From: utzoo!henry
Newsgroups: net.movies
Title: Re: Special Bulletin 
Article-I.D.: utzoo.2891
Posted: Tue Mar 29 19:15:28 1983
Received: Tue Mar 29 19:15:28 1983

Without disputing the accuracy of George Maeda's review of Special
Bulletin (I haven't seen it), or the serious nature of the subject
matter, there is one part of his review that made my hackles rise:

  ".........................Unfortunately, the outcome of the movie was
  a sad display of the government's stupidity and machismo.  Rather than
  turn over some easily replaced components of nuclear warheads, it chose
  to risk (and lose) the lives of thousands......"

In other words, rather than give in to blackmail, the government quite
properly stood firm.  This is not a display of stupidity and machismo,
it is a display of common sense in a very difficult situation (albeit
perhaps for the wrong reasons).  The worst possible thing to do in such
a situation is to give in -- it's an open invitation to terrorists to
do the same thing again.  Next time it might be millions, not thousands,
of lives.  The only effective way to stop terrorism is to make it clear
to everyone that it doesn't work.  This means standing firm even when
it hurts, because in the long run the alternative hurts worse.  I hope
George's view is just his own reaction;  I'd be dismayed by a popular
film that presented appeasement as a reasonable course of action.

					Henry Spencer
					U of Toronto