JFK's 1962 Moon speech, full length

[pokerfan]

I confess that I've never listened to the entire speech before. In my defense, I was only three years old. I think everyone's heard the excerpt, "We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard..."

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouRbkBAOGEw (17:48)
Transcript: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/We_choose_to_go_to_the_moon

We set sail on this new sea because there is new knowledge to be gained, and new rights to be won, and they must be won and used for the progress of all people. For space science, like nuclear science and all technology, has no conscience of its own. Whether it will become a force for good or ill depends on man, and only if the United States occupies a position of pre-eminence can we help decide whether this new ocean will be a sea of peace or a new terrifying theater of war. I do not say that we should or will go unprotected against the hostile misuse of space any more than we go unprotected against the hostile use of land or sea, but I do say that space can be explored and mastered without feeding the fires of war, without repeating the mistakes that man has made in extending his writ around this globe of ours.

[Sherman A1]

1. Thanks for posting

:toast: