July, 1987

PEACE OR ?

One often hears people who are actually in fairly good circumstances, complain about ‘how hard life is’! To these people I have always wanted to reply, “Compared to what”? So many times people will complain about their situation without pausing to consider the alternative. It may be true that it is easier to die than to. continue to cope with the problems of life, but few people will accept the former as a solution to the latter. Even Hamlet rejected this solution, as also did the early day homesteader who had decided that it would be too much work to dig a well on his newly acquired land, until his friend pointed out to him that the next nearest water was thirty miles away, and controlled by: a tribe of hostile Indians! In this case, a short consideration of the alternative was sufficient to convince the homesteader that the labor of digging the well might be the best investment he could make in the land. The simple moral to this tale, if any there be, is that, before complaining about any existing condition, it is always wise to consider the alternative, and thereby perhaps avoid jumping from the frying pan into the fire.

Today, some of the top diplomats of both the United States and the Soviet Union are meeting in solemn conclave seeking agreements and armament limitations between the two countries that, hopefully, will promote peaceful relations for several decades, if they are successfully reached.

During these negotiations, the most important question in the minds of the negotiators on both sides will be, How much can we afford to pay for peace? How much must we give up, and how much will the other side give up as proof of mutual sincerity? The fact is that the more each side gives up, the better off both sides will be!

We have several hundreds of billions of dollars worth of doomsday weapons which were built and deployed in the hope that they might frighten our possible enemies into becoming friends. The other side has a similar quantity of similar weapons, built and deployed in the hope of frightening us. Neither side has any intention whatever of using them in warfare, but they are the chips that will be used on the nuclear bargaining table. There will also be a certain number of ‘Credit chips’ representing weapons not yet built or built but not yet deployed. There may even be a few ‘Phantom’ chips representing weapons proposed but not yet developed. Any of these may be dropped into the pot at any time, to test their value as bargaining chips.

The purpose of the game is, of course, to see how many of the weapons can be disposed of entirely, and how few new ones both sides can get along with in the future. (Both sides have been in serious financial difficulty for several years because the cost of the ‘guns’ leaves very little for ‘butter’.)

We, the people, who can only watch and wait, can also hope and pray that our representatives who do the negotiating for us, and those who do the negotiating for the other side may keep clearly in mind the fact that the alternative to understanding is chaos, and the alternative to peace is total destruction for all!

(signed Daniel W. Fry)

Cleona’s Corner

You all know how much I love my country.  My believe is that you do too.  Our beautiful flag, passing in parade, brings tears of joy, pride and love to my eyes.  I may go to other places but this is my Home.  Home is word encompassing SO MUCH!  Let us protect it + cherish it always.!