How dare you...

[pat]

I am so furious at a poster in dot_cattiness right now I can barely speak.

You're right, you callous, souless, holier-than-thou b*tch, I did not know anyone personally who lost their lives on Columbia. And you're also right, people die every day. That's tragic, I agree.

But this disaster represented more than these seven people. Bus accidents and train accidents happen... they are random acts of fate. Death comes to us all, in one way or another, at some time.

These people *were* different. They choose a difficult and dangerous task -- one which very few people are capable of doing, or even willing to take the risk to do. And they did this not to wage war or for crass commercialism or for their own personal glory, but to further humanity. (Quick... how many of you can name a current astronaut -- other than the seven who died?) And, even more anonymously, working with them were people on the ground (some of whom my husband *does* know) trying to pursue goals beyond themselves and their country. They were reaching for the stars for all of us. And it is not just Americans: I weep for the Israeli astronaut as much for the Americans. And when the Russians lose cosmonauts in space I grieve them, too.

Those who go into space, and those on the ground who make space flight possible, are in so many ways, among the very best and brightest on earth, regardless of nationality. They work the stuff of dreams into amazing reality.

We've been a part of the NASA family for fifteen years, now. I wince when the unmanned missions go awry, because I know the dedication and love put into them. I weep when a shuttle blows apart because I know what it means for those people to have been there.

And I am angry... angry that a nation so quick to eulogize its dead heroes is so slow to fund program improvements that maybe could have made a difference. No one wants to hear about the space program, until there is a failure. No one wants to pay to develop new -- and safer -- generations of vehicles (at a cost roughly equivalent to developing a new toy for the military) but some are more than willing to grandstand after we've lost seven brave souls.

We are not just grieving the death of Rick Husband, Michael Anderson, William McCool, Kalpana Chawla, David Brown, Laurel Clark and Ilan Ramon, we are grieving our dreams and hopes.

Comments

[klwalton.livejournal.com]

I'm happy (I think) to say that not only has the dot_cattiness post disappeared, but so has the OPs entire journal - deleted and purged. I'm almost sorry I missed seeing what was written, but on the whole it's probably best for my blood pressure that I didn't.

I come at the whole public grief experience from a completely different angle, which I may talk about some day, but not right now. I'll only say that, often, I get to find out way more information than I really want to know about incidents.

I will say, gently, that from where I sit any new toy for the military that is going to keep my son safer is just fine with me, but that I also talk up space exploration and funding for the program, and have for a very long time. Watching Neil Armstrong walk on the moon made a *deep* impression on this 12-year-old. I watched Challenger launch with my girls, my inner 12-year-old thrilled, and all three of us cried, disbelieving, at the disaster.

Tim and I were sent to Bosier City when Columbia failed, and I cried for them as we drove across East Texas from Dallas. Not just for the astronauts, but for every person on the ground whose hearts went with them. Family, friends, co-workers, Mission support; all the people who had a stake in the success and safety of the crew and the integrity of the ship. And for every person who thrilled as much as I did every time I thought of how extraordinary reaching for the stars must be.

[klwalton.livejournal.com]

Oops, did not notice the date. I almost want to say "hello from the future". But your words still resonate, Pat.

[patgreene.livejournal.com]

I will say, gently, that from where I sit any new toy for the military that is going to keep my son safer is just fine with me,

Let me just say that things like new and stronger body armor or weapons appropriate to fighting the sort of war we're fighting in Iraq now, are not and never have been "toys" to me but necessities. A new long-range manned bomber? Not so much (admittedly from a completely civilian perspective).

I know you have a sense of the network of people that stand behind any mission, it surprises and saddens me the number of people who don't.

Challenger changed me in another way: I already knew brian1789 was working towards applying to the astronaut corps. I had to figure if that was something I could live with, the possibility of him ending up a trail of smoke across the Florida sky. In the end, I came to the conclusion that life is fraught with danger and you took the people you loved for what they were, but it was hard.

[klwalton.livejournal.com]

In the end, I came to the conclusion that life is fraught with danger and you took the people you loved for what they were, but it was hard.

And you know I know all about that, too.

And I'm very glad to see you posting again.