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From: nowlin@ihu1e.UUCP (Jerry Nowlin)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Re: Unilateral Disarmament
Message-ID: <310@ihu1e.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 4-Sep-84 14:04:47 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihu1e.310
Posted: Tue Sep  4 14:04:47 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 6-Sep-84 03:54:50 EDT
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 40


>> Someone stated on the net that unilateral disarmament was a dangerous
>> thing.  Can it be more dangerous, to the world as a whole, than continuing
>> to escalate a nuclear arms race?  Lets get rid of these planet destroying
>> weapons.
>> Jerry Nowlin

> Yes, it is more dangerous. A balance of terror is a much better thing
> than an imbalance, unless, of course, you are the sort of weak-willed
> person who can't bear any sort of dangerous situation, and refuses to
> stand up for what you believe in. I'd like to get rid of nuclear weapons
> as much as you would, but not in return for Soviet domination and
> complete loss of freedom. (And if you claim that this doesn't follow
> logically, you are either a communist or a fool...)
>      Wayne

Obviously everybody didn't agree with me.  I won't call them fools.  It  seems
I  came off as sort of naive in my opinions on unilateral nuclear disarmament.
I probably am.  There  were  some  real  convincing  reasons  posted  for  not
trashing  our  nukes.  I just can't convince myself that it wouldn't be better
to take our chances without them.  I have no problems  with  fighting  for  my
country.   I  spent  my  time guarding parking lots and painting rocks for the
USMC.  I didn't know that's what I'd be doing  when  I  volunteered.   I  only
mention  that  because  my  next  suggestion  might  make  me  sound  a little
traitorous.

I'd rather take my chances with unilateral disarmament, and have at least  one
continent  retain  some  form  of  terran  life,  than  see  the  whole planet
sterilized.  Even if that  continent  is  Asia  and  it's  ruled  by  Soviets.
Staging  a  nuclear  war  goes beyond the point of diminishing returns when it
comes to fighting for a national cause.

I think freedom is worth fighting for, but not if there will be nobody left to
appreciate  it.  It's one thing to lay down your life for a cause.  It's quite
another to die for a cause that dies with you and destroys  your  enemies  and
all  other  life  as  well.   Will  the  winner be the country with the lowest
overall radiation level?  Who will keep score?

Jerry Nowlin
ihnp4!ihu1e!nowlin