NASA astronaut gives very American response to DEI questioning

Before the Artemis II mission blasted off to go around the moon, the astronauts were faced with one more earthly question about diversity and representation.

The last-ditch struggle session-style question came while the astronauts were in preflight quarantine, literally unable to escape the woke query.

'It's the story of humanity, not black history, not women's history.'

Just three days before the launch on Sunday, the astronauts fielded questions, with a focus on race and gender coming from Spectrum News' Anthony Leone. He asked, "There are so many firsts here for this mission. The first commander of a returned manned mission to the moon. The first black man, the first woman, the first Canadian to visit the moon. What do these firsts mean to each of you?"

The first to answer was Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman, who squashed any idea of self praise:

"We are not doing this for the superlatives. We're doing this because it's a unique opportunity. We are going for all and by all. This is what NASA embodies."

Next it was pilot Victor Glover who completely rejected the premise, going viral for his response.

"I want to highlight, I guess maybe one facet of this is the tension," Glover explained.

"This dichotomy between happiness that a young woman can look at Christina and just physicalize her, her passion or her interest, or even if it's not something she wants to do, she can just be like, 'girl power.' And that's awesome. And that young brown boys and girls can look at me and go, 'Hey, he looks like me, and he's doing what?' And that's great, I love that," Glover continued.

However, the astronaut then revealed he has grown tired of race being the first thing mentioned about his accomplishments:

"I also hope we are pushing the other direction that one day we don't have to talk about these firsts, that one day this is just —" Glover paused to reset for emphasis. "Listen to this: that this is the human history. It's about human history. It's the story of humanity, not black history, not women's history, but that it becomes human history."

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Glover then passed the mic to Christina Koch, Artemis II mission specialist. Koch did not disappoint either, telling reporters that the mission is "not about celebrating any one individual."

"If there is something to celebrate, it's that we are at a time when everyone who has a dream gets to work equally hard to achieve that dream ... if we are not going for all and by all, we aren't truly answering all of humanity's call to explore. That, to me, is what's worth celebrating."

While the NASA astronauts all focused on the bigger picture rather than celebrating race or gender politics, the fourth crew member, Canadian mission specialist Jeremy Hansen, took a different route.

While Hansen began by saying the mission is an acknowledgment of "anybody who shows up" and is able to contribute something meaningful, he quickly pivoted to give progressives an answer to be proud of.

"I'm wearing a Canadian patch here that was designed by an Anishinaabe artist in Canada, and it just represents some of the beauty of indigenous culture and their perspective on the moon and the seven sacred laws and just the richness of doing something together and how inviting that is."

The Anishinaabe refers to a grouping of native tribes that surrounded the Great Lakes region. Including the Algonquin and Mississauga people, as well as groups of smaller tribes, it is an oft-cited moniker favored by activists pursuing their political endeavors.

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Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Glover is a devout Christian; he has been adamant about his faith and even asked for prayers regarding his moon mission. His brazen unwillingness to compromise on presenting his views has made him stand out throughout the mission lead-up.

"I want to use the abilities that God has given me to do my job well and support my crewmates and mission and NASA," he said in a 2020 Christian Chronicle interview; in remarks to Christianity Today, Glover said that he "very intentionally" puts "God at the front" of his missions because "it's the way I try to live my life as well."

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