Posted on 08/26/2012 12:49:43 PM PDT by InvisibleChurch
State funerals, held in the US capital Washington DC, are steeped in tradition and usually only held for former presidents, the last being Gerald Ford in 2006.
The last non-president to be granted one was Gen Douglas MacArthur, the Second World War and Korean War soldier, in 1964, five years before Armstrong landed on the moon. Such an event typically involves pall-bearers from five branches of the US Armed Forces, a series of artillery salutes, a fly-past and a number of bands and choirs.
The flag-draped coffin is taken in a horse-drawn gun-carriage and placed in the Capitol rotunda for a public viewing, and a service is held at the Washington National Cathedral. Bill Johnson, a Republican congressman from Armstrong's home state of Ohio, led calls for the astronaut to get a similar honour.
"I ask President Obama to hold a state funeral for Neil Armstrong so that every American may pay tribute to this groundbreaking hero," he said. "His first step on the moon showed the world that Americans can do anything."
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Seriously? You can disagree with a poster without shaming them. It wasn’t a despicable, disgraceful or shameful thing to write. Just an opinion you don’t share.
Like so many remarked on that fateful day, “From now on, we live in a world where a man has walked on the moon!”
Don’t lecture me about my opinion. It WAS a “dispicable, disgraceful, shameful” thing to write about a great American hero and patriot. Not one taxpayer dime to be spent on a state furneral for him and his family should fund part of it? What the Hell kind of people have we become?
Sounds like all you think he did is step out of his luxuriously appointed space bus, walk on the moon, return to his bus, and doze all the way home.
Honoring Armstrong, the point of the spear, is a testimony to the expertise, skill, and daring of all who were engaged in the effort for man to lift themselves from the bounds of Earth and go to a different object in the Universe. Neil Armstrong will always be the first man to set foot on the moon or any other object in space. There was no assurance that it was all going to work and there was no backup to the lunar lander if the rocket motor failed. And the last 20 seconds of the flight were scary to say the least as Armstrong looked for a safe place to land. I can still recall vividly where I was when the landing took place.
Yuri Gararin was similarly honored by the Soviets for being the first man in space. He was named Hero of the Soviet Union, the nation's highest honor. And his ashes were buried in the walls of the Kremlin. "Gagarin was also honored by the American space program during Apollo 11 when astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin left a memorial satchel containing medals commemorating Gagarin and fellow cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov on the surface of the Moon."
Neil Armstrong is not just an American hero, he is a hero for all mankind. "One small step for(a) man, one giant leap for mankind" and the moon landing will be remembered as long as man still walks this Earth.
I suggest that Obama will grant the state funeral for one reason: Oiho has 18 electoral votes.
Not sure I understand your point.
Was Neil Armostrong a private man? Yes he was.
Do you think Obama gives a shit about who we all consider a national icon? No he doesn't.
Are you my mother? No you're not.
Obama would hijack the event and make it political. The repubs should organize if this is the family’s wish.
I Second that!
Since you ADMIT you know NOTHING about his life....LOOK INTO IT!!! You, yes, even YOU, would be impressed!!!
You forgot the sarc tag. Why should tax payers have to pay the bill? Good Lord you big government folks kills me. Who cares about the debt is your mantra.
Why should tax payers have to pay the bill?
We paid the bill for him to go there and come back. And no doubt the vast majority of Americans would have no problem supporting a state funeral for a true American hero. Only a real jerk would question the infinitesimal costs of honoring the man.
The taxpayers are also paying your retirement salary. Nobody asked me if you should receive it or how much or for how long. Big government is OK as long as you suck off the government teat. But now we need to cut costs starting with Neil Armstrong. Give me a break.
Reason enough for The Kenyan to deny the request.
I am NOT getting in a fight over this. We don’t even know if it will happen. Let’s wait and see what happens. Good Lord if I thought it would piss you off like this I might have said something even more interesting. Not worth it one bit. Have a pill and get to bed before you have a heart attack. Big Brother is on and it seems that they are having major drama tonight. Go watch!
I was with you until you said that military retirees “suck off the government teat”.
Ironic that you respond to what you consider disrespect of Armstrong by disrespecting millions of others.
Still, whether you think we deserve our retirement pay or not...
“You’re welcome “.
Teddy already had plans to ‘ditch’ Mary Jo because she was pregnant. What better time than when all eyes are on the Apollo 11 mission.
I have no problem with government pensions. I get one myself having spent 36 years working for the USG counting both military and civilian service. The issue for me is hypocrisy.
I agree! Let's get all the space-faring nations to foot the bill! :-D
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