The North Coast times-eagle., December 31, 1982, Page 6, Image 6

P a g e j)
T H E N O R T H C O A S T T IM E S E A G L E , F R ID A Y , 31 D E C E M B E R 1982
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LETTER TO POETS
DEAR PO E T S,
F o r a lo n g t i m e I h a v e f e l t th e n e e d to w o r k
m o re fo r p e a ce but h av e been u n su re about ju s t
w h a t to d o . A s a n a c t i v e m e m b e r o f th e P o r t
T o w n s e n d P e a c e C o a l i t i o n I h a v e b e g u n to e d u ­
c a t e m y s e l f o n th e m e d i c a l , s o c i a l a n d e c o n o m i c
e f f e c ts of n u c le a r w a r a n d p r e p a r a ti o n f o r n u c ­
l e a r w a r . I h a v e p a r t i c i p a t e d in a v a r i e t y o f a c t ­
i v i t i e s f r o m p l a n t i n g p e a s a lo n g th e f e n c e o f a
l o c a l N a v y m u n i t i o n s d e p o t (G iv e P e a s a C h a n c e ) I
to g iv in g t a l k s b e f o r e v a r i o u s s t u d e n t a n d c o m ­
m u n i t y g r o u p s o n th e a r m s r a c e a n d w h a t w e c a n
d o to h a l t i t . T h o u g h I h a v e o n th e w h o le f e l t g o o d
a b o u t m y i n v o l v e m e n t in t h e s e a c t i v i t i e s t h e r e
h a s b e e n a s e p a r a t i o n b e tw e e n m y w o r k f o r p e a c e
a n d m y w o r k a s a p o e t. It is a s if I w e r e l e a d in g
tw o l i v e s t h a t s h o u ld b e o n e .
T w o g r o u p s w h o s e m e m b e r s s e e m to w o r k
w ith o u t t h i s s e p a r a t i o n a r e P h y s i c i a n s f o r S o c ia l
R e s p o n s i b i l i t y ( P S R ) a n d th e U n io n of C o n c e r n e d
E d u c a t o r s ( U C E ). I a m i n s p i r e d by t h e s e g r o u p s '
i n s i s t e n c e o n d e v e l o p i n g p r o g r a m s b a s e d on t h e i r
m e m b e r s ’ s p e c i f i c p r o f e s s i o n a l e x p e r t i s e . T h is
h a s a l l o w e d t h e m to b e v e r y e f f e c t i v e b e c a u s e of
t h e i r c o m p e t e n c e in th e f i e l d u n d e r d i s c u s s i o n .
W hen a P S R d o c t o r a d d r e s s e s a g r o u p on th e
m e d ic a l e ffe c ts of n u c le a r w a r — b u rn s , ra d ia tio n
s ic k n e s s , d is e a s e v e c to r s , in fe c tio n , le u k e m ia ,
s o l i d c a n c e r s , g e n e t i c d a m a g e — a n d on th e m e d ­
i c a l c o m m u n i t y 's i n a b i l i t y to r e s p o n d to t h e s e
e f f e c t s , m o s t p e o p le a r e w i l li n g to l i s t e n . W h a t a
d o c to r s a y s a b o u t m e d ic in e is n o r m a lly m o r e
b e lie v a b le th a n w h at a b u s in e s s m a n o r p o litic ia n
o r p o e t s a y s a b o u t m e d i c i n e . P S R s p e a k e r s a ll
o v e r th e c o u n t r y h a v e b e e n m a k i n g c l e a r th e
m a d n e s s o f b e l i e v i n g w e c a n m e d i c a l l y m e e t th e
n e e d s o f e v e n a fe w s u r v i v o r s o f n u c l e a r w a r ,
a s s u m i n g t h e r e w ill be s u r v i v o r s T h e U n io n o f
C o n c e rn e d E d u c a to r s s p e a k s e q u a lly a s e f f e c t­
iv e ly f ro m its p e r s p e c tiv e . R e c e n tly I h e a r d a
U C E p r e s e n t a t i o n on t h e G e o g r a p h y a n d H i s t o r y
o f th e S o v i e t U n io n t h a t c l a r i f i e d m a n y q u e s t i o n s
p e o p le a s k m e a b o u t S o v i e t p o l ic y . I w a s s u r p r i ­
s e d to r e a l i z e t h a t m u c h A m e r i c a n f o r e i g n p o l i ­
c y is d e s i g n e d b y i n d i v i d u a l s w h o a r e l a r g e l y
i g n o r a n t o f s o m e b a s i c f a c t s a b o u t th e S o v ie t
U n io n . L ik e P S R , m e m b e r s o f th e U n io n o f C o n ­
c e r n e d E d u c a to r s — h is to r ia n s , e c o n o m is ts , p o l­
itic a l s c i e n t i s t s , p s y c h o lo g is ts — s p e a k ab o u t w hat
t h e y h a v e s t u d i e d in t h e i r p r o f e s s i o n a l l i v e s .
