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?”