Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site randvax.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!sdcsvax!sdcrdcf!randvax!edhall From: edhall@randvax.UUCP (Ed Hall) Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: Re: The real issue about nuclear weapons Message-ID: <2157@randvax.UUCP> Date: Thu, 29-Nov-84 22:19:59 EST Article-I.D.: randvax.2157 Posted: Thu Nov 29 22:19:59 1984 Date-Received: Sun, 2-Dec-84 05:09:12 EST References: <29200165@uiucdcs.UUCP> <333@ut-sally.UUCP> Organization: Rand Corp., Santa Monica Lines: 45 > > We all agree that nuclear war is a bad thing. Now let's talk about the > > real issue. > > What Physicians for Social Responsibility and similar groups are trying to do > is sorely needed -- to rub the public's nose in just how serious the threat of > nuclear war really is. > > --- Prentiss Riddle ("Aprendiz de todo, maestro de nada.") I disagree with this: all the gruesome depictions of megadeath proffered by PSR and others do is needlessly frighten people without showing them any useful action to take. Psychologists have amply documented the adverse affects resulting from the helpless fear of nuclear war. But a lot of that fear comes from misunderstandings and misinformation provided by the very people who claim to be most against nuclear war. The natural response to fear is flight or denial; it seems a lot of people don't realize this. Many peace groups certainly don't. Instead of rationally trying to figure out how to reduce the danger of nuclear war, they promulgate terror and offer simplistic solutions without reasonable plans for implementing them. Except for a lukewarm support of the Freeze or some other of these solutions, the average person is so scared out of her/his wits as to not want to *think* about the problem. Not all peace groups are of the ``scare the wits out of them and maybe they'll *do* something'' school. Physicians for Social Responsibility tend to follow this line, however, and with an unbending fervor matched only by certain anti-abortion groups and the National Rifle Association. In short, a lot of these discussions seem to be generating a lot of heat, but little light. I wish there was an easy solution to the problem of nuclear weapons, but there isn't. -Ed Hall decvax!randvax!edhall [For those of you who question the objectivity of anyone who works for The Rand Corporation, let me remind you that (1) I speak for myself, and not my organization, and (2) a freeze, or an arms reduction, probably wouldn't affect Rand much in general terms, and might even bring Rand some contracts studying the various issues implicit in such things. In particular, my job would be unaffected. And for those of you who don't realize it yet, (3) Rand does *not* produce nuclear weapons or other weapons systems.]