CompuServe Messages

Don: I normally keep my mouth shut, but space exploration is one of my hot buttons. <grin> It is my personal opinion that those who "go boldly forth…" and all that stuff, are risking their lives for the collective lives of the entire human race. Whether or not we like to admit it, we are running out of room on this planet, and though we can probably shoe-horn in 4-5 times the present population, humans like to breed alot faster than they are currently dying. We can either cut the birth-rate, increase the death-rate, or spread out. The first two choices are likely to result in the loss of alot of freedom and dignity for those involved. In addition, we as a race are reaching the point where one individual or a small group of individuals could conceivably render this planet uninhabitable, maybe not today, but definitely within the forseeable future. Increasing the places where man has a toe-hold is definitely in the "life saving" catagory, in my opinion. Clint <VRLI>