Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Shuttle Diplomacy

What a sad day indeed for Lisa Nowak and the entire NASA program. How tragic that such a bright and able woman should lose her emotional stability in such a public and humiliating way.

I've been thinking how fragile our mental health can be. How often it can go unrecognized until something tragic happens.

But where was NASA? And where were astronauts Oefelein and Shipman? If Ms. Shipman was aware enough of Ms. Nowak's bizarre behavior and feelings toward her to seek a restraining order, why were officials at NASA not notified? Certainly Mr. Oefelein was aware of her feelings, or at the very least, aware of her behavior toward Ms. Shipman. After all they were the "couple".

The charges keep piling on and all the "experts" are on with the talking heads beating it to death as usual. But they are not answering my questions. Why has she merely been suspended? She obviously is not stable enough at this point to participate in the shuttle program. Nor would I think would she ever be trusted to re-assume a position with any degree of responsibility.

I'm sure NASA wants to protect one of its own. It is a tight knit organization of very special men and women. I hope she receives the help she needs; that NASA does not "protect" her to the point of harm. I also thank the Almighty she was not on a shuttle mission when she snapped.

2 comments:

Word Tosser said...

How embarassing all the way around. They really don't need the ankle braclet... the media will be like an extra skin.
I feel bad for all of them. Her children especially, her to be ex husband, her parents, the couple, and for the woman herself.

Bay Views said...

I think the "suspension" is governmentise for going through the steps necessary to dump an astranaut and Naval Officer.