2003 National Closing Ceremony

[aBoris26]

I found this years closing ceremonies as the weakest out of the past three years. There was no energy, no magic, it was like a school assembly! The format is better, it doesn't make the awards part drag on too long. The balloons and fireworks were neat, but I found it immature that everyone was popping the balloons; it sounded like downtown Baghdad!

As a Canadian the America-centric speeches by the guests and Woody went against the programs development over the last two years as a international celebration of science and technology. Listening to an Air Force recruitment pitch and how the NASA family was devastated by Columbia may my eyes roll. The WORLD experienced a great loss in our pursuit of the stars when the Columbia went down, not exclusively America. With a war going on I found Mr. Yeager's bomb comment and the militaristic speech disturbing; isn't the reason why FIRST is so great is that so many people from a wide multi-cultural group can compete in friendly and supportive environment? FIRST is an example of how we can solve problems without lying, cheating and being deceitful to others, resulting in hatred and violence.

The people who are involved are FIRST are not just going to be the techies and scientists of our generation, as was implied by President Bush and others; we are the LEADERS our generation, in business, medicine and politics. We are the people who are going to determine the legacy our generation leaves. Do we really want to perpetuate the violence and greed that has saturated our culture? FIRST's main problem is that they can't see the forest through the trees, they are too focused on just engineering, we want to change the entire culture of not just America, but of the world, in all disciplines of our society. This program has that power, they don't harness it.

Why wasn't there any TV coverage! They could probably get ESPN2 or Space TV or some other cable network to broadcast it live. And there was no national coverage on NBC, FOX, CBS, ABC, CNN; during war time there should be some positive uplifting stories, like FIRST, mixed in with the unhappy, but necessary coverage of war.

I'm sorry, but Dean Kaman is just a bad speaker, he has a decent message to present, but he makes people cry with boredom, his speeches are too long and lacks the necessary energy to hold the attention of a large group. He should keep it short and sweet, it comes off as a much more powerful message that way.