Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site hoxna.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!decwrl!amd!dual!zehntel!ihnp4!cbosgd!cbdkc1!desoto!packard!hoxna!kfl From: kfl@hoxna.UUCP (Kenton Lee) Newsgroups: net.college,net.misc Subject: Re: Suicide Pills at Brown Univ. Message-ID: <357@hoxna.UUCP> Date: Wed, 17-Oct-84 17:02:13 EDT Article-I.D.: hoxna.357 Posted: Wed Oct 17 17:02:13 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 19-Oct-84 06:14:57 EDT References: <677@pucc-i> Organization: Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ Lines: 22 xxx The referendum has been in the papers for the last week or two. The idea came from a 1950's Neville Shute Norway book called "On The Beach" (later a movie with Gregory Peck) about the last survivors of a nuclear war. Their alternatives were a slow death from radiation sickness, or a quick death from government distributed suicide pills. Read the book to find out what the people chose (individual choice, of course). The Brown University referendum is probably a modern attempt to do what this book tried to do. They are not trying to say that suicide is the only way out of nuclear war. What they are trying to say is that you have to think about what life would be like after the war. You may be pro-bomb or anti-bomb, but in either case, you must look at what your life would be like after the big one. If you don't like what you see, you'd best try doing something now. In fact now is especially a good time because several pro-bomb and anti-bomb people are up for election next month. -- Kenton Lee, Bell Labs - WB 1D302, x7178 wb3g!kfl or hoxna!kfl