Choosing a Flag to Unite a Planet

[dweller]

by Tad Daley

President George W. Bush took a shot at establishing a legacy beyond a permanent war on terror when he
delivered his space vision speech at the headquarters of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration earlier this month. Arrayed behind him were several pieces of NASA artwork depicting future moments in space
exploration.

The one most directly behind his back showed a futuristic
landing craft, a rocky red surface, a blue-gray sky and an astronaut holding a pole with an American flag.

Although such a landing is probably at least a quarter-century away, according to the Bush
administration's own timetable, apparently it has already been decided to plant in the soil of Planet Mars not a flag representing all the inhabitants of Planet Earth, but a flag of the United States.

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dp

[jean]

1. he has to stay with the US flag theme because

the Rep's have invested heavily in those lapel flag pins seen on the chests of the most worthy Republican supporters.

They feel a certain ownership of the flag at this point. You're either with them or against them, ya know? From their perspective everything they can touch or destroy is theirs, why not Mars?

[Briar]

2. We already have a world flag

the UN flag. It represents every nation on earth. Bush's arrogant contempt for the UN (sadly not confined to him and his supporters) is one reason why a US flag would be a slap in the face of the other 95 per cent of the human race.

[Voice_of_Europe]

3. I love your picture

That flag of the earth says so much more than words can ever do...

i hope that sometimes this dream comes true...

My fear is that human kind will only then unite when we find out that there are other beings out there in the universe...

And pray that then we don't have presidents and political parties anymore.

[Codeblue]

4. If we do find that we aren't alone

everyone will unite, but America will be left out because of the prevailing attitude in America since the beginning of the country's existence. Oh my God, it's different than we are! Kill it! Kill it!

Even if we had dems in office, the reps in any position of power would just kill everything anyway.