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From: robertsb@ttidcb.UUCP (Robin Roberts)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: The real issue about nuclear weapons
Message-ID: <214@ttidcb.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 29-Nov-84 11:06:05 EST
Article-I.D.: ttidcb.214
Posted: Thu Nov 29 11:06:05 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 4-Dec-84 05:16:05 EST
References: <29200165@uiucdcs.UUCP>, <333@ut-sally.UUCP>
Organization: TTI, Santa Monica, CA.
Lines: 54

>> We all agree that nuclear war is a bad thing.  Now let's talk about the
>> real issue.  

>The problem is that we   d o n ' t  all agree that nuclear war is a bad thing,
>and certainly don't agree as to  h o w  bad it would be.  Didn't you see that
>ridiculous article a couple of days back from the fellow who thought that the 
>"with enough shovels" doctrine was correct?

>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.")

WRONG. Quite simply wrong. What is occuring here is what is a historically
repeated mistake. These activist groups are confusing restricted weaponry
with peace. NO treaty agreement restricting type or number of weapons has
ever reduced the suffering of war at any time in our very long history of war.

Nuclear weapons do NOT bring with them any new type of destruction that humans
were not already capable of. The devices in question bring on more of it no
doubt but no fundamentally new suffering ( even nuclear winter is just ANOTHER
in the many ways we alter our environment ). All those who piously exclaim the
horrors of nuclear weapons may be salvaging their social conscience but they 
do little other good.

The problem, dear ignorant people, is that man makes war on his neighbors.
That is it. The weapons are insignificant. All those who emphasis the evils
of a particular weapon. Be it chemical, biological or nuclear are nearsighted
fools who make other kinds of war more acceptable by default. Yes, you 
read it! They make conventional warfare somewhat MORE acceptable.

Now the first argument from some self appointed apostle is going to be that 
at least without nuclear weapons we as a world would have a better chance of
surviving. Baloney. Humanity has survived calamities equal or greater 
( relatively ) than a nuclear war and will I'm sure survive far more in the
future. That isn't to say no one will suffer. To the contrary, the human
condition IS suffering some tell us. No, if these "activists" want to aid
humanity then they must change the nature of humanity, its evil nature,
not declaim the evil nature of some weapon type.

Until then I'm afraid I can not take the anti-nuke types seriously because I
don't think they take reality seriously.
-- 

    Robin D. Roberts                     (213) 450 9111 x 2916
    TTI     Zone V4                     aka Buskirk the Valerian
    3100 Ocean Park Blvd                    Death to Tyrants !
    Santa Monica, CA 90405

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