Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Pride Goeth
I got flamed a little over a post I made on Slashdot.org over the upcoming Shuttle launch, now scheduled for today at 2:37:55 PM EST, still I got modded a +5 insightful. Most of my original post dealt with the overly cautious call on cloud cover versus the increased risk due to thermal cycling on the propellant tanks due to postponing the mission. As an aside I closed with the opinion:
| "Also while many may see July 4th as a feel-good day to launch (National pride and all that) if anything goes wrong there are religious types both Christian and Muslim that will see it as a sign validating whatever their view of the world is." |
Someone accused me of being a "bigot" so I tired to clarify my position with:
| Maybe this wasn't a strong enough disclaimer, but the there are religious types should indicate that I am not talking about ALL. Bigoted? Perhaps. I think my agnostic view of the world is superior to any of the World's organized religious. My common sense and experience having talked to religious people at work (and I'm talking a tech environment here) almost to a person they read great significance into random events. It seems to come part and parcel with the religious experience, especially those that interpret the Bible 'literally.' You may consider it a cop out to take these factors into consideration. But it is possible to be scientifically rational and politically unwise. Why fuel any flames if you don't have to? Maybe it was unwise to fly the first Israeli astronaut, Ilan Ramon, to space on Columbia on the eve of war with Iraq. A HUGE percentage of the Islamic culture took Columbia's demise to be an act of God. If we weren't at war I would say fine, don't bother avoiding a July 4th lift if reasonably possible. The most recent news is making it look like a July 4th liftoff is unlikely anyway. BUT it is always possible political pressure will be put the bear to have a July 4th launch for reasons of National pride. This is the kind of synchronicity of events that ends in tragedy. If we should loose Discovery in launch it seems likely it will prolong certain aspects of our current military venture (whether you approve of that venture or not). The two shouldn't be connected, but they are because religious propagandists will make them connected. We should be surprised if our opponents in this clash of cultures would use NASA failures for propaganda purposes, the whole NASA manned space program is largely pro-American propaganda (when things go right). |
Little did I have any idea how MUCH propaganda there would be with the July 4th launch attempt. FOX News is covering the lift off as a HUGE 4th of July spectacle, this continuous coverage ensuing shortly after a 4th of July speech by President Bush. Commentators gushing again and again how there had never been a 4th of July Shuttle launch. Some dark corner of my mind couldn't help but finish with "and there never will be again." Most likely there isn't any higher risk today than any other day (baring political pressure to launch), but if the risk is 1/100 then there is a 1% chance of a tragedy today and with a sizable portion of the American population watching this could be quite psychologically damaging. The science of this mission has been totally eclipsed by the coincidence of the launch attempt coming on July 4th. I think if hear one more commentator make a fireworks joke in juxtaposition with the Shuttle launch I will hurl. It is clear they aren't even consciously aware such comments could refer also to an explosion not just a launch plume.
"5 minutes to launch"
I had really wanted to talk about the nature of Propaganda today, but I have worked myself into a lather about the specific over-zealousness of American cheerleading for today's Shuttle mission.
"3 minutes to launch"
This is silly to be so nervous or anxious. It is illogical to think my words or thoughts could jinx a Shuttle launch.
"2 minutes to launch"
My heart is actually pounding.
"90 seconds
1 minute
Go for auto-sequence start
10, 9, 8, 7, 6...
Go for main engine start
2, 1 we have ignition!"
The Shuttle leaps into the sky.
30 seconds, everything looks fine.
60 seconds everything still fine.
2 minutes and the solid boosters fall away.
3 minutes into flight now and it is clear my feelings of dread and foreboding were unwarranted. I now feel a little foolish for having been what amounts to superstitious. Still I wonder if it was wise to make this launch such a show. "Pride goeth before a fall," as they say. This common quote is actually an adaptation of a passage in Proverbs: "Pride goeth before destruction."
Sometimes I wish my nation had a little less pride.
