Writes Chris Dominguez: "God bless the woman, but why is it such a big deal that a government-school teacher is going into space? It reeks of just another way of celebrating the State and its heroic servants. What's next--a policeman or fireman? The more appropriate headline would be, 'Taxpayers Fund Government Union Member's Ride into Space.'

"You certainly can't imagine this headline: 'Business Entrepeneur Taken on Space Shuttle.'"

UPDATE: Writes Joe Pulcinella: "We already caught flak for a capitalist going into space. Remember when we all heard how Dennis Tito's private $20 million payment to the Russians was going to cause irreparable damage to the nobility of space exploration?"