I b e l i e v e p o e t s c a n a n d s h o u ld w o r k to b r i n g
a b o u t a n u c le a r - w e a p o n s - f r e e w o r ld a n d th a t
th e y c a n d o s o in w a y s s i m i l a r to g r o u p s lik e
P S R a n d U C E . O u r k n o w le d g e a s p o e ts c a n be
u s e d to s p e a k d i r e c t l y to tw o i s s u e s t h a t t h r e a t e n
to b r i n g on n u c l e a r w a r . T h e f i r s t i s th e m a t t e r
o f e u p h e m i s m s . P o e t s w o r k w ith w o r d s . O n e of
o u r t a s k s i s to p u r i f y th e l a n g u a g e , to c l a r i f y
r a t h e r t h a n to c o n f u s e , to r e v e a l m e a n i n g r a t h e r
th a n to h id e i t. M i l i t a r y t e r m s l ik e p r e - e m p t i v e
s tr ik e , lim ite d n u c le a r w a r, ta c tic a l n u c le a r
w e ap o n s, a p p ro p ria te re s p o n s e , c o u n te rfo rc e ,
a c c e p ta b le c a s u a l ti e s , an d o th e r s m u s t be u n ­
m asked.
P r e - e m p tiv e s tr ik e m e a n s a tta c k in g f i r s t .
L im ite d n u c le a r w a r m e a n s a n u c le a r e x c h a n g e
in w h ic h t w e n ty to o n e h u n d r e d m i l l i o n A m e r i ­
c a n s m ig h t b e k i l l e d , o r o n e in w h ic h o n ly E u r o ­
p e a n s a r e k ille d . T a c tic a l n u c le a r w e a p o n m e a n
a s m a l l b a t t l e f i e l d w e a p o n — th e b o m b s A m e r i c
d r o p p e d on H i r o s h i m a a n d N a g a s a k i w o u ld n o w
be c la s s ifie d a s ta c tic a l n u c le a r w e a p o n s. A p ­
p r o p r i a t e r e s p o n s e m e a n s t h r e a t e n i n g to u s e
n u c l e a r w e a p o n s in th e M id d le E a s t to g u a r a n ­
t e e th e flo w o f o i l to th e U n ite d S t a t e s . C o u n t e r ­
f o r c e m e a n s t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f h i g h ly a c c u r a t e
m i s s i l e s y s t e m s lik e th e M i n u t e m a n II a n d th e
M X d e s i g n e d to d e s t r o y h a r d e n e d m i s s i l e s i l o s
a n d th u s of u s e a s a f i r s t s t r i k e w e a p o n . A c c e p t
a b le c a s u a l t i e s m a y be t e n m i l l i o n , t w e n ty m i l ­
l io n , s i x t y m i l l i o n d e a d . N e v e r in h u m a n h i s t o r y
h a v e s i x t y m i l l i o n p e o p le b e e n m u r d e r e d in a n
i n s t a n t . It i s u n b e a r a b l e to t h in k o f t h i s .
In f a c t th e u n b e a r a b l e q u a l i t y o f t h e s e p o s s i b i l ­
i t i e s m a y e x p l a i n th e p r e s e n c e of t h e e u p h e m i s m s .
T h e y 'r e n o t r e a l l y m e a n t to f o o l a n y o n e . N o o n e
i s f o o le d . T h e y 'r e m e a n t to a ll o w u s to t h in k w e
h a v e f o o le d o u r s e l v e s . A n d t h e y l e a d u s to th e
s e c o n d th in g p o e ts c a n s p e a k a b o u t — i m a g i n a t i o n .
