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progressoid

(50,925 posts)
Wed Apr 12, 2023, 02:34 PM Apr 2023

New NASA Director Swears Oath on Carl Sagan Book Instead of Bible [View all]


Dr. Makenzie Lystrup getting sworn in as Director of @NASAGoddard
Space Flight Center using Carl Sagan's 'Pale Blue Dot' is just everything. 😍









...

While Lystrup's choice of oath-taking literature is "unusual," it's definitely allowed by law thanks to our good ole' separation of church and state, and there's a long tradition of political statement-making via swearing in books.

From Dr. Suess to a Superman comic and any number of non-Christian religious texts, American political figures have for centuries been putting their beliefs on display by being sworn into office on books other than the Bible.

That said, this appears to be the first time someone's been sworn in on a Sagan book, and we're with Cowing when it comes to admiring Lystrup's oath book — which NASA, interestingly enough, chose not to mention in its own blog post.

"Why do I suddenly get the urge to apply for a job over in Maryland at Goddard?" quipped Cowing, himself a former NASA employee. "Anyone who does this has to be cool to work for."

https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-director-sagan-swearing-in
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I like it...the Constitution says nothing about swearing on any object... Wounded Bear Apr 2023 #1
And as if the Bible is anything but a collection Sky Jewels Apr 2023 #9
Never mind the morality FreeState Apr 2023 #11
And the sordid tale of Lot's daughters ... yikes Sky Jewels Apr 2023 #12
Absolutely FreeState Apr 2023 #18
Exactly. Sky Jewels Apr 2023 #25
It's especially good if the bibble is upside down. And if the oaf-taker has never read it. erronis Apr 2023 #16
Yeah sarge43 Apr 2023 #19
Outstanding. I like her already. The Unmitigated Gall Apr 2023 #2
"Carl Sagan, Marijuana Advocate, Explains What It's Like To Be High While Carl Sagan" DBoon Apr 2023 #3
+1 Excellent! progressoid Apr 2023 #5
Think of what he might've accomplished without pot smoking! nuxvomica Apr 2023 #23
This message was self-deleted by its author Chin music Apr 2023 #4
hehe. love it. AllaN01Bear Apr 2023 #13
THIS made my day!!! Ferrets are Cool Apr 2023 #6
Hail Sagan! Timeflyer Apr 2023 #7
Wonderful! Sky Jewels Apr 2023 #8
Cool! ShazzieB Apr 2023 #10
eggscllent. AllaN01Bear Apr 2023 #14
Last fall, when my daughter was sworn into the National Council on Disability, she considered using deurbano Apr 2023 #15
Wow. That's pretty cool! progressoid Apr 2023 #20
Wow. What an amazing daughter and son you have! SunSeeker Apr 2023 #22
The Real Good Book (tm) NullTuples Apr 2023 #17
Love it! nt SunSeeker Apr 2023 #21
Now we're talking... 2naSalit Apr 2023 #24
This makes me smile LetMyPeopleVote Apr 2023 #26
K&R Blue Owl Apr 2023 #27
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