Self-Esteem: The Final Frontier
"When I became the NASA administrator, [Obama] charged me with three things," NASA head Charles Bolden said in a recent interview with the Middle Eastern news network al-Jazeera. "One, he wanted me to help re-inspire children to want to get into science and math; he wanted me to expand our international relationships; and third, and perhaps foremost, he wanted me to find a way to reach out to the Muslim world and engage much more with dominantly Muslim nations to help them feel good about their historic contribution to science, math, and engineering."
Now, yes: these comments themselves are a kind of outreach to a specific Muslim audience. And, yes, Bolden said perhaps, as if not even he could help qualifying the insanity flowing out of his lips. But with an escape clause as limp as that, from remarks like these there is no escape and no excuse. All three of Bolden's tasks are worthy of an American administration thinking honestly and creatively about the predicaments we face abroad. I might even concede that all of them are plausible ideas to share with the administrative head of NASA. But the top three?
Madness. I would like to know how NASA is doing, carrying out its bold new mission. I would like to see the numbers. But what I would love to see -- and here, I bet I'm not alone -- is a rank order of priorities consonant in at least some sane way with the actual mission of NASA. You forget, Mr. President? Fear not: you need only spell out the acronym. No, the S doesn't stand for Sensitivity. It stands for Space.
- Comment (7)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (2)
Comments :
Jun '10
Re: Self-Esteem: The Final Frontier
Maybe one day a NASA self-esteem counselor will hold my hand, and tell me how the Scandinavians (my ancestors) made it to L’Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland, in the 11th-century, and I should be "very proud of what good sailors they were. They even used the stars (official NASA tangential connection here) to navigate. Isn't that cool? Of course the Native Americans kicked their butts out of the New World, but it was real cool that they got there and left some junk behind. Someday, the Scandinavians may even go to space, like we used to do. Wouldn't that be cool?"
May '10
Re: Self-Esteem: The Final Frontier
Where to begin?
"...foremost..." "...help them feel good..." "...historic contribution..." !!!
Okay, I'll start with the last. What historic contributions is he talking about? The supposed scientific contributions from the Muslim world are mostly non-existent. Most of what the Arab/Muslim culture is credited with came from the peoples conquered along the way. Algebra and the numbering system from India, chess also probably from India, much of the medical and astronomical science from subjugated Jews and others. One of the strengths of the Ottomans was in having something of a meritocracy among the subjugated peoples and a willingness to use their knowledge. Meanwhile, they were wildly deficient when it came to printing, farming, and warfare.
May '10
Re: Self-Esteem: The Final Frontier
Etoiledunord covered the feel good nonsense nicely.
The "foremost" job of the head of NASA being to make the Muslims feel good about themselves? Sounds like NASA, like PBS, has outlived its usefulness. Time to shut them down.
BTW, there is no problem with Muslim self-esteem. In fact, like as is found among criminals, their self-esteem is well developed beyond all reason. Telling them more about how wonderful they are is only feeding their ego beast that demands supplicants. But then, that's what we are to be in the Age of Obama.
My one comfort is knowing that the ship of state is as hard to move quickly as any other large ship and it is just possible that we may be able to get him elected out of office before too much damage can be done. It is my fervent daily prayer!
May '10
Re: Self-Esteem: The Final Frontier
The scariest aspect of this is that OIC members are the last people we need to be sharing rocket and space technology with. Let's just hand them a big red button while we're at it.
Jul '10
Re: Self-Esteem: The Final Frontier
As the slow drip of political correctness continues, the paralysis spreads.
Re: Self-Esteem: The Final Frontier
I dunno, ...it seems like Hamas' has been sharing its rocket technology with Israel's civilian population for some time now. There are certain segments of the Muslim world where I would love to see the favor returned. A case could be made that the world would ultimately be safer if Iran was on the receiving end of our military's rocket technology. Reminds me of a buddy of mine from the military who said, at the height of the Cold War, that he advocated unilateral disarmament. "Launch 'em all," he concluded.
May '10
Re: Self-Esteem: The Final Frontier
James Poulos, Ed.: The hits just keep on coming:
Now, yes: these comments themselves are a kind of outreach to a specific Muslim audience.
What's astonishing about Obama is that he is cosmopolitan (his ancestry and upbringing) without being sophisticated. This stupid and condescending suggestion reveals that he looks on Muslims as simple, naive people and they will see that condescension immediately and despise him for it.