NASA chief administrator and ex-astronaut Charles Bolden is backtracking furiously after apparently mistaking Muslims for aliens.
In an interview last week, he told Arab news agency Al Jazeera that when he took up the job, president Barak Obama had told him that one of his most important tasks was to connect and communicate with the Arab world.
"Perhaps foremost, he wanted me to find a way to reach out to the Muslim world and engage much more with predominantly Muslim nations," Bolden explained.
Apparently Obama wanted them to "feel good about their historic contribution to science, math and engineering."
Since then, though, it seems someone's had a little word.
NASA assistant administrator for public affairs Bob Jacobs was forced to explain in a statement: "Administrator Bolden understands that NASA's core mission is exploration, both in space and in scientific endeavours here at home."
The reason for Bolden's suggestion may be that he's feeling a little short of things to do at the moment. Obama has slashed the US space program, scrapping the space shuttle and replacing it with plans to hitch rides on Russian and commercial spaceships in a sort of block-booking taxicab deal.
Boden's probably just bored with making paperclip chains.
But, if true, the idea of greater outreach to Muslim nations would have been a very interesting one. Briefings from NASA aren't usually the way that Muslim nations find out about the US' rocket capability.
http://spnheadlines.blogspot.com/2010/07/new-czar-ali-baba-says-nasa-will-land.html
Peace! :-)
Reagan made it clear several times that part of NASA's thrust in the 80's was to help bridge the political gap between the Soviets and America. No one batted an eyelash then. The only reason it's happening now is media hype.
But we were dealing with the Soviets as equals who also, at least by time the Space Race began, who believed in science over ideology. (Earlier Soviet leader gave lots of power to utter cranks whose theories were in line with an interpretation of Marxism. Lysenko, et al.) This is a far cry from trying to give self-esteem boosts to a bunch that has an essential hostility to science at the core of their philosophy. One tenet the hardcore sorts hold dear is that Allah can change the rules any time he gets the whim, and suggesting the universe follows a rigid set of rules is considered blasphemous. People have been killed over this.
As for the great accomplishments of Muslims over a millenium ago, it's largely a myth. It fails to distinguish between the works of Muslim vs. those living under Muslim rule. A very important difference.
What was Bolden supposed to do, say 'Gosh, it's too bad you guys suck at science so much but take comfort in what your distant ancestors once did,' while taking some Muslims on a tour of JSC? It shouldn't be the function of NASA to try to solve the Muslim civiliational inferiority complex. But the proper function of NASA has rarely been high in politicians' interest.