In another (non-space-related) thread, Larry asked me how I would feel if someone shouted me down in debate. My answer was a kind of round-about one. Let me be more direct here. Liberals are shouted down here every day. The liberals who stay are (excuse me, Lindy, Bowser, Splinx, Tony, Publius, et al) argumentative cusses, and not very representative of the liberal temperament as I have seen it displayed in real life.

"Liberals Are Dumb", "Liberals Are Diabolical", "Liberals Are Morally Corrupt", "Liberals Are Emotionally Bankrupt", "Liberals Are Intellectually Inferior"... On any given day I can find these themes here. Perhaps liberals are less inclined to discuss space here because there is nothing to be gained from being attacked unless one enjoys heartburn. For myself, as you know, I take vacations from here. One of them was rather public. That's so I can regain my equilibrium and maintain my manners. But I'm equipped to deal with the themes at the head of this paragraph because it reminds me so much of where I live.

If I were still living in New York, and hadn't become used to the "oh, I didn't mean you" postscript that accompanies many of the posts (for which, thank you, but surely you see that this doesn't wash), I probably wouldn't stick around.

I've said this before, and I'll say it again, because it's worth repeating:

When building a coalition to target a political objective, if you're comfortable with everyone at the table, your coalition is too small. This piece of wisdom is one I've heard since I was very small, in different forms. I grew up in a political family. Believe this: it's true, and it works.

We have an enormous pile of rocks here. Shall we use them to build bridges or to stone people? Is there some other political objective in keeping political rivals from making common cause on this issue, SDAI? Is space exploration enjoying such high visibility and support that we can afford to balkanize its supporters?

Would this be a good place to discuss strategy, or will that remain on the Space Board? It doesn't happen very much there, except for the little (comparatively speaking) arguments about where we should go next, and the "Alas, poor NASA! I knew him, Horatio" posts. To me, the most real question, the most unsettling, and the most vital for the survival of humanity is, are we ever going to go anywhere ever again?

Unless space advocates can field a broad and articulate constituency in favor of exploration, the answer will be -- not might be, but will be -- a resounding NO.

Best regards--
Mary Anne