We've grown used to wonders in this century. It's hard to dazzle us. But for twenty-five years the United States space program has been doing just that. We've grown used to the idea of space, and, perhaps we forget that we've only just begun. We're still pioneers. They, the members of the Challenger crew, were pioneers.
And I want to say something to the schoolchildren of America who were watching the live coverage of the shuttle's take-off. I know it's hard to understand, but sometimes painful things like this happen. It's all part of the process of exploration and discovery. It's all part of taking a chance and expanding man's horizons. The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave. The Challenger crew was pulling us into the future, and we'll continue to follow them.
I've always had great faith in and respect for our space program. And what happened today does nothing to diminish it. We don't hide our space program. We don't keep secrets and cover things up. We do it all up front and in public. That's the way freedom is, and we wouldn't change it for a minute.
American Rhetoric
It can't be said enough that this disaster was the direct result of pressure by Reagan's "handlers", the people in charge of his image and presence in the virtual world of televised reality. They wanted the launch on the day of his State of The Union Address. It wasn't ready. They pushed the launch forward, past safety and with no regard for the danger to the crew. This is common knowledge at NASA.
And that was 20 years ago. The power and seeming necessity of these behind-the-scenes image-manipulators is now more real and constant than the postures and sound-bites of the politicians themselves. It's completely conceivable and plausible to have a candidate for public office who doesn't exist at all except as the focus of the public's unquestioning attention. A frame to hang the goads and promises of unseen power on, and a target to misdirect the outrage and accusations of the opposition toward.
People revered Reagan the way they admire Schwarzenegger, for the roles he played and the way he looks on camera. It has nothing to do with either one of them as actual men, even less to do with their actions as leaders, except in moments like these - Reagan embodying the image of the father, calming the frightened child.
It's like those orchids that develop stamens that look and smell like female bees.