N u c l e a r w a r is a h o r r i f y i n g " u n t h i n k a b l e " p o s s i ­
b i l i t y . So u n t h i n k a b l e t h a t w e p r e t e n d it c a n 't h a p
p e n . O r n o th in g c a n b e d o n e a b o u t i t . O r t h a t if it
d id h a p p e n s o m e o f u s w o u ld s o m e h o w s u r v i v e
in ta c t a n d q u ic k ly r e b u ild s o c ie ty . B ut w h a t little
w e k n o w o f th e m u l t i p l e a n d s y n e r g i s t i c e f f e c t s
of n u c le a r w a r s u g g e s ts we m ay n o t s u rv iv e at
a ll. N e ith e r m a y a n im a ls . N o r p la n ts . T he e a r th
i t s e l f m a y n o t b e a b l e to s u p p o r t a n y b u t th e
m o s t r u d i m e n t a r y l if e f o r m s . U n i m a g i n a b l e ! x
O f c o u r s e i t ' s u n i m a g i n a b l e . I t 's l a r g e r t h a n
a n y i d e a w e 'v e e v e r h a d to h o ld in o u r m i n d s .
A n d i t 's h y p o t h e t i c a l . We c a n 't e v e n t r y o u t a
n u c l e a r w a r to f in d o u t w h a t r e a l l y w o u ld h a p ­
p e n . W e ’ve g o t to b e a b le to v i s u a l i z e i t. A nd if
w e c a n v i s u a l i z e i t th e n w e w o n 't s u p p o r t a n y
n u c l e a r w e a p o n s a t a l l . I m a g i n e . So p o e t s m u s t
s p e a k o f th e a b s o l u t e n e c e s s i t y t o s t r e t c h o u r
p o w e r o f i m a g i n a t i o n a s a f i r s t s t e p to e n d in g
th e n u c l e a r t h r e a t .
T h e r e a r e tw o t h i n g s p o e t s c a n a d d r e s s a s
p o e ts — th e u s e o f w o r d s to h id e th e r e a l n a t u r e
o f m i l i t a r y p la n n in g a n d a c t i v i t y , a n d th e n e c e s ­
s i t y to i m a g i n e w h a t a n u c l e a r w a r is b e f o r e w e
c a n c e a s e p r e p a r i n g f o r i t. P o e t s c a n s p e a k o u t
on t h e s e i s s u e s in s e v e r a l w a y s . If th e y t e a c h ,
t h e y c a n s p e a k in t h e i r c l a s s e s . T h e y c a n s p e a k
a t r e a d i n g s . T h e y c a n w r i t e p o e m s on th e i s s u e s .
A nd w h a t i f e v e r y b o o k of p o e m s p u b l i s h e d i n -
/JNGOLM county people for peace
FILM S
J? DISCUSSION
PUPPET SHOW
MUSIC
A ktion
SPEAKERS
INg SftCK
REFRESHMENTS
e lu d e d a s t a t e m e n t b y t h e p o e t o n h i s / h e r c o m -
m i t m e n t to p e a c e a n d c o n s e q u e n t r e f u s a l to p a r ­
t i c i p a t e in p r e p a r a t i o n f o r n u c l e a r w a r ?
T h e r e is m u c h m o r e w e c o u ld d o a s p o e t s A nd
w e c o u ld d o it a s a g r o u p — P o e t s O p p o s e d to
W a r (P O W ) o r s o m e s u c h t h i n g . I' e w r i t t e n to
y o u to t r y o u t th e i d e a o f s u c h a g r o u p . S h a r e
th e i d e a w ith p o e t f r i e n d s I h a v e n ’t c o n t a c t e d .
If y o u l ik e th e i d e a , t h i n k a b o u t h o w s u c h a g r o u p
c o u ld b e s t a r t e d , h o w i t w o u ld f u n c t i o n . W r ite
b a c k to m e w h a t y o u t h in k w e m i g h t d o n e x t .
O n e f o o t in f r o n t o f th e o t h e r .
D a v id R o m v e d t
P . O. B o x 4 8 4
P o r t T o w n s e n d , W a s h in g to n 9 8 3 6 8
(If p o e ts w o u ld l i k e to c o s i g n a v e r s i o n o f t h i s
l e t t e r a s n a t i o n a l c a l l t o p o e t s to b e g in a n o r g ­
a n i z a t i o n t h e y c a n w r i t e to D r a g o n G a t e , I n c .,
5 0 8 L i n c o l n S t r e e t , P o r t T o w n s e n d , W a s h in g to n ,
9 8 3 6 8 .)
