Ray Duckler’s article in the Monitor on Friday about the Challenger disaster of 30-plus years ago sounds familiar.
On that January day in 1986, NASA scientists knew there was a problem with the O-rings: a good chance of a disaster. But NASA administrators and the White House politicians weren’t listening to science. They would have their space extravaganza. We saw what happened. It was on TV. A national mourning for brave souls lost followed.
Today, nearly 200,000 Americans are dead from a virus. The president, as it turns out, knew all along the seriousness of the threat, while a bunch of sycophants and political opportunists painted science and scientists as the enemy (and not only about the virus).
Instead of a national mourning, we have political barricades. The president wanted to prevent panic? Laughable. Ask the nearly 200,000 households of the dead what they think of that strategy.
The president will have his gold. Tell me you are undecided.
GARY SAMUELS
Deering