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Path: utzoo!utcs!mnetor!yetti!peter
From: peter@yetti.UUCP (Runge)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: Re: Suppression of research presentation
Message-ID: <192@yetti.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 3-Jun-85 20:15:19 EDT
Article-I.D.: yetti.192
Posted: Mon Jun  3 20:15:19 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 3-Jun-85 22:28:24 EDT
References: <166@yetti.UUCP> <20100001@haddock.UUCP> <923@cae780.UUCP> <132@telesoft.UUCP>, <135@telesoft.UUCP> <5655@utzoo.UUCP>
Organization: York University Computer Science
Lines: 31

> >	Johnson said the two major closed sessions were on synthetic-
> >	aperture optical systems and adaptive optics, which are both
> >	related to space-based technology proposed for the Strategic
> >	Defense Initiative.
> 
> Actually, this is subtly biased reporting, of the type "make DoD look bad
> by associating its actions in this case with a project that many people
> oppose".  Synthetic-aperture optical systems and adaptive optics are of
> interest to DoD for many things, and SDI is only one of them.  For example,
> it is said that adaptive optics are already flying on spy satellites, which
> even the most rabid space-militarization critics agree are a good thing.
> -- 
> 				Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
> 				{allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!henry

As Henry ought to know, a lot of people are rabidly *for* SDI.  The "High
Frontier" enthusiasts think SDI makes the DoD look good! 
Perhaps associating adaptive optics with SDI is a "subtle bias" designed
to make the suppression of free speech more palatable to the many people who
(like Henry?) support SDI.

Henry's argumentation here is as sloppy as his use of adjectives.
Witness his use of "rabid" -- a term suggesting
disease, threat of sudden aggression, and the capability of inflicting severe
injury -- to apply to people who are *opposed* to weapons in space.  Perhaps
they are misguided, perhaps not.  But for sure, they aren't rabid, even 
metaphorically.
-- 

   Peter H. Roosen-Runge, Department of Computer Science, York University
                          Toronto (Downsview), Ontario