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From: dmcanzi@watdcsu.UUCP (David Canzi)
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers,talk.politics.misc
Subject: Pie From the Sky
Message-ID: <2529@watdcsu.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 9-Sep-86 18:47:38 EDT
Article-I.D.: watdcsu.2529
Posted: Tue Sep  9 18:47:38 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 10-Sep-86 20:18:54 EDT
References: <1071@hoptoad.uucp>
Reply-To: dmcanzi@watdcsu.UUCP (David Canzi)
Organization: Secular Humanist Conspiracy, Child Corruption Division
Lines: 51
Keywords: What I say three times is true.
Summary: Out of context, out of context, out of context!
Xref: mnetor net.sf-lovers:8312 talk.politics.misc:12

In article <1071@hoptoad.uucp> tim@hoptoad.uucp (Tim Maroney) writes:
>Because you demanded it, pilgrim, herewith the quotes proving Heinlein's
>support for nuclear war.  These are taken from "Ghastly Beyond Belief",
>an anthology of bad and embarrassing science fiction excerpts.
>
>First, from "Pie in the Sky":
>
>	There are so many, many things in this so-termed civilization of
>	ours which would be mightily improved by a once over lightly of the
>	Hiroshima treatment.

Allow me to restore some missing context.

	Since we have every reason to expect a sudden rain of death
    from the sky sometime in the next few years... it behooves the
    Pollyanna Philosopher to add up the advantages to be derived
    from the blasting of your apartment, row house, or suburban
    cottage.
	It ain't all bad, chum.  While you are squatting in front
    of your cave, trying to roast a rabbit with one hand while
    scratching your lice infested hide with the other, there will
    be many cheerful things to think about...
	There are so many, many things in this so-termed civilization
    of ours which would be mightily improved by a once over lightly
    of the Hiroshima treatment.  There is that dame upstairs, for
    instance, the one with the square bowling ball.  Never again
    would she take it out for practice right over your bed at three
    in the morning...
	[three pages of descriptions of civilization's aggravations
    omitted, often in spite of strong temptation]
	I don't mean to suggest that it will all be fun.  Keeping
    alive after our cities have been smashed and our government
    disintegrated will be a grim business at best...
	[about 3/4 page skipped]
	Of course, if you are so soft that you *like* innerspring
    mattresses and clean water and regular meals, despite the
    numerous advantages of blowing us off the map, but are not too
    soft to try to do something to avoid the coming debacle, there
    is something you can do about it, other than forming Survival
    Leagues or cultivating an attitude of philosophical resignation...

It should be clear that Heinlein was not advocating nuclear war in his
essay, Pie From the Sky.  As for whether he does so in Farnham's
Freehold, we must either reserve judgement, or go read the book, or
accept the word of somebody who has read the book recently enough to
remember enough details to judge by.
-- 
David Canzi

"...for I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against
every form of tyranny over the minds of man." -- Thomas Jefferson