Resignation of NASA Administrator Michael Griffin
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U.S. President George W. Bush and the U.S. Congress
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Green Wednesday -
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The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has a great record of impressive technical successes and important scientific contributions.
It also bears particular responsibilities as world's largest civilian space agency and a significant consumer of both funding and tangible resources.
NASA must be led with scientific integrity and intelligence.
National Public Radio (NPR) in the U.S. reports that NASA Administrator Michael Griffin has said, on the record in an NPR interview aired Thursday, May 31, 2007, that while he accepts that the climate of Earth is in fact warming, he disputes the idea that this global warming is necessarily a bad thing.
In the NPR interview, Griffin says it is arrogant for any particular humans to determine for other humans that the current climate is superior to some subsequent climate which might be much warmer.
To frame the climate crisis as Griffin does, as an issue of choice among humans and no more, displays a titanic extreme of arrogance.
For the head of a globally-significant scientific agency to display such devastating ignorance - or such overwhelming politicization - on the outstanding scientific issue of our generation is simply unacceptable.
This is not just a matter of misspeaking in casual remarks, or of poor judgement by a high official. As previously reported, under Michael Griffin (and the Bush administration), NASA has deliberately lowered the priority of crucial earth monitoring satellite missions, in favor of pork-barrel show-treks off-planet.
As the world's pre-eminent scientific satellite operator, NASA has a vital role to play in the global monitoring, analysis, and response to the climate crisis. While personed space exploration may be an inspiring technical challenge and an exciting human prospect, in this time of documented global crisis, the needs of planet Earth itself must be our highest priority.
We join our names together to petition for the immediate resignation of Michael Griffin from the position of NASA Administrator, and in calling for a prompt redirection of NASA priorities toward the vital space-science needs of a planet spinning into unprecedented crisis.
It also bears particular responsibilities as world's largest civilian space agency and a significant consumer of both funding and tangible resources.
NASA must be led with scientific integrity and intelligence.
National Public Radio (NPR) in the U.S. reports that NASA Administrator Michael Griffin has said, on the record in an NPR interview aired Thursday, May 31, 2007, that while he accepts that the climate of Earth is in fact warming, he disputes the idea that this global warming is necessarily a bad thing.
In the NPR interview, Griffin says it is arrogant for any particular humans to determine for other humans that the current climate is superior to some subsequent climate which might be much warmer.
To frame the climate crisis as Griffin does, as an issue of choice among humans and no more, displays a titanic extreme of arrogance.
For the head of a globally-significant scientific agency to display such devastating ignorance - or such overwhelming politicization - on the outstanding scientific issue of our generation is simply unacceptable.
This is not just a matter of misspeaking in casual remarks, or of poor judgement by a high official. As previously reported, under Michael Griffin (and the Bush administration), NASA has deliberately lowered the priority of crucial earth monitoring satellite missions, in favor of pork-barrel show-treks off-planet.
As the world's pre-eminent scientific satellite operator, NASA has a vital role to play in the global monitoring, analysis, and response to the climate crisis. While personed space exploration may be an inspiring technical challenge and an exciting human prospect, in this time of documented global crisis, the needs of planet Earth itself must be our highest priority.
We join our names together to petition for the immediate resignation of Michael Griffin from the position of NASA Administrator, and in calling for a prompt redirection of NASA priorities toward the vital space-science needs of a planet spinning into unprecedented crisis.
218 Signatures
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Mike D
- City, State, Country
- Blackpool, Lancashire, UK
- Comments
- You of all people should appreciate the extreme rarity of planet Earth. You are living in an extremely selfish and short sighted environment. Please open your eyes and get real.
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Jeffrey L. N
- City, State, Country
- Nashua. NH 03060
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Thomas H
- City, State, Country
- United States
- Comments
- We need a scientist in this position, not a Bush suck up.
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Barbara T
- City, State, Country
- AZ
- Comments
- Scientific evidence clearly indicates the impact the industrial revolution is having on the earth's atmosphere. Every major science organization in our country has a published statement in agreement with this fact. It is our duty to proactively take steps to reverse the trend. NASA needs leadership that is clear about the priority for saving earth's atmosphere over space travel.
