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From: js2j@mhuxt.UUCP (sonntag)
Newsgroups: net.flame,net.politics
Subject: Re: RE: Reagan's joke
Message-ID: <249@mhuxt.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 24-Aug-84 13:50:11 EDT
Article-I.D.: mhuxt.249
Posted: Fri Aug 24 13:50:11 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 25-Aug-84 07:29:26 EDT
References: <1575@zehntel.UUCP> <801@ihuxn.UUCP>, <47@pixadv.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill
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I'm totally amazed at the way people have blown up one offhand comment,
which was clearly intended as a joke.  We've heard statements like: Anyone
who would even joke about a thing like that must have a deep and abiding
hatred for everyone on this planet and must secretly want to push THE button.

Cut me a break, people.  I'm not even a Reagan supporter, after watching
most of the republican convention.  People have joked about nuclear war before
without secretly desiring it.  How many of you remember a joke from Saturday
Night Live that went something like this:
	Chevy Chase (I think), as news announcer:
	    "Moscow in flames, retaliatory missiles on the way.  Details at
	     eleven."
So what's the reason that when Chevy Chase makes a joke like this everyone
laughs, and when RR makes a very similar joke, bunches of people think he
really wants nuclear war?  I hear what you're saying: "But Chevy couldn't start
a nuclear war, and Ronnie can.  That's the difference."  So, you thought
Chevy wanted a nuclear war too, since he joked about it.  But you didn't mind
since Chevy didn't have access to THE button.  Bulls**t.  Of course you didn't
think Chevy wanted war.  But you think Ronnie does?  Just on the basis of that
joke?  
    I submit that most of you Ronnie flamers DON'T really think Ronnie wants
to blow the world away.  I think you just saw this joke as a way of convincing
others that RR is a warmonger.

Apologies to Chevy Chase if I've incorrectly identified him as the SNL actor
who did the above quoted joke.  I'm not absolutely sure it was him.  After
all, I don't want him to get a lot of nasty mail about that obviously tasteless
and vile nuclear war joke.

Jeff Sonntag
ihnp4!mhuxl!mhuxt!js2j

Besides, as someone else pointed out, there are enough terrible nasty things
in RR's PLATFORM to flame about, without wasting time on a joke.