I will try to do make my point without offending anyone. If I fail, please
forgive me as I truly do not mean to offend.

It was pointed out that 17 members of the astronaut core have died in the
line of duty. (This number does not include all of the test pilots that died
in pre-space-flight testing.) Whether this number is acceptable or not
depends on the circumstances of their deaths. If even one died due to
negligence then the number is too high. Define negligence any way you wish
to define it.

The question is not, how do you make an omelet without breaking eggs; the
question is do we need omelets? It is fine and dandy for us who are not
riding an explosive charge into outer space to talk about "the acceptable
risk." I realize that pioneers undertake hardships and assume a great amount
of risk. That does not mean that we need to run headlong into danger with
closed eyes. Seventeen people died not statistics.

Nobel laureate Bishop Desmond Tutu said that the worst obscenity in our
language is "co-lateral damage." We are willing to bomb an "enemy" even
though innocent people will die because the number of innocents is within
the acceptable levels. We are willing to let manufacturers create faulty
products, pollute our air and water, poison our food and endanger the lives
of innocent workers and consumers because it would cost too much to do it
safely. We sit back like the generals of old, send the light brigade to its
death, and say the number is acceptable. Shame on us.

The seven astronauts were brave working men and women that were engaged in
making a livelihood while attempting to benefit others. That alone makes
them heroes. The 40 people in India, 70 in Cameroon, 18 in Mexico and 12
students in Iran that died in bus crashes in the last month were equally all
heroes. We have no right to put a judge on anyone's value. The death of all
of them diminishes all of us.

The number of tragic untimely, deaths is too high; it is unacceptable. Mourn
the loss and rectify the flaw that caused it. Life is beyond our ability to
value and people too precious to lose.

Pray for Peace

The opinions expressed herein are my own and not necessarily those of my
employer.
Yosef Rosenblatt

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