In his speech, President Reagan aims to instill admiration in the American people. He strives to ensure that the people think of the Challenger deaths as a celebration of their lives. This is especially evident in the statement ‘…We’ve grown used to the idea of space, and perhaps we forget we’ve only just began. We’re still pioneers. They, the members of the Challenger crew, were pioneers (National Aeronautics and Space Administration).’ This is a powerful message that resonated with the American people and give a sense of meaning to the lives of these heroes. Their deaths were in an attempt to achieve their dreams. It took special courage for them to volunteer for the space mission while well aware of the perilous risk the mission had on their lives. They wanted to be on the forefront of the dawn of another discovery. With all this in mind, you cannot help but admire the special kind of character that was needed to undertake this task. The hearts of Americans were inevitably filled with pride as they celebrated this victory by these individuals to conquer the realm beyond our planet. They were pioneers, synonymous, with the explorers who discovered the various parts of the world. Just like some of the previous explorers, they passed their last breath doing what they loved most.
President Reagan also inspires patriotism and loyalty to the American dream in his speech. During the time, the United States had grown to become the dominant global force in terms of the economy and technology. These values are especially espoused in ‘…We do it all upfront and in public. That’s the way freedom is, and we wouldn’t change it for a minute (National Aeronautics and Space Administration).’ At the time, the United States was locked with Russia in a technological arms race. A feeling of distrust generally existed for the Russians. Through the identification of a common enemy, the president reminds the citizens of the perks of the freedom of their society. It also solidifies the reputation of these individuals as heroes, as they chose to go on the expedition of their own accord. They believed in the American dream and died in pursuit of it. This statement reminds Americans that they should not be afraid to place their lives on the line for their country and its values. It is the freedom that brings them together and makes America the greatest nation.
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration. “Explosion of The Space Shuttle Challenger Address to The Nation, January 28, 1986”. NASA History Office, 2004, https://history.nasa.gov/reagan12886.html. Accessed 11 Feb 2019.
