The good sisters have been convicted and now sentenced. They knew what
they were doing was illegal and they went ahead with pre-meditation.
They've been doing it for years.

The very point of of these protests IS to be arrested and sentenced.
The actual act of attacking military objects is symbolic, as they know
they couldn't, by these measly activities, change the role bombs and
airplanes play in the world today. The fact that they're engaging in a
debate that they know they can't win (in the courts or in general public
opinion) demonstrates the strength of their beliefs, whether others
agree with them or not. I think the beliefs are kooky, but their
actions in support of their beliefs are well thought through.

Somehow, they seem to ignore the years of the Cold War threat and the
resulting success of nuclear deterrence in defeating the Soviets and
leading to the demise of Communism.

Yeah, they do ignore some very valid points, but I think you're missing
one too. If you look at various plans for military expansion over the
last several decades, attempts are repeatedly made to "regularize"
nukes; to make having, testing, and using them become so common that
nobody questions it. Why hasn't this happened? I think it's in great
part because of nuns, and hippies, and other groups which virtually
nobody agrees with. They form one distant end of a spectrum of opinions
which, when taken together, form public opinion as a whole. Public
opinion, and how our military and political figures work and deal with
it, form our national image, and influences the strategic picture of the
entire world. Their dissent defines us to a small degree, and I welcome
it in the face of pervasive public apathy.

