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From: franka@mmintl.UUCP (Frank Adams)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Degradation and Death in Nicaragua
Message-ID: <901@mmintl.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 17-Dec-85 08:58:54 EST
Article-I.D.: mmintl.901
Posted: Tue Dec 17 08:58:54 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 20-Dec-85 21:52:07 EST
References: <7559@ucla-cs.UUCP> <7800764@inmet.UUCP>
Reply-To: franka@mmintl.UUCP (Frank Adams)
Organization: Multimate International, E. Hartford, CT
Lines: 31

In article 1803@uwmacc.UUCP myers@uwmacc.UUCP (Latitudinarian Lobster) writes:
>If you think the ``freedom fighters'' [pah!] need your help, why don't you
>go put your life on the line and go fight at their sides?  The only folks
>from the US that I see doing this are mercenaries and CIA operatives.

In my mind, one of the greatest problems in political conflicts is the
tendency of people to think that those who are on the other side of an issue
are dishonest.  There are some dishonest people in any movement, but the
majority on both sides is always sincere.

In this case, one should note that most contras are "freedom fighters":
they are fighting against what they see as an increasingly oppressive
regime, in favor of what they see as the best hope of democracy.  Most of
the Americans with them, even if they work for the CIA or are getting paid
(horrors!), honestly think that the contras hold the best hope for the
country.

Contrariwise, those who support the contras should recognize that most of
the Sandinistas are also "freedom fighters": they liberated their country
from a brutal dictatorship, and are now supporting what they see as the
best hope for their country against its enemies.

None of this implies that the Sandinistas provide or will provide good
government for Nicaraugua, nor that the contras would be any better if
they were in power.  On the evidence available to me, I would have to say
that neither prospect is very promising.  It is one of the paradoxes of
human nature that a group consisting mostly of good-hearted people can
produce perfectly awful group behavior.

Frank Adams                           ihpn4!philabs!pwa-b!mmintl!franka
Multimate International    52 Oakland Ave North    E. Hartford, CT 06108