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From: ronc@fai.UUCP (Ronald O. Christian)
Newsgroups: net.space,net.columbia
Subject: Re: Why does everyone want to leave this planet?
Message-ID: <99@fai.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 9-Mar-86 17:31:27 EST
Article-I.D.: fai.99
Posted: Sun Mar  9 17:31:27 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 18-Mar-86 08:38:09 EST
References: <671@rti-sel.UUCP> <172@jc3b21.UUCP>
Reply-To: ronc@fai.UUCP (Ronald O. Christian)
Organization: Fujitsu America, Inc.
Lines: 35
Xref: watmath net.space:6501 net.columbia:2669

>....After long and careful study he identified a place
>of no strategic importance to anyone.  He packed his bags and moved to
>Guadalcanal.
>     Emigrating to a quiet asteroid won't keep you safe from the next war.
****

This is true if you still depend on Earth for supplies, but a self sufficient
colony is quite a different matter.  People don't realize just how big the
rest of the universe is.  Your comment above is like saying 'leaving the bar
won't keep you safe from the barfight'.  Nonsense.

>Neither will the emigration to space of the "adventurous" allow those who
>remain behind to live in peace.  Given the power of our present weapons we
>cannot hope to contain belligerence--we must prevent it.
****

You seem to be saying that it's our responsibility to stay and work
it out rather than move on to better conditions.  I think it depends
on how bad things get.  Look at what's happening in our current worldly
hot spots, and ask yourself:  If you lived there, would you risk everything
to stay, or would you leave at the first opportunity?

Maybe we *can* live on Earth and somehow talk the 'powers that be' into
not blowing it up or poisoning it, but there's *still* sufficient reason
to try to establish colonies elsewhere.


				Ron
-- 
--
		Ronald O. Christian (Fujitsu America Inc., San Jose, Calif.)
		ihnp4!pesnta!fai!ronc

Oliver's law of assumed responsibility:
	"If you are seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it."