NASA Ditches the American Flag and models a black female astronaut in the name of diversity

[Correll]

I am not certain how I feel....I understand if a Klingon found our American flag on Mars it would mean nothing to them, and the concept of the International flag could show them where to look for us....the Blue planet.... but do we really want Klingons to find us?

On the other side, if it is an American mission, and we put humans on Mars first, before other countries, with American's tax dollars, why not be proud of it and strut our strut, with our American flag?

I guess the answer is because we'd be doing so not as a country but as a species. What would after all be the point of nations competing when they're off the planet altogether? Do we think we're gonna colonize celestial bodies? I mean we don't even do that with Antarctica, and that's on Earth.

I have no problem with both flags being placed...the American and International, or if Russia goes there, place the Russian and international flag....?

I'll be happier when the idea of a "flag" is a quaint curiosity one sees in a museum whose ancient function has to be explained.

I'm really not a one world gvt fan...

I think patriotism has its place, and the advancement of Education and Science, is a good place for it.... especially since you need your own citizen's money to advance both science and education...getting them excited about it is critical to support the program, us viewing our brave Astronauts making it to Mars is something to be proud of, as an American and as Humans...if Russians make it there first, I would still be glued to the TV watching the landing, and proud of their accomplishment...* but just a little more proud, if it was us, and I knew my taxes spent on it and support for it, was meeting and exceeding my expectations.

.... The point being that "nations" are an earth concept. Once you leave the earth and are out of our context, "nation" has no meaning. Has nothing to do with "one world government", whatever that might mean. Has nothing to do with governments at all. That's the point --- why should it?

Just as, if you're from Silver Lake, that has meaning only as a neighborhood within Los Angeles. But if you happen to be in Chicago you're going to say you're from L.A., not Silver Lake, and if you're in England you're going to say you're from California... and so on.

And again, why would it be a competition between nations at all? I mean unless one nation is out to either establish colonies or mine natural resources, to the exclusion and detriment of other nations ....what would be the point?

the people funding it and watching it, are here on Earth....whether those guys are on Mars, the Moon, Venus, Uranus, Pluto....where ever...

And it is a competition, between Nations and amongst ourselves to beat our last accomplishment in space, merely for funding and the people's interest to fund it, along with the funding and the creating of our next generation of Scientists, Engineers, Astronauts, etc....

it would be Utopia, if it was the whole world supporting and funding our Nation's Astronauts to further our knowledge of the Galaxy...but it just doesn't work that way....

Mining the Moon in the future is not out of the question, and yes, we would need sovereignty over the area we decide to mine and/or other countries would need the same in areas they decide to mine and yes, it would probably be on a first come, first serve, basis......don't ya think?

Competition IS GOOD....it pushes countries and their Scientists in the 'race/game'' to go beyond what they would without it.... it makes things happen quicker than they would, or go farther than they would, or beyond what they think they could.... it's in our nature....it's a fire under one's ass, so to speak, imo.

No, competition is not "good" in this area. We're not selling candy bars here -- this is for humanity -- not for "my tribe". I know that's what we did in the old "space race" but think about it, that approach was insanity. Pouring blood and treasure into establishing "firsts" just so we can say we one-upped the other country? I mean what the hell were we thinking? The sooner we put that juvenile crap behind us and grow up, the better.

That "juvenile crap" is why we managed to justify spending the treasure to go to the Moon. If not for nationalism, we would still not have gone.

 

[Rozman]

I want it changed to United Federation of Planets ....
Or something like that.....

 

[Pogo]

I guess the answer is because we'd be doing so not as a country but as a species. What would after all be the point of nations competing when they're off the planet altogether? Do we think we're gonna colonize celestial bodies? I mean we don't even do that with Antarctica, and that's on Earth.

I'll be happier when the idea of a "flag" is a quaint curiosity one sees in a museum whose ancient function has to be explained.

I'm really not a one world gvt fan...

I think patriotism has its place, and the advancement of Education and Science, is a good place for it.... especially since you need your own citizen's money to advance both science and education...getting them excited about it is critical to support the program, us viewing our brave Astronauts making it to Mars is something to be proud of, as an American and as Humans...if Russians make it there first, I would still be glued to the TV watching the landing, and proud of their accomplishment...* but just a little more proud, if it was us, and I knew my taxes spent on it and support for it, was meeting and exceeding my expectations.

.... The point being that "nations" are an earth concept. Once you leave the earth and are out of our context, "nation" has no meaning. Has nothing to do with "one world government", whatever that might mean. Has nothing to do with governments at all. That's the point --- why should it?

Just as, if you're from Silver Lake, that has meaning only as a neighborhood within Los Angeles. But if you happen to be in Chicago you're going to say you're from L.A., not Silver Lake, and if you're in England you're going to say you're from California... and so on.

And again, why would it be a competition between nations at all? I mean unless one nation is out to either establish colonies or mine natural resources, to the exclusion and detriment of other nations ....what would be the point?

the people funding it and watching it, are here on Earth....whether those guys are on Mars, the Moon, Venus, Uranus, Pluto....where ever...

And it is a competition, between Nations and amongst ourselves to beat our last accomplishment in space, merely for funding and the people's interest to fund it, along with the funding and the creating of our next generation of Scientists, Engineers, Astronauts, etc....

it would be Utopia, if it was the whole world supporting and funding our Nation's Astronauts to further our knowledge of the Galaxy...but it just doesn't work that way....

Mining the Moon in the future is not out of the question, and yes, we would need sovereignty over the area we decide to mine and/or other countries would need the same in areas they decide to mine and yes, it would probably be on a first come, first serve, basis......don't ya think?

Competition IS GOOD....it pushes countries and their Scientists in the 'race/game'' to go beyond what they would without it.... it makes things happen quicker than they would, or go farther than they would, or beyond what they think they could.... it's in our nature....it's a fire under one's ass, so to speak, imo.

No, competition is not "good" in this area. We're not selling candy bars here -- this is for humanity -- not for "my tribe". I know that's what we did in the old "space race" but think about it, that approach was insanity. Pouring blood and treasure into establishing "firsts" just so we can say we one-upped the other country? I mean what the hell were we thinking? The sooner we put that juvenile crap behind us and grow up, the better.

That "juvenile crap" is why we managed to justify spending the treasure to go to the Moon. If not for nationalism, we would still not have gone.

And?

 

[Pogo]

I guess the answer is because we'd be doing so not as a country but as a species. What would after all be the point of nations competing when they're off the planet altogether? Do we think we're gonna colonize celestial bodies? I mean we don't even do that with Antarctica, and that's on Earth.

I'll be happier when the idea of a "flag" is a quaint curiosity one sees in a museum whose ancient function has to be explained.

I'm really not a one world gvt fan...

I think patriotism has its place, and the advancement of Education and Science, is a good place for it.... especially since you need your own citizen's money to advance both science and education...getting them excited about it is critical to support the program, us viewing our brave Astronauts making it to Mars is something to be proud of, as an American and as Humans...if Russians make it there first, I would still be glued to the TV watching the landing, and proud of their accomplishment...* but just a little more proud, if it was us, and I knew my taxes spent on it and support for it, was meeting and exceeding my expectations.

.... The point being that "nations" are an earth concept. Once you leave the earth and are out of our context, "nation" has no meaning. Has nothing to do with "one world government", whatever that might mean. Has nothing to do with governments at all. That's the point --- why should it?

Just as, if you're from Silver Lake, that has meaning only as a neighborhood within Los Angeles. But if you happen to be in Chicago you're going to say you're from L.A., not Silver Lake, and if you're in England you're going to say you're from California... and so on.

And again, why would it be a competition between nations at all? I mean unless one nation is out to either establish colonies or mine natural resources, to the exclusion and detriment of other nations ....what would be the point?

the people funding it and watching it, are here on Earth....whether those guys are on Mars, the Moon, Venus, Uranus, Pluto....where ever...

And it is a competition, between Nations and amongst ourselves to beat our last accomplishment in space, merely for funding and the people's interest to fund it, along with the funding and the creating of our next generation of Scientists, Engineers, Astronauts, etc....

it would be Utopia, if it was the whole world supporting and funding our Nation's Astronauts to further our knowledge of the Galaxy...but it just doesn't work that way....

Mining the Moon in the future is not out of the question, and yes, we would need sovereignty over the area we decide to mine and/or other countries would need the same in areas they decide to mine and yes, it would probably be on a first come, first serve, basis......don't ya think?

Competition IS GOOD....it pushes countries and their Scientists in the 'race/game'' to go beyond what they would without it.... it makes things happen quicker than they would, or go farther than they would, or beyond what they think they could.... it's in our nature....it's a fire under one's ass, so to speak, imo.

No, competition is not "good" in this area. We're not selling candy bars here -- this is for humanity -- not for "my tribe". I know that's what we did in the old "space race" but think about it, that approach was insanity. Pouring blood and treasure into establishing "firsts" just so we can say we one-upped the other country? I mean what the hell were we thinking? The sooner we put that juvenile crap behind us and grow up, the better.

What is for humanity? What does NASA and traveling to Mars have to offer for humanity?

It's exploration. It's humanity poking around in a new place. It's not "America to the exclusion of Portugal" poking around in a new place. It's not some kind of soccer match.

The European contact with this "new world" continent was (technically) initiated by an Italian working for Spain. Did that make us part of either Italy or Spain? Did it limit our immigration to Italy or Spain? No -- one silly bastard planted a flag, another silly bastard came in with another flag, then they fought over it. That's what I mean by "juvenile". It's either that -- the little kid crowing to another kid, "get offa my street!" or else a senile old man crowing "get offa my lawn!" I don't see why we should settle for that failed mentality and go on expecting different results.

 

[Correll]

I'm really not a one world gvt fan...

I think patriotism has its place, and the advancement of Education and Science, is a good place for it.... especially since you need your own citizen's money to advance both science and education...getting them excited about it is critical to support the program, us viewing our brave Astronauts making it to Mars is something to be proud of, as an American and as Humans...if Russians make it there first, I would still be glued to the TV watching the landing, and proud of their accomplishment...* but just a little more proud, if it was us, and I knew my taxes spent on it and support for it, was meeting and exceeding my expectations.

.... The point being that "nations" are an earth concept. Once you leave the earth and are out of our context, "nation" has no meaning. Has nothing to do with "one world government", whatever that might mean. Has nothing to do with governments at all. That's the point --- why should it?

Just as, if you're from Silver Lake, that has meaning only as a neighborhood within Los Angeles. But if you happen to be in Chicago you're going to say you're from L.A., not Silver Lake, and if you're in England you're going to say you're from California... and so on.

And again, why would it be a competition between nations at all? I mean unless one nation is out to either establish colonies or mine natural resources, to the exclusion and detriment of other nations ....what would be the point?

the people funding it and watching it, are here on Earth....whether those guys are on Mars, the Moon, Venus, Uranus, Pluto....where ever...

And it is a competition, between Nations and amongst ourselves to beat our last accomplishment in space, merely for funding and the people's interest to fund it, along with the funding and the creating of our next generation of Scientists, Engineers, Astronauts, etc....

it would be Utopia, if it was the whole world supporting and funding our Nation's Astronauts to further our knowledge of the Galaxy...but it just doesn't work that way....

Mining the Moon in the future is not out of the question, and yes, we would need sovereignty over the area we decide to mine and/or other countries would need the same in areas they decide to mine and yes, it would probably be on a first come, first serve, basis......don't ya think?

Competition IS GOOD....it pushes countries and their Scientists in the 'race/game'' to go beyond what they would without it.... it makes things happen quicker than they would, or go farther than they would, or beyond what they think they could.... it's in our nature....it's a fire under one's ass, so to speak, imo.

No, competition is not "good" in this area. We're not selling candy bars here -- this is for humanity -- not for "my tribe". I know that's what we did in the old "space race" but think about it, that approach was insanity. Pouring blood and treasure into establishing "firsts" just so we can say we one-upped the other country? I mean what the hell were we thinking? The sooner we put that juvenile crap behind us and grow up, the better.

That "juvenile crap" is why we managed to justify spending the treasure to go to the Moon. If not for nationalism, we would still not have gone.

And?

THus accomplishments driven by competition.