Today, we mourn fallen heroes.
Afterward, as America always does, we will continue our march forward. Our nation will continue its many ongoing journeys of discovery — of the arts, of human nature, of science, and, yes, of space. To do less would be to dishonor the memory of the seven brave astronauts who perished Saturday with the space shuttle Columbia.
For Michael Anderson, David Brown, Kalpana Chawla, Laurel Clark, Rick Husband, William McCool and Ilan Ramon, discovery was a motivator that took them to heights few humans are lucky enough to experience. Danger accompanied them on their journey, and this time it prevailed. Knowing that it could didn’t deter the Columbia seven, and it won’t deter those who follow them.
Families, friends and colleagues of Columbia’s crew will gather today in Houston to remember them. President Bush will no doubt speak eloquently of their courage and their sacrifice, and he will also no doubt call on the space program to forge ahead.
As we mourn this loss in our corner of the county, we must also move ahead with the important tasks of our daily lives. Among them today in Snohomish and Island counties is an election. The Marysville and Edmonds school districts, along with the Sno-Isle Regional Library System, are asking voters to approve ballot issues that will help ensure we have the educational resources to keep the light of discovery burning bright.
This editorial board has weighed in previously with its endorsement of the measures on today’s ballot, convinced that the school and library boards have made a compelling case for the projects and operations they’re asking voters to fund. Schools and libraries represent our collective future, and our willingness to support them says much about our vision for that future.
That’s worth keeping in mind today.
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