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Navajo Nation's objection to landing human remains on the moon prompts a meeting

3 points by e2e4 3y ago

tavavex 3y ago
This seems like a really strange objection. It's one thing if this was directly harmful to any real human beings, but the alleged harm here is purely symbolic. There are probably religions in this world for which the mere fact of going to space or the Moon is sacrosanct - why don't we listen to them too? I probably feel more strongly about it than most, but superstitions shouldn't influence space exploration.
- sp332 3y ago
  It's also about NASA promising to consult with them and then not even doing that.
  - goku12 3y ago
    What if it was from some other country? Would they still insist on being consulted? I don't get the point of making such a promise in the first place.
    - sp332 3y ago
      The US government doesn't recognize the Navajo Nation as an independent government. The population was force-marched hundreds of miles and imprisoned in Bosque Redondo. Officially they are now wards of the federal government, which exerts control over the Navajo government. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navajo_Nation#Navajo_Nation_and_federal_government_jurisdictions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navajo_Nation#Navajo_Nation_an...
  - tavavex 3y ago
    Yeah, that's a worse look for NASA in that case. Still, I'm confused - why would NASA agree to do this in the first place?
goku12 3y ago
This is a bizzare objection on so many counts. Lifeless Moon is considered sacred, while the remains of a once-alive human is not? And human remains can defile the moon while tones of trash possibly including human waste from the Apollo missions is not? And Earth - the only planet known so far to support life - is not given the same respect as the lifeless Moon? And while they demand respect for their beliefs (over actions with no direct consequences to them), do they consider the beliefs of those who think that humans should be multi-planetary species? And what happens when permanent settlements on the moon eventually becomes possible? Human remains are going to be the least of their concerns.

3 points by e2e4 3y ago

This seems like a really strange objection. It's one thing if this was directly harmful to any real human beings, but the alleged harm here is purely symbolic. There are probably religions in this world for which the mere fact of going to space or the Moon is sacrosanct - why don't we listen to them too? I probably feel more strongly about it than most, but superstitions shouldn't influence space exploration.

sp332 3y ago
It's also about NASA promising to consult with them and then not even doing that.
- goku12 3y ago
  What if it was from some other country? Would they still insist on being consulted? I don't get the point of making such a promise in the first place.
  - sp332 3y ago
    The US government doesn't recognize the Navajo Nation as an independent government. The population was force-marched hundreds of miles and imprisoned in Bosque Redondo. Officially they are now wards of the federal government, which exerts control over the Navajo government. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navajo_Nation#Navajo_Nation_and_federal_government_jurisdictions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navajo_Nation#Navajo_Nation_an...
- tavavex 3y ago
  Yeah, that's a worse look for NASA in that case. Still, I'm confused - why would NASA agree to do this in the first place?

goku12 3y ago

This is a bizzare objection on so many counts. Lifeless Moon is considered sacred, while the remains of a once-alive human is not? And human remains can defile the moon while tones of trash possibly including human waste from the Apollo missions is not? And Earth - the only planet known so far to support life - is not given the same respect as the lifeless Moon? And while they demand respect for their beliefs (over actions with no direct consequences to them), do they consider the beliefs of those who think that humans should be multi-planetary species? And what happens when permanent settlements on the moon eventually becomes possible? Human remains are going to be the least of their concerns.