 2015 |archive-date=April 2, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402121446/http://www.scpaflorida.com/item/2973-scpa-annual-elections-jan-8-2015vSCPA |url-status=dead }}

=Space=

Rothblatt is an advocate for space, public speaker on the advantageous of investing in space settlements, and President of the Florida Space Development Council, the National Space Society's local chapter.{{cite web |url=http://www.floridatoday.com/story/tech/science/space/2015/03/07/nasas-mms-mission-set-continue-busy-month-cape/24518833/|title=NASA's MMS mission set to continue busy month at Cape|author= James Dean |date=March 8, 2015 |publisher=Florida Today |accessdate=March 8, 2015}} In a talk hosted by students from SEDS, at the University of Michigan, Rothblatt advocated that space exploration should not resemble the space race but should be an endeavor of international collaboration. In a congressional debate, Rothblatt stated that he believes missions to the moon, Mars, and asteroids should be a priority, and under the right plan 1,000 people could be in space within a decade.{{cite web |url=http://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2014/10/14/posey-rothblatt-take-shots-congressional-debate/17279955/ |title=Posey, Rothblatt take their shots at congressional debate|author=Dave Berman |date=October 14, 2014 |website= |publisher=Florida Today |access-date=March 14, 2015}} Space was such a significant part of Rothblatt's campaign BBC News ran a story covering both candidates position on space and titled it Florida's space race: The politicians battling over the cosmos.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-29654854 |title=Florida's space race: The politicians battling over the cosmos |author=Debbie Siegelbaum |date=October 19, 2014 |website= |publisher=BBC |access-date=March 14, 2015}} Lisa Miller, from New York magazine, wrote that the first item on Rothblatt's platform is "space."{{cite web |url=http://nymag.com/news/features/martine-rothblatt-transgender-ceo/index2.html |title=The Trans-Everything CEO |author= |date=September 17, 2014 |website= |publisher=New York Magazine |access-date=March 14, 2015}} Rothblatt has written on various space topics including spacesteading{{cite web |url=http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/gabrielrothblatt201207152 |title=Spacesteading – May the Meek Inhabit the Cosmos |author=Gabriel Rothblatt |date= July 15, 2012|website= |publisher=Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies |access-date=March 14, 2015}} and panspermia.{{cite web |url=http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/gabrielrothblatt20120824 |title=Are We Panspermia or Not? Does Knowing Matter? |author=Gabriel Rothblatt |date=August 24, 2012 |website= |publisher=Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies |access-date=March 14, 2015 |archive-date=December 31, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141231102917/http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/gabrielrothblatt20120824 |url-status=dead }}

=Transhumanism=

Rothblatt is a community organizer and member of the Board of Directors with the Terasem Movement.{{cite web |url=http://lifeboat.com/ex/bios.gabriel.rothblatt |title=Advisory Board |author= |date= |website= |publisher=Lifeboat Foundation |access-date=March 14, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/bio/grothblatt/|title=Gabriel Rothblatt|author=|date=|website=|publisher=Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies|access-date=March 14, 2015|archive-date=May 10, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150510175817/http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/bio/grothblatt/|url-status=dead}} Rothblatt writes and speaks on transhumanist topics, such as seasteading,{{cite web |url=http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/gabrielrothblatt20120609 |title=How Can Seasteading End Somali Piracy? |author=Gabriel Rothblatt |date=June 9, 2012 |website= |publisher=Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies |access-date=March 14, 2015 |archive-date=December 31, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141231102922/http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/gabrielrothblatt20120609 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://www.seasteading.org/community/events/conference2012/?tubepress_video=44289555&tubepress_page=1 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20141217143306/http://www.seasteading.org/community/events/conference2012/?tubepress_video=44289555&tubepress_page=1 |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 17, 2014 |title=The Seasteading Conference |author= |date=2012 |website= |publisher=The Seasteading Institute |access-date=March 14, 2015 }} cryonics,{{cite web |url=http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/gabrielrothblatt20120406 |title=Don't Go To Sleep In The Cold! |author=Gabriel Rothblatt |date=April 6, 2012 |website= |publisher=Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies |access-date=March 14, 2015 |archive-date=December 31, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141231102915/http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/gabrielrothblatt20120406 |url-status=dead }} religion,{{cite web |url=http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/gabrielrothblatt20120607 |title=Is Transhumanism a Religion? |author=Gabriel Rothblatt |date=June 7, 2012 |website= |publisher=Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies |access-date=March 14, 2015 |archive-date=May 2, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150502235726/http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/gabrielrothblatt20120607 |url-status=dead }} mind uploading,{{cite web |url=http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/gabrielrothblatt20120420 |title=Will We Have Multiple "Selves" in the Future? |author=Gabriel Rothblatt |date=April 20, 2012 |website= |publisher=Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies |access-date=March 14, 2015 |archive-date=December 31, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141231102919/http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/gabrielrothblatt20120420 |url-status=dead }} and technological discrimination.{{cite web |url=http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/gabrielrothblatt2012071811 |title=Steve Mann Assaulted at French McDonald's in world's first "Cybernetic Hate Crime |author=Gabriel Rothblatt |date=July 20, 2012 |website= |publisher=Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies |access-date=March 14, 2015 |archive-date=July 19, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150719051040/http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/gabrielrothblatt2012071811 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/gabrielrothblatt20120613|title=Is the term "Transhumanism" a misnomer?|author=Gabriel Rothblatt|date=June 13, 2012|website=|publisher=Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies|access-date=March 14, 2015|archive-date=December 31, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141231102925/http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/gabrielrothblatt20120613|url-status=dead}}

