Posted by
Andy Zarowny on Friday, July 17, 2009 9:45:15 PM
They came from Middle
America. From farms, small
towns, humble beginnings.
For many, the first uniform
they ever wore was that of
a Boy Scout. Some were
even the children of immi-
grants. They were the
quintessential product of
the Horatio Alger Era. Where
anybody, with patience, hard
work and ambition, could
rise to "the top of the pyramid".
My fondest childhood memor-
ies are that of the Space Race.
Especially during Project
Gemini and Apollo, there were
frequent space flights. Every
few weeks it seemed like our
astronauts were excelling,
doing more and more amazing
things as we aimed for
The Moon!
This weekend marks the 40th
Anniversary of the Apollo 11
mission, the first landing of
men on the Moon. So it is
with fondness and some
lamenting that I think back
on the event. The awe and
joy I felt as a child watching
this most amazing adventure.
And the reflection and dismay
over how distant we seem to
be as a nation from that age
of enthusiasm.
Those who journeyed to that
silvery orb were all rugged
individuals. They achieved
their position through the
purest of meritocracies. From
Boy Scout, to pilot, to test pilot,
to astronaut, and finally, a walk
on the Moon. Only in America!
What a legacy!
I could drone on and possibly
bore you with trivia. But I'd
rather just say that here we
are, 40 years after that first
moon walk. This country has
been through rough times
before. Sometimes even close
to the brink of societal collapse.
But out there, in the country-
side, there always seems to be
individuals who defy the odds.
The astronauts of the Great
Space Race, as well as the
thousands of scientists and
engineers who built their
machines, stepped forward
to inspire the nation and the
entire world. They epitomize
the power of the individual.
It may sound hokey or out
of fashion, but at the time,
when little else made sense
or could be trusted, these
people were the ideal of
America. They were confi-
dent in themselves and in
those they worked with. They
had the hope and courage
to face uncertainty and accept
any challenge.
When I look about today, and
wonder who inspires us to
that same sense of greatness,
it's a hard sell. Certainly, very
few people whom we see on
a regular basis in today's
media organs qualify. But
America's heroes are out there
today. They get little fanfare
and frankly they aren't seeking
it anyway.
Like the heroes of the Space
Race, they come from humble
origins. They live quietly and
with conviction of the mind and
soul. They believe in God and
in themselves. That whatever
talents they've been blessed
with should be used for good.
Yeah, it's corny, but we need
some corn to balance out the
daily helpings of cynicism and
detraction.
So here's to the 40th Anniver-
sary of the Apollo 11 Moon
mission! Thank you all for
the memories and for those
dreams yet to be fulfilled!