Anybody remember this Democrat wearing a flightsuit for a photo op

[Radical__Moderate]

OOPs he really was a hero.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

1. How are astronauts heroes?

They don't save anyone's lives without regard for their own safety. They do a job, and besides, he only went back up into orbit as a publicity stunt because he was 70, and people were forgetting about him. Please explain to me how they are heroes? I just think people are throwing that word around way too much.
Duckie

[Radical__Moderate]

2. Do you even know who John Glenn is

Glenn has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on six occasions, and holds the Air Medal with 18 Clusters for his service during World War II and Korea. Glenn also holds the Navy Unit Commendation for service in Korea, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, the China Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, the Navy's Astronaut Wings, the Marine Corps' Astronaut Medal, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, and the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.
If hes not a hero, I guess they dont really exist

[DinahMoeHum]

8. Y'all should read Tom Wolfe's "The Right Stuff". . .

for a look at John Glenn and his colleagues during the Mercury astronaut days of the early 1960's.

Glenn and the other six astronauts in that pioneering space program were not merely joy-riding passengers in a space vehicle. Everything about the program and the vehicles were experimental, so anybody selected had to be an experienced test pilot as well - a dangerous profession in itself.

:kick:

[YellowRubberDuckie]

9. See, I didn't know all that about him...

I thought you were simply calling him a hero because he was an astronaut. I was wrong. I didn't realize he was a war hero.
Duckie

[bif]

12. He was also part of the Keeting Five.

Savings and loan scandal along with Neil Bush if memory serves me correctly.

[SaveElmer]

20. And completely exonerated

If I am not mistaken !!!

[Johnyawl]

21. Your memory serves you very wrong

Neil Bush had nothing to do with the Keating Five. The Keating Five were Sen John Glenn, Sen John McCain, Sen Alan Cranston, Sen. Dennis DeConcini, and Sen Donald Riegle. When Charles Keatings Lincoln Savings & Loan collapsed, he defrauded investors of 2 Billion dollars. During the Senate S & L hearings it was uncovered that those five Senators had recieved over 1.3 million dollars in campaign contributions from Keating and associates, over the years. The investigation revealed that there had been no wrong doing on the part of the five Senators.


Neil Bush was involved in the raping of the Silverado Savings & Loan, in Colorado. During the investigation of that collapse, it was determined that Neil Bush had authorized "questionable" loans to close friends & business associates that they then defaulted on, helping to bankrupt Silverado. He was fined $50,000.

[bif]

22. Thanks.

Mixed up the two scandals. Weren't they around the same time?

3. because

(I'm surprised I'm defending astronauts -- oh well)

because they are doing something to advance knowledge at great personal risk.

[Robb]

4. In many ways

I find them more brave than pilots, because man... once you climb in that thing you've got zero control over whether you live or die, it's the thousands of people on the ground.

I'm a fan. :)

[trof]

5. "Spam in a can"

according to Chuck Yeager and the Edward's test pilots.
;-)

[supernova]

6. Definitely a John Glenn fan

:D

There will always be people (Thank God!) who are willing to explore the limits of human existance. Thereby making this life a better place for us all. Because John Glenn and the other astronauts went into space and proved that we could live and work there, someday we will. And it will be necessary because we will overpopulate the planet.

[cigarstore]

7. What knowledge?

Glenn is and was a hero for his war service and early astronaut flights in the Mercury program, but going into space when your 70? What knowledge was gained by that stunt?

[supernova]

11. That space isn't

only for the young, the beautiful, or the outrageously healthy.

By having different types of people go into space, it demonstrates that all of us can live and work there someday. I plan on being there, even with my wonky heart! :P

[SaveElmer]

27. Space affects similar to aging

The affects of long term exposure to a gravity-free environment are very similar to what happens to the body as it ages. Glenn devised a set of experiments for a mission to test why that was. Certainly not of the highest priority, but interesting nevertheless.

Plus, sometimes a country has to recognize and reward outstanding public service. John Glenn wanted another space ride, he came up with a legitimate reason to make that happen, and I for one had no problem with that.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

28. Because Astronauts are the most rigorously tested humans

ever, and Glenn stayed up with the medical requirments of the program the whole time he was in the Senate, his flight gave researchers valuable insight into the aging process from a young hotshot pilot to a semi-retired man of 70.
they will be able to use this data to predict how astronauts will age on long trips, how older astronauts will work out and I am sure lots of other things.

[Radical__Moderate]

10. How about we look at the definitions

according to mirriam webster
a : a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability b : an illustrious warrior c: a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities d : one that shows great courage

Okay hes I dont think hes mythological, so a. does not apply. He was a illustrious warrior as shown by his millitary record so b. applies. He is admired for achievements and his noble qualities so c applies. And He has demonstarted great courage.
QED
HMM- I cant seem to find anywhere where it says he had to save someone life without regard to their own. Me thinks someone else may be unclear of what a hero is.

[Radical__Moderate]

13. let's look a the difinition of Hero

OOPS double post

[LuLu550]

25. yipes!

They guy went up into the sky with a bomb strapped to his ass when nobody knew if it could be done! Have some respect!

[readmylips]

14. Well, if it weren't for John Glenn and Astros...

you wouldn't be wearing that belcro to hold up your pants.

[zbdent]

16. I thought that it was T'Pal's grandmother

that gave us Velcro.

[Radical__Moderate]

15. He was also Ted Williams Wingman

[zbdent]

17. Wasn't this after he left Congress?

or just before that?

And he wasn't up for re-election, either.

I'd say that JG did more for his country achieving his "fame" than Steve Largent or Jack Kemp.

[XNASA]

18. I remember it very well indeed.

Of all the missions I worked in my stint down in Houston, that was by far the most exhausting.

Damn Media were circling like vultures the entire flight.

At least I got to work with Cronkite.

[scottcsmith]

19. Hell yes he's a hero

John Glenn, WW II fighter ace, has been awarded the Distinguished Flying cross six times, the Air Medal with 18 clusters, among many, many other military decorations. He flew 59 combat missions in WW II, and flew 63 combat missions during the Korean conflict. At NASA, he flew the first manned orbital mission. He's logged 218 hours in space. He's a retired Marine Corps colonel.

He's one of those liberal traitors Ann Coulter talks about, since he's a Democrat.

[DemoTex]

23. Nobel Prize winning Democratic hero in flight suit photo op:

Gov. Jimmy Carter at Dobbins AFB in Georgia Guard Grumman OV-1 Mohawk. Carter took a familiarization flight in the Mohawk, an aircraft affectionately known as "The Widow-Maker" in Vietnam.

[UrbScotty]

24. But he was from Ohio

...the Home of the Buckeyes!

I just had to say that.

[theorist]

26. Dirty, FILTHY Astronauts!

Driving around in their dune buggies all times o' night playing the theme song to 2001. They're covered in moon germs, y'know?

(UCB reference)