Posted on 07/23/2012 4:08:22 PM PDT by Perdogg
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(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnews.com ...
I couldn’t be so presumptuous as to what God may or may not do.
I'm sorry you can't handle the facts.
God can judge her for her sins as he will judge the rest of us one day. I am just going to celebrate the life and achievements of a great American.
why do the Chavez's and the Hugh Hefners and the mansons' go on and on and on and the good die so young or at least well before their time....
God bless you Sally Ride......you done good!
doesn’t diminish her....she lived a quiet life....I personally ask for no more...
your dtr sounds terrific...you must be proud...
So, she’s back floating in space if that’s where Heaven is.
RIP.
As a kid (born in 1955), I was completely hooked on the space program. Astronauts were literally my heroes. I knew every mission, every crewmember's name by heart. My desire to go into space led me to the USAF Academy, flying for SAC, etc.....but alas, never in space.
Years later, in the mid 90's, Shepard's book Moon Shot came out. I went to two separate book signings, had him sign probably 8 copies of that book (that I gave as gifts, keeping one for myself, natch). Still.....never got to talk to the guy.
Couple of years after that, I was with a different company and went to Detroit for a convention/trade show. It was setup day on the convention center floor (vendors setting up booths, etc.). I look over, and who should I spy but Alan Shepard with some sweet young thing (marketing/PR type, it turns out) in the Loctite Corp. booth; hardly anyone around. I walk right on over....and he and another guy are joking around, comparing Shepard's Annapolis ring to the other guy's West Point ring. I slam my hand down between them....the hand with my AF Academy ring....and said "Beat ya both. Take that." He thought that was stinkin' hilarious.
I took the opportunity to finally introduce myself, telling him "Admiral, I 'met' you twice during book signings, bought a boatload of your books....and never even got to so much as shake your hand." Of course, he smiled and extended his hand to me.
I then proceeded to tell him what I just shared with you....how he and his fellow Mercury (then Gemini, Apollo, et al) astronauts inspired me to go to the Academy, fly for Uncle Sam, etc. He stared at me, mouth agape.....and just said "wow". I laughed and said, "Sir, you can't possibly tell me that you didn't realize the impact you and your fellow astronauts have had on generations of kids, probably starting with my generation. Surely you've heard this before!" He was just so floored....so humbled....it was amazing.
Here this man was the first American in space and seemed genuinely to NOT know the impact he had on so many lives. Well by God, after that moment, he sure did.
That little PR honey took a snapshot of he and I shaking hands, then emailed it to me. It was blown up and framed as a birthday gift for me by a family member, and hangs on my office wall today.
Despite all of the arguments one can get into over Ride being gay, and if she kept it to herself then so much the better, but it doesn’t change what is a matter of statistical relevance.
Another gay person has died at too young of an age. She will be included in that set of statistics that says that gay males die some 20 years before their American male peers and that gay females die some 10 years before their peers. The gay community hates that research, besmirches it every chance they get, but it is what it is.
I notice it when another gay person meets the criteria.
The epitaph should include these words: Dead at too Young an Age...Sally Ride.
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds,—and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there,
I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless falls of air...
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, nor eer eagle flew—
And, while with silent lifting mind I’ve trod
The high, untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.
RIP, Sally. You are an American heroine for all time.
Ride married fellow NASA astronaut Steve Hawley in 1982; they divorced in 1987. From 1985 until her death, Ride's female partner was Dr. Tam E. O'Shaughnessy, a childhood friend who met Ride when both youngsters were aspiring tennis players. O'Shaughnessy became a science teacher and writer and, later, the chief operating officer and executive vice president of Ride's company, Sally Ride Science. She also co-authored several books with Ride. Their same-sex relationship of 27 years was revealed in Ride's obituary released by Sally Ride Science and confirmed by Ride's sister. Her sister stated that Ride preferred to keep this information private during her life.
Her preference for privacy kept the focus on her achievements, not her (non)reproductive choice. You have to salute Ride's discipline and unwillingness to be made a political pawn. Condolences to her accomplished partner, who appears to have been at least an intellectual soulmate.
We love all four kids and are proud of each. However, this daughter’s greatest accomplishment is our 20 month old grand daughter, plus another “in the hanger” and “fixing to launch” in two weeks!
Well stated.
GREAT story, Rightonline!!! What is the chance we can see the picture on your FR page?
Yeah, she was the first US female to go up in space, but she apparently played the politics better than the other female TFNG(s?) at the time.
RIP
Pissing off the locals again, kabar? LOL!
FWIW, no one knew she was gay because she kept it quiet, as most gays do. The flamboyant faggots in the world account for a very small percentage. The rest know damn well they’ll be castigated by the majority of society for being a part of that disgusting practice.
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