Some people want to rename @yurisnight because the first human to leave Earth was a Russian named "Yuri". Bad idea. BTW Gus Grissom's middle name was "Ivan".
"Looking at the earth from afar you realize it is too small for conflict and just big enough for cooperation" Y. Gagarin pic.twitter.com/c3yAZPtbDq
Below is my comment in support Michelle Hanlon’s post on LinkedIn — agreeing with your point, Keith:
“Yuri Gagarin was a hero for all of humanity, not only for the old USSR, now no longer in existence. He is being honored, not the tyrannical regime that launched him into orbit. I urge the space foundation to make his role for the world clear, and NOT to forever associate his achievement for everyone with the monstrous actions of the current leader of the Russian Federation.”
He may not have been the 1st man in space, but he was the 1st to hold his breath long enough to make it back. Yuri represents the human exploration of space. Not soviet achievement. Not Putin,
Attempting to rename or otherwise remove Gagarin’s name from the pioneers of space exploration just because he was a product of the Soviet Union is stupid. Revisionist historians do no service to humankind. Should we remove Charles Lindberg’s name as the first man to solo the Atlantic because he was an isolationist? Or the Montgolfia Brothers because their ballooning flights were financed by a French King? History is history and there is no use sweeping it under the rug.
I’m thinking a lot sure has changed when Yuris Night was popular, at least in SF bay area. Ames had Yuri’s Night with all sorts of interesting characters. There also get togethers at other places but past few years it seems much has dwindled. Of course now we are now involved (maybe not directly) with a war which has caused many to question many things.
Participating in the World Space Party the attitude of young and old was April 12, 1961 was a humanity event, not a nationalistic event. Young people had no connection with Cold War mentality of boomers, whether it was a Russian or Soviet accomplishment was not was being celebrated but a specific day when a person went into space for the first time. And provided excuse to put on parties involving techie and science demonstrations, dancing to whatever music, staying up really late, and a lot of drinking.
I guess we are now in a situation of what many faced when Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated, will it be contained or will emotions of nationalism wipe out reasonable thinking?
Below is my comment in support Michelle Hanlon’s post on LinkedIn — agreeing with your point, Keith:
“Yuri Gagarin was a hero for all of humanity, not only for the old USSR, now no longer in existence. He is being honored, not the tyrannical regime that launched him into orbit. I urge the space foundation to make his role for the world clear, and NOT to forever associate his achievement for everyone with the monstrous actions of the current leader of the Russian Federation.”
He may not have been the 1st man in space, but he was the 1st to hold his breath long enough to make it back. Yuri represents the human exploration of space. Not soviet achievement. Not Putin,
Attempting to rename or otherwise remove Gagarin’s name from the pioneers of space exploration just because he was a product of the Soviet Union is stupid. Revisionist historians do no service to humankind. Should we remove Charles Lindberg’s name as the first man to solo the Atlantic because he was an isolationist? Or the Montgolfia Brothers because their ballooning flights were financed by a French King? History is history and there is no use sweeping it under the rug.
I’m thinking a lot sure has changed when Yuris Night was popular, at least in SF bay area. Ames had Yuri’s Night with all sorts of interesting characters. There also get togethers at other places but past few years it seems much has dwindled. Of course now we are now involved (maybe not directly) with a war which has caused many to question many things.
Participating in the World Space Party the attitude of young and old was April 12, 1961 was a humanity event, not a nationalistic event. Young people had no connection with Cold War mentality of boomers, whether it was a Russian or Soviet accomplishment was not was being celebrated but a specific day when a person went into space for the first time. And provided excuse to put on parties involving techie and science demonstrations, dancing to whatever music, staying up really late, and a lot of drinking.
I guess we are now in a situation of what many faced when Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated, will it be contained or will emotions of nationalism wipe out reasonable thinking?