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From: chip%hpclld@hpclld.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.followup
Subject: Re: Re: Air raid on Libya
Message-ID: <6100002@hpclld>
Date: Mon, 28-Apr-86 20:23:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: hpclld.6100002
Posted: Mon Apr 28 20:23:00 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 11-May-86 17:09:25 EDT
References: <720@ark>
Lines: 35

Delayed by notes system ...
/***** hpclld:net.followup / hpclla!chip /  2:53 pm  Apr 23, 1986*/

> /***** hpclld:net.followup / harvard!tomczak /  7:55 pm  Apr 21, 1986*/
> I am saddened that you seem to think that violence is a natural necessity
> for freedom.  Violence begets violence.  Isn't this what history has
> taught us?  Please do not misunderstand me!  I don't condemn Reagan's raid
> on Libya.  But neither will I rejoice at the continuation of violence.

I agree with Bill that "violence begets violence", and applaud his
level-headedness that refuses to rejoice at "the continuation of violence".
Nevertheless, I think an equally [or perhaps more] important lesson of
history is that freedom will soon be lost without the willingness to
fight for it.  We're talking HISTORY here, not "new age" wishful
thinking.  As far as I can see from history, fighting (i.e. "violence")
IS, in fact a "necessity for freedom".  I wish it were not that way.

What about Chamberlain's "peace in our time" treaty with Hitler?
HISTORY teaches us that it was a **very_bad_move**:  it not only failed in
its objective, the peace was soon broken anyway, but it ultimately gave
the restoration of that peace a much higher cost.  How much better if the 
real threat to peace, criminal actions on an international scale, had 
been dealt with sooner!  This also applies to Khadafi (and all other
international criminals).  Better to fight him now than to wait.

As to whether violence is a NATURAL necessity for freedom, the answer
would depend on your view of nature, essentially a topic for
net.religion.

Chip Chapin -- HP Computer Language Lab (ITG/ISO/CLL)
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