DEATH VALLEY DAZE
T O T H E E D IT O R :
S w e d is h T V i s s o m e t h i n g e l s e . T h e y h a v e
o n ly tw o c h a n n e l s , l i m i t e d h o u r s , a n d n o c o m ­
m e r c i a l s . N o t lo n g a g o , I w a s s u r p r i s e d to s e e
a f a m i l i a r f a c e . L e t 's s e e n o w .H m m . O h , y e s .
D e a th V a l le y D a y s . G o lly , w h a t a lo n g t i m e a g o .
H e c e r t a i n l y s e e m s to h a v e a g e d . W h a t i s t h e
r o l e h e i s in n o w ? W h y .i t lo o k s a s if h e i s th e
m a k e - b e l i e v e P r e s i d e n t o f th e U n ite d S t a t e s .
H e i s s a y i n g : " T h e w a y to h a v e f e w e r n u c ­
l e a r m i s s i l e s i s to b u i l d m o r e . " I h a v e to th in k
t h a t o n e o v e r . M o r e is l e s s . S o u n d s l i k e s o m e ­
t h in g f r o m O r w e l l . W e ll, 1 9 8 4 i s n 't s o f a r o f f
a t th a t.
T h e n he is e x p la in in g . I c a n s e e h is e y e s f o l- •
lo w in g t h e t e x t o f th e s c r i p t b e h in d th e c a m e r a .
N o q u e s t i o n a b o u t i t , h e i s a g o o d a c t o r . " I t 's
j u s t lik e a b ig p o k e r g a m e . W e h a v e to h a v e a
b ig g e r h a n d th a n o u r e n e m y if w e a r e c a ll e d ."
H m m . A g a m e , e h ? I w o n d e r w h a t a r e th e
s ta k e s ? T he h u m a n r a c e ? A h u n d re d m illio n ?
T h e n h e e x p l a i n s f u r t h e r : " O f c o u r s e , w e w o n 't
e v e r r e a lly u s e th o s e th in g s . B ut w e m u st h av e
t h e m , s o if w e d o u s e t h e m , w e w ill w in . I a m .
h a v in g a l i t t l e d i f f i c u l t y a t t h i s p o i n t in s o r t i n g
t h i s o u t. B u t th e r e a l l y i n t e r e s t i n g p a r t i s j u s t
c o m in g .
" I n o w d e c l a r e th e s t a t e o f W y o m in g e x p e n ­
d a b l e . A f t e r a l l t h e y h a v e o n ly t h r e e e l e c t o r a l
v o t e s , a n d a n y f a l l o u t w o u ld m i s s S o u h t e r n
C a lifo rn ia an d a ll of o u r d e a r f rie n d s th e r e .
O u r n e w p la n — d u n c e p a c k f o r s h o r t — i s to
p u t a w h o le s l e w o f w e a p o n s in a b ig h o le t h e r e , I
a n d i n f o r m o u r e n e m y t h a t h e i s to a i m a l l o f
h i s t h e r e . T h e n , to u s e th e i m m o r t a l w o r d s o f
C a s p a r W e i n b e r g e r , 'W e s h a l l p r e v a i l '. "
It i s q u i t e a s h o w , a n d I a m g l a d i t i s m a k e -
b e l i e v e . In r e a l l i f e , o f c o u r s e , a b o u t n o w th e
m a n w ith a n e t w o u ld c l o s e in a n d t a k e o u r
h e r o to a s a f e p l a c e . T h e s h o w g o e s on:
" T h e n , to a s s u r e v i c t o r y , w e a r e b a s i n g a
w h o le n e w g e n e r a t i o n o f m i s s i l e s in E u r o p e .
T h i s i s to d r a w o u r e n e m y 's f i r e s o t h a t E u r o p e
i s t u r n e d i n to a l a k e o f m o l t e n g l a s s . R e m e m b e r ,
e v e r y m i s s i l e t h a t e x p l o d e s in E u r o p e i s o n e
l e s s f o r u s . A n d t h e y s u r e l y w a n t to s t o p c o m ­
m u n is m . "
It i s a h i l a r i o u s s h o w . O ld a c t o r s d o h a v e
th e ir u s e s.
B en L ane
(B en L a n e , o f T o lo v a n a P a r k , is s p e n d in g a
y e a r in S w e d e n w ith h i s w ife a n d s o n . )
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