Political campaigns

During the 2014 Midterm elections, Rothblatt ran as a Democratic Party candidate against incumbent Bill Posey in Florida's 8th congressional district.{{cite web |url=http://ballotpedia.org/Florida%27s_8th_Congressional_District_elections,_2014|title=Florida's 8th Congressional District |author= |date= |website= |publisher=Ballotpedia |access-date=March 14, 2015}} Rothblatt qualified for the ballot by gathering 4,936 signatures; the minimum required was 4,834.{{cite web |url=http://election.dos.state.fl.us/candidate/CanPetSig.asp?account=60345|title=Candidates Petition Signatures, 2014 General Elections |author= |date= |website= |publisher= Florida Division of Elections |access-date=March 14, 2015}} Issues of concern to him were technological unemployment, protecting family values, promoting education, protecting the environment, developing space, and human rights.{{cite web |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2014/08/18/congressional-candidate-has-faith-in-technology/ |title=Congressional candidate has faith in technology |author=Scott Powers |date=August 18, 2014 |website= |publisher=Orlando Sentinel |access-date=March 14, 2015 |archive-date=November 29, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129084750/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2014-08-18/news/os-congressional-gabriel-rothblatt-20140817_1_congressional-candidate-martine-rothblatt-religion |url-status=live }} His belief in transhumanism and his family ties were both regularly covered by the media. Jessica Roy, from Time, commented that his status as a member of Terasem may be just as difficult for his campaign as being a Democrat in the Republican majority district.{{cite magazine |url=https://time.com/66536/terasem-trascendence-religion-technology/ |title=The Rapture of the Nerds|author=Jessica Roy |date=April 17, 2014 |magazine=Time |access-date=March 14, 2015}} During a campaign event, gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist introduced him by saying "Gabriel is the messenger that God sent."{{cite web |url=http://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2014/09/25/charlie-crist-goes-on-the-offensive-in-melbourne/16209687/|title=Charlie Crist goes on the offensive in Melbourne |author=Dave Berman|date=September 25, 2014 |website=Florida Today |publisher= |access-date=March 14, 2015}}

Others were critical of Rothblatt's campaign. Katie Prill, from the National Republican Congressional Committee, wrote that "his radical ideas are too extreme for Florida families." Posey's spokesman, George Cecala, stated that, "It all comes down to the real issue, and that is Bill Posey is a conservative and Gabriel Rothblatt is a liberal. Posey won the election, but Neely Tucker at the Washington Post called his campaign "a respectable debut,"{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/martine-rothblatt-she-founded-siriusxm-a-religion-and-a-biotech-for-starters/2014/12/11/5a8a4866-71ab-11e4-ad12-3734c461eab6_story.html|title=Martine Rothblatt: She founded SiriusXM, a religion and a biotech. For starters |author=Neely Tucker |date=December 12, 2014 |newspaper= Washington Post |access-date=March 14, 2015}} and Dustin Ashley wrote that his campaign "opens the door for other transhumanists to become part of the political action."{{cite web |url=http://transhumanity.net/gabriel-rothblatt-lost-the-race/ |title=Gabriel Rothblatt Lost the Race|author= |date=November 5, 2014 |website= |publisher=transhumanity.net |access-date=March 14, 2015}}

=SpacePAC=

Rothblatt was supported by SpacePAC, a Political Action Committee (PAC) founded by his parents. Under campaign finance laws, PACs are not permitted to collaborate with the candidate. Due to these restrictions, the Rothblatts were not permitted to discuss the campaign together until the election was over. The New York Times criticized the PAC because it was run by his parents.{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/04/opinion/the-custom-made-super-pac-.html?_r=0|title=The Custom-Made 'Super PAC' |author= |date=August 3, 2014|work= New York Times |access-date=March 14, 2015}} USA Today reported that Rothblatt was unaware of his parents PAC until he saw yard signs promoting his candidacy.{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/07/18/relatives-fund-candidate-super-pacs-rothblatt/12824361/|title=Some candidates' super PACs are a family affair|author=Fredreka Schouten and Christopher Schnaars| date=July 18, 2014 |website= |publisher= USA Today |access-date=March 14, 2015}} According to William Patrick, from Watchdog.org, Posey knew of the family relationship between Rothblatt and the PAC, but Posey declined to comment.{{cite web |url=http://watchdog.org/161806/democratic-super-pac/ |title=Democratic candidate gets $225,000 boost from sole super PAC donor, his dad |author=William Patrick |date=July 29, 2014 |website= |publisher=Watchdog.org |access-date=March 14, 2015 |archive-date=December 16, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141216204713/http://watchdog.org/161806/democratic-super-pac/ |url-status=dead }} Dave Berman, from Florida Today, noted that even with the support of SpacePAC, Posey's campaign had far more funds than Rothblatt's campaign.{{cite web |url=http://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2014/10/10/numbers-look-good-brevard-democrats/17050817/ |title=Numbers don't look good for Brevard Democrats |author=Dave Berman|date=October 10, 2014|website= |publisher= Florida Today |access-date=March 14, 2015}} Alex Leary, from the Tampa Bay Times reported that SpacePAC was not the first PAC to be set up by a wealthy parents to support their child's campaign.{{cite web|url=http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/florida-congressional-candidate-gets-super-pac-boost----from-his-father/2195089|title=Florida congressional candidate gets Super PAC boost|author=Alex Leary|date=October 28, 2014|website=|publisher=Tampa Bay Times|access-date=March 14, 2015|archive-date=December 16, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141216202753/http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/florida-congressional-candidate-gets-super-pac-boost----from-his-father/2195089|url-status=dead}}