Declaration by Grand Admiral Pellaeon
"An End to Humanocentrism"
Submitted to the Council of Moffs
These are trying, but promising times for the Empire. Though we are now at peace and, at long last, investing in infrastructure and the construction of our worlds--rather than only on warships, weapons, and the destruction of worlds--it would, however, be remiss not to mention that these are also times of turmoil. Free commerce with the New Republic, though it has had many benefits for us, has also had consequences that were worse than we'd anticipated; the Republic's businesses can sell their products to us at prices far cheaper than our businesses can afford to sell to theirs, and the value of the Imperial Credit has plummeted in recent months despite our entreaties to the Intergalactic Banking Clan. I am candid with you, Councilors, on the troubles that we face not because I mean to be alarmist, but because I wish to convey that the enormity of these challenges requires new thinking, new solutions, and an "all hands on deck" approach. I have come to believe, in these difficult times, that our policies of humanocentrism have become more of a hindrance to us, to our work force and our fighting forces, than it is worth. I remind you all that an unemployed Rodian is just as unemployed as an unemployed Human, and a dead Iotran officer of our Starfleet is just as dead as a dead human one.
Humanocentrism--or xenophobia, or "Human High Culture," or any of its other names--has always been a cancer at the heart of the Empire. To be a Galactic Empire of only humans is to not be "Galactic" at all, for it rules only humans and disregards the fact that we are but a plurality in a diverse galaxy. To the Council and indeed, to all of the Empire, I contend that regardless of your feelings toward non-human species (which I do not mean to debate, or to refute), we have reached a point when these feelings should no longer prevent untold millions of a particular species from having gainful employment, from contributing to our economy, or from producing, selling, or purchasing Imperial goods.
With this measure I do not intend, as some might suggest behind closed doors, to compromise or "sell out" that which makes the Empire strong. The fact is that institutional humanocentrism has never made the Empire strong, it has made us weak. One need only look to the example of the late Grand Admiral Thrawn to see the genius and the glory that non-humans can bring to the Empire. Thus I instruct the Moffs on the Council to begin, in their respective Sectors and with reasonable and appropriate haste, to cease the enforcement of and to repeal laws, policies, or practices intended to discriminate between species in matters of employment, commerce, residence, government services, and recruitment to the armed forces. This measure is necessary to remain competitive, and to keep our Empire strong not just militarily, but economically as well.
