Free Republic

Living in the most materially advanced civilization in history, we Americans forget how fragile civilization is and the tragic nature of the human condition. This week, nature reminded us. .....Civilization has been compared to skin stretched over a skull – that is, the thin veneer under which the ever-present savage dwells. We have seen the truth of that observation borne out in horrifying tales of looters, some of them armed – and some of them police officers – running rampant in flooded New Orleans. To paraphrase Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, the line between civilization and barbarism runs through every human heart. And...

HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT is not a luxury. Nor is it a whim, passing fad or eccentric hobby. Make no mistake, human space flight is critical to the future well-being of the United States and, ultimately, the world. The continuation of human space flight is a necessity. For those who accept that premise, it is vital that we get the space shuttle flying again as safely and as quickly as possible. Our very future may depend on it. To not understand or acknowledge that Earth is but a stepping stone for humankind is to ignore history, reality and Manifest Destiny. Through...