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deeanne c
- City, State, Country
- chandler az
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Robert S
- City, State, Country
- Phoenix, AZ USA
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Denise A
- City, State, Country
- Phoenix, Arizona USA
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Dale T
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Erin Celeste P
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pj H
- City, State, Country
- Miami, FL USA
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Karen S
- City, State, Country
- Tempe, AZ USA
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Laura B
- City, State, Country
- mesa arizona
- Comments
- There seems to be no end to the embarrassment brought upon this country by the current administration. Get rid of this ignorant, arrogant pseudo-scientist!!
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Phyliss
- City, State, Country
- West, Texas USA
- Comments
- fool
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Jonel T
- City, State, Country
- Chandler, AZ
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John S. S
- City, State, Country
- Mesa, AZ, USA
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Ryan H
- City, State, Country
- Kissimmee, FL
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Joseph C. A
- City, State, Country
- Paso Robles, CA
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Joseph C. A
- City, State, Country
- Paso Robles, CA
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Maya L
- City, State, Country
- Indianapolis, IN, USA
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Randall B
- City, State, Country
- Matthews, NC, USA
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Danelle A
- City, State, Country
- Chandler, AZ USA
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Ehsan Hamzanlui M
- City, State, Country
- Bodjnord , North Khorasan , Iran
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William P
- City, State, Country
- Phoenix, AZ 85044
- Comments
- Cleaner Environment Means Cleaning House, ... Michael Griffen is responsible for invalid and unscientific statements that create a false state of importance on Global Warming
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Meghan M
- City, State, Country
- Pawtucket, RI
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michael l
- City, State, Country
- mason, ohio united states of america
- Comments
- i believe in space exploration and the money spent on these programs. i do think that global warming is a serious problem and can not be ignored.
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Robert Q
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Eileen G
- City, State, Country
- Chandler, AZ
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Thomas P
- City, State, Country
- Boston MA
- Comments
- The resistance by Mr Griffin and others in the adminstration (who should know better) to the overwhelming probability that we humans contribute to climate change is unacceptable and egregious.
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Peter P
- City, State, Country
- Southbury, CT USA
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Jeanne D
- City, State, Country
- Tempe, AZ, US
- Comments
- Continued corporate greed to increase global consumption of non-essential things including military weapons and the resulting negative impact of global warming on all living creatures, is appalling. Moreover, true peace and happiness do not come from consumption but from respect for each other and the earth. Let us have environmental leaders not destroyers.
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Carolyn K
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Perves
- City, State, Country
- Paris, France
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Perves
- City, State, Country
- Paris, France
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Laura S
- City, State, Country
- Seattle,USA
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Karen M
- City, State, Country
- Crofton, MD
- Comments
- When I heard Mr. Griffin's comments, I wondered how increasingly longer droughts worldwide, increasingly severe weather events and rising sea levels could actually be good for humankind or, on a larger scale, our planet. Further, as a scientist and a leader in the scientific comunity, he surely must be aware of the delicate balance we all maintain to sustain life on our small planet, as well as how rare life is in the universe we know about.
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Rion Lo B
- City, State, Country
- Brooklyn, NY
- Comments
- All the bums must go...
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Robert John G
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peter w
- City, State, Country
- Ponte de Lima, Portugal
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Lorenzo G
- City, State, Country
- Mexico
- Comments
- Will you build a garden for your sons families Mr. Griffin? Or do you think your steak needs more A1 Sauce?
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Bethany C
- City, State, Country
- Rockford, Illinois, 61108
- Comments
- Global warming will affect all of us - let's act now, not react later.
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Estela L
- City, State, Country
- Portugal
- Comments
- I love my Planet
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Robin de Jong P
- City, State, Country
- The Netherlands
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Juli S
- City, State, Country
- NY
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David B
- City, State, Country
- NY, NY USA
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Maegan R
- City, State, Country
- California
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Fred A
- City, State, Country
- Arlington, TX USA
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perez jean v
- City, State, Country
- Thailand
- Comments
- get rid of all rotten apples........
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martha r
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Kenneth S
- City, State, Country
- Timonium, Maryland
- Comments
- Increse the space science budget (go HST/JWST)
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Michael G
- City, State, Country
- washington, dc
- Comments
- spending on the space program is ridiculous
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218
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