Ieri, 16 Luglio 2013, ricorreva il 44esimo anniversario dell’inizio della missione Apollo 11 che per prima portò l’uomo sulla Luna (fan di Giacobbo, state alla larga).
Questa ricorrenza mi ha fatto tornare in mente una curiosità molto interessante di cui il buon Michael Stevens di Vsauce ha parlato in un video che trovate a fondo articolo.
Nel 1999, infatti, William Safire rese noto che fu incaricato dal presidente Nixon di scrivere un discorso alla nazione che sarebbe stato letto qualora Neil Armstrong e Buzz Aldrin fossero rimasti sulla Luna senza possibilità di ritorno.
Il discorso è davvero molto interessante da leggere e lo stesso Safire consigliava al presidente di chiamare personalmente le mogli degli astronauti rimasti sul nostro satellite.
Riporto qui sotto il “In event of Moon disaster speech” confidando nella vostra conoscenza dell’inglese:
Fate has ordained that the men who went to the moon to explore in peace will stay on the moon to rest in peace.
These brave men, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, know that there is no hope for their recovery. But they also know that there is hope for mankind in their sacrifice.
These two men are laying down their lives in mankind’s most noble goal: the search for truth and understanding.
They will be mourned by their families and friends; they will be mourned by their nation; they will be mourned by the people of the world; they will be mourned by a Mother Earth that dared send two of her sons into the unknown.
In their exploration, they stirred the people of the world to feel as one; in their sacrifice, they bind more tightly the brotherhood of man.
In ancient days, men looked at stars and saw their heroes in the constellations. In modern times, we do much the same, but our heroes are epic men of flesh and blood.
Others will follow, and surely find their way home. Man’s search will not be denied. But these men were the first, and they will remain the foremost in our hearts.
For every human being who looks up at the moon in the nights to come will know that there is some corner of another world that is forever mankind.
- Video “If” di Vsauce, ovviamente in inglese.
- Qui la possibilità di ascoltare l’intervista a Safire del 1999.
- William Safire su Wikipedia.
