As we told you earlier today, the New York Times published a story that was so hot that it melted a previous hot take during the week of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing:

America may have put the first man on the moon, but the Soviet Union sent the first woman, the first Asian man, and the first black man into orbit — all years before the U.S. would follow suit https://t.co/DrTZYxvbD7 — The New York Times (@nytimes) July 18, 2019

@JerylBier ran across a passage that’s really something else:

Holy crap! The literal kicker: "Cosmonaut diversity was key for the Soviet message to the rest of the globe: Under socialism, a person of even the humblest origins could make it all the way up." https://t.co/9wGza2FbU2 — Jeryl Bier (@JerylBier) July 18, 2019

That’s just… wow…

Praising Totalitarians… To own… The Apollo astronauts? https://t.co/jx6WMcMkba — Pradheep J. Shanker (@Neoavatara) July 18, 2019

I keep thinking "peak NYT" and it keeps getting more peak https://t.co/jsObFq94pQ — Greg Piper (@gregpiper) July 18, 2019

And it’s possible they haven’t even peaked yet, because the anniversary of the moon landing is two days away.

The Soviets may have had a clear lack of ethics or safety standards, but damn, diversity. https://t.co/RlAy9zYpp8 — Just Kaitlin Again (@thefactualprep) July 18, 2019

yeah, cuz all the american astronauts were picked out of the Martha's Vineyard crowd… — Paul Murany (@PMurany) July 18, 2019

In Soviet Russia, program come TO YOU! — Unwilling Pat (@PatMcPSU) July 18, 2019

#TDS causes some strange behavior — Eric Nelson (@EricNelson777) July 18, 2019

Nothing like extolling the “virtues” of Soviet-era communism in an effort to quell celebrations of the extraordinary Apollo 11 anniversary.