Bicolano Penguin: NATIONAL MOON DAY RUN 2020: The Power of Words

"That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."

These are the famous words declared by Apollo 11 Commander Neil Armstrong as he puts his left foot at the lunar surface at 10:56 pm ET July 20, 1969. 20 minutes later, Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin followed him. For the history trivia buffs out there, both Armstrong and Aldrin were not wearing Nike, Adidas or Hoka but specialized moon boots crafted by ILC Industries, now ILC Dover, .of Delaware, when they landed on the moon.

The closest thing to a selfie for Armstrong (the first man on the moon) back then in the 1960s. Aldrin maybe the 2nd man on the moon but since it was Armstrong who was carrying Apollo 11 crew's 70-millimeter Hasselblad, the only moon man earthlings would see clearly in a photo is the 2nd finisher. And Armstrong, looking even smaller and more spectral, is reflected on Aldrin's visor.

These are also the words on the Bicolano Penguin's mind as I lace up my pair of Altra Olympus for my 10km run this Friday (July 17). Having seen the posting of a Virtual Takbo (VT) event in Pinoy Runners Global the night before, the BP registered for the National Moon Day Run (NMDR2020). It is a virtual run commemorating mankind's first walk on the moon. I registered for multiple distances (10kms & 21kms) as it was allowed. Got my first taste of the Agimat the VT event before, the BP was thirsting for more.

The NMDR2020 allowed for multiple distances so the BP choose to go for 10kms (6.27 miles) on July 17, 21kms (13.14 miles) on July 18, and 5 kms (3.14 miles) on July 19.

It is perhaps fair to say that the words declared by Armstrong on the moon in that fateful day of July 20, 1969 is one of the most famous lines, if not the most famous, in the 20th Century. After all, it is estimated that 690 million people watched and heard the American astronaut. Those 12 words galvanized the whole world's attention to an extraordinary event that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) talks about in this way - "human race accomplished its single greatest technological achievement of all time by landing a man on the moon."

Equally related to the first landing on the moon in 1969 are the words of US President John F. Kennedy (JFK), the architect and inspiration for one of the greatest of human achievement. When JFK took office in early 1961, he believe that space exploration was vital to the nation -- and to the country's collective pysche and confidence. But at that time, the US was trailing the Soviets in the Space Race. The lead of the USSR was further lengthened when in April 12, 1961, Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space.

JFK knew the US had to act fast and decisively. In May 25, 1961, the US president appeared before the US Congress, imploring that the US "should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the man and of returning him safely to Earth." The speech in the US Congress wasn't a popular political move. One national poll showed 58% of Americans were against chasing the moon after JFK announced his goal.

But JFK knew he had to continue to sell his vision to the skeptical American public. Toward that end, he delivered a fiery speech on Sept 12, 1961 before 40,000 people at the Rice University football stadium in Texas. The famous We Choose to Go the Moon speech. JFK's energetic, powerful and popular voice carried the day.

On Sep 12, 1962, JFK delivered his "We choose to go to the Moon" speech before a crowd of about 40,000 people at Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas.

Sadly, JFK was assassinated Nov 22, 1963. But the Apollo Project became a memorial to his legacy and there were no further questions about it. JFK's dream would be fulfilled. By landing on the moon in 1969, the US effectively "won" the Space Race.

JFK's speeches and actions championing the Apollo Program is a classic case of great leadership which is about seeing and creating a brighter and better future. A positive leader sees what's possible and then takes the next steps to rally and unite people to create it. History shows us that if you can see it, you can create it. Leaders tap into the power of a vision and find a way forward. But in order to rally people to follow you, you must be able to articulate and communicate your vision in a simple, clear, bold and compelling way. This is where power of the words come in. Words have the power to articulate the vision of man. I wonder if animals have this, but certainly Homo sapiens have the command of the power of the words.

In an essay entitled "Kennedy's Romantic Moon and its Rhetorical Legacy for Space Exploration", John W. Jordan (an Assistant Professor of Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee) writes about how JFK was able to describe a romantic notion of space in the "We choose to go to the Moon" speech with which all citizens of the US, and even the world could participate, vastly increasing the number of citizens interested in space exploration. JFK began by talking about space as the new frontier for all of mankind, instilling the dream within the audience. JFK then condensed human history to show within a very brief period of time space travel will be possible, informing the audience that their dream is achievable. Lastly, JFK uses the the first-personal plural "we" to represent all the people of the world that would allegedly explore space together, but also involves the crowd.

Allow me to quote a paragraph from the JFK speech at Rice University in Sep 12, 1962. Read and see how, unlike some of today's populist politicians both here and abroad, JFK spoke to mankind's best impulses , not our worst.

"We choose to go to the Moon...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; because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one we intend to win, and the others, too."