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Path: utzoo!henry
From: henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer)
Newsgroups: can.general
Subject: Re: General research for/by the military.
Message-ID: <5494@utzoo.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 16-Apr-85 17:31:24 EST
Article-I.D.: utzoo.5494
Posted: Tue Apr 16 17:31:24 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 16-Apr-85 17:31:24 EST
References: <5437@utzoo.UUCP> <487@deepthot.UUCP> <2255@wateng.UUCP> <5469@utzoo.UUCP>, <1016@ubc-cs.UUCP>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
Lines: 31
Keywords: henry, hypocrisy, SDI

> I have this vision of Mr. Spencer rocking back in his chair stroking his chin
> and making pronouncements like this. "How hypocritical", says he, "for people
> who wouldn't take military money anyway to organize opposition to SDI."

Please don't put words in my mouth.  What I said was, "*some* of the
people opposing SDI *may* be doing it out of reflex opposition to
anything military, not because they really think it wouldn't work".
Note that there would be nothing hypocritical about such people organizing
opposition to SDI.  What would be hypocritical would be lying about their
motives to try to win converts to their cause.  "Well, we know you don't
share our emotional opposition to it, so we won't mention that; we'll
just put together whatever flimsy justifications we can.  Doesn't matter
if they're true, so long as they convince you to support our Crusade."

Unwillingness to take military money (even for unquestionably-beneficial
work like medical research) is reason to wonder about someone's motives
for opposing SDI, and about the reliability of his statements.  Not cause
to firmly disbelieve them, mind you, just cause for caution.  If his
biases are that strong, maybe they're affecting his judgement.

"Do not stoop to tie your laces in your neighbor's melon patch."  People
who have obvious biases on the subject of anything military should expect
to have their motives for opposing SDI questioned.

> Meanwhile, who's to say he doesn't support SDI just because he wants all
> the military money he can get?

Military money?  For computer facilities in a Zoology department?  I wish.
-- 
				Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
				{allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!henry