Shuttle Columbia

[stark]

Originally posted by ConcreteSchlyrd
Most likely because the 15 year-olds were doing something that was risky, if not stupid. They're both dreadfully tragic, don't get me wrong, I just don't think you can equate a group of scientists working on advancing the race with seven fifteen year-olds trying to find the freshest powder.

Going into space is also risky. Sure, there's the difference that one group was for bennifet of others and one for fun, but seriously, they're getting coverage like 9/11.

[ConcreteSchlyrd]

Originally posted by stark
Going into space is also risky.

Your analogy is horrible, though. There's a difference in taking a calculated (VERY calculated) risk, and choosing to ignore a posted risk because you think you're indestructible.

It's semantics, but you need to choose a better battle to fight. I agree, the media coverage is almost suffocating, but there's a bit of reason to the rhyme.

[stark]

Obviously not calculated enough.

[Blast]

Those astronauts were people everyone in the world should be proud of. Getting into the astronaut training program is hard as hell. Training to be an astronaut is hard as hell. Those kids were from an outdoor program, but they were certainly not exceptionally great at what they did. Remember a few years ago when a bunch of guys died up on Everest (incidentally, including one of my dad's friends, Scott Fischer)? They got tons of media coverage. Why? Because they were special people doing something special. Granted, these kids were out in the wilderness, too, but they weren't climbing Everest. I do agree that there are plenty of people that might deserve news coverage when they die, but to argue that these kids should get the same amount of news coverage as those astronauts doesn't make any sense.

[geekbot]

I was in morning gym class when a classmate told me about the Challenger. I was shocked and disbeliving more than anything else. On Saturday when I heard about the Columbia, my stomach sank and many memories of the Challenger came back to me.

Listening to the news, I wondered why I react the way I do and why it seems so important to honor the lives of those 7. I did, for a moment, think it was strange to put so much emphasis on those people when there are so many milliions are dying in other places. Perhaps there is a sense of mistrust of the media for blowing too many things out of proportion in the past. But I do believe it is important to honor the Columbia crew (and their families) and to recognize what they lived for.

I think about my own life. Things get put into perspective when I think about how much time and energy I put into my job, sports, or our beloved spaceship game. I spend so much time in these things and these things are so important to me. But those astronauts spent their thoughts, their passion, and their lives on a greater cause of advancing human understanding.

It is true that other people who die are no less special. If you, or I, or someone else were to die, it would be no less tragic. But those astronauts do deserve our thanks and our honor. We do not greive the firemen who died in 9/11 more than the people they were trying to save, but we specially honor them and thank them because they recognized the value of human life and were willing to risk their lives for the benefit of others.

You may not feel any emotional loss or feel the need to completely re-evaluate your life. But I hope that we at least take the opportunity to think about what this tragedy means and to give respect where it's due.

[Troll King]

While I understand your point, I cannot help but feel that your stance does nothing except lower the value of all the deaths. It's a catch-22.

I know that in my school, there is a moment of silence after the national anthem is played every morning. I don't know what my students or the other teachers do, but I use that moment to reflect on life and to remember those who are no longer with us. For any additional moments of silence, I do the same, not just for the people being memorialized, but for everyone and everything. Thinking of it in terms of one group getting more memorializing than others is a bit petty. Sure I may sound sappy, and you might find me naive, but this is something I treat seriously and with a lot of respect.

[stark]

In my school, we say the pledge of allegiance, and more than half don't even say it. we've had 3 moments of silence that i can recall - one dead teacher, 9/11, and the recent shuttle 'crash'. anyway, i'm not saying that what they died for is bad or anything, it's just out of proportion. if 100 people got killed in afghanistan or something, the news would give little to no coverage, and still go on about the space shuttle. a life is a life, no matter how it ends.... it's ended forever.

[TelC@t]

The accident is symbolic in the field of science. It is like people all around the world celebrate New Year, but isn't new year's day just like any other days in a year, scientifically speaking? If it's so why do we choose celebrate that particular day then?

[stark]

ok, boob girl.

moving on, a friend of mine's father made this, and as much as it is horrendously incensitive and mean, i'm gonna post it anyways. And I know i'm just asking for people to start bitching.

[hogo]

hehe

[PolluX]

Originally posted by RabbitRapist
Hopefully they'll figure out what happenned and prevent it from happenning again. It may be important that we noticed the problem now rather than later.

-RR

NASA knew this could happen. 5 scientists were sacked because they knew NASA's spaceships weren't safe enough.
NASA didn't care.
That's what you get when a country cares more about money then humans.
I wouldn't like to be an American...they are so cold...
Too bad there were Belgian experiments on bord of that spaceship.

[Th@ KiLL@]

WHATS A "Shuttle"?

[Divine Rides]

[Win95]

nt

[GuruMeditation]

For someone who posts three times a month you don't say much when you do