Space. Part 2

I'm not usually one for immediate follow-up but this was just too good. Must be someone at NPR read my blog yesterday and will be doing a follow-up story today. Wow! Am I good or what??

This link will take you to a short story about an author, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, and his new book "Space Chronicles." On the possibility you don't take my advice and follow the link to this fascinating short read, I'll give you this one mind-blowing piece of information: In one year-- one year-- the author claims the US military budget exceeds that of the entire 50 year history of NASA. One might come away from Neil deGrasse Tyson thinking he's a little far fetched in his thinking about space, space exploration, and the need to destroy asteroids and I won't give you an argument either way. It's  the economics of the issue that are mind boggling.

I think we need to collectively come to understand what all we are forfeiting by getting up every morning, putting on the uniform of the world's cop, and going to work catching and killing bad guys everywhere on earth. While I think maintaining some type of military ability is still important in this crazy world, I also believe a space program is definitely of value to all of us. But beyond space, I am absolutely dumbfounded to think what other issues could receive needed attention if we could direct our dollars toward research and humanitarian work rather than fighting. Afterall, in just 7 years science and technology took us from John Glenn orbiting the earth to Neil Armstrong stepping onto the surface of the moon.  In 700 years humans have not been able to successfully engineer peace through the use of force. And yet, we continue to pour our money and our sons' and daughters' lives into military action with the hope of finally obtaining a lasting peace. That's crazy by definition.

Once again a man steps forward from the arena of space exploration to inspire us all. This time, however, I believe the greatest challenge offered is to consider, to think and dream of what we can achieve as a nation if we dare to place our military budget in line behind our expenditures for science, education, health, and hunger. Now that would be to boldly go where no man has gone before.