[4335] in Depressing_Thoughts
Re: selling my soul
daklain@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (daklain@ATHENA.MIT.EDU)
Thu Feb 24 15:42:41 1994
The attitudes expressed in this discussion are misguided to an extent
that I can only describe as appalling.
How can you say that working for defense is "selling your soul"?
Do you think that defense is unnecessary? Don't you realize that we
live in *vital* competition with the rest of the world, and that the
peace and freedom you cherish would be impossible without a strong
defense?
I'm not claiming that our defense agencies are perfect, or that they
are run by saints. But surely they are necessary. And if you are
displeased with the principles of those who work for defense, consider
carefully the fact that your attitude (to wit, your determination to
avoid relationships with defense) will only aggravate the problem.
Defense is here to stay. The country cannot survive without it. But
if it becomes the habit of all educated and principled people to avoid
working for defense, only the uneducated and unprincipled shall remain
to do it for us.
If you are genuine pacifist, then I suppose that I have wasted my time
typing this. But bear in mind that there is always someone in the world
who would like to take away whatever you have, including your rights.
Be prepared then, either to give it up freely, or to defend yourself, or
(and this is no doubt the course to be taken by the sheep that populate
academia) to watch someone else fight (or stand armed guard) on your
behalf.
