Lerner: The new American heroes

From A Better Iowa:  Lerner: The new American heroes

While witnessing Space Shuttle Endeavour inching its way through the streets of Los Angeles, one can’t help but reminisce about the glory of America’s space program, and the immeasurable excitement and extraordinary pride felt by all of our nation’s citizens, young and old. The words emblazoned in the fabric of the Shuttle, and upon its mission, “United States of America,” evoke deep emotions. The recent passing of astronaut Neil Armstrong secured these same deep emotions, the emotions of a nation that honors its heroes, desperate for more of them.
Beginning with the countdown to Alan Shepard, Jr.’s heroic, historic, flight, and John Glenn’s circle of our globe, with countless additional memorable adventures into space, liftoff meant more than the launch of a rocket, more than our Country’s dominance, more than remarkable advances in science and technology—liftoff meant soaring hopes and visionary creations credited to the government of a nation, of a people, united.
President John F. Kennedy’s outer space challenge to our Country, fulfilled by our government, will have an everlasting impact upon history. Sadly, with the privatization of space exploration/travel, and government/NASA stepping aside, an era of American glory becomes history.
We are now witnessing the day when millionaires and billionaires and investors are stepping in where heroes and a nation once stood. Instead of our government launching our hopes and dreams, inspiring all of us, through our collective investment, to reach beyond the stars, individual ego, venture capital, and profiteering now rule the day.
There was a time when sports stadiums were honored with the names of American heroes, rather than wealthy corporate sponsors. There was a time when values drove us, rather than greed. There was a time when the good of the nation triumphed over the power of special interests. There was a time when Budweiser and Nike stayed off the field.
In an admittedly partisan message, but one well grounded in Romney/Ryan rhetoric, a legitimate fear for our nation is that the inscription “Bain Capital” will appear everywhere the words “United States of America” once stood. For 99% of us, the luster of the Space Shuttle will be lost, and our American heroes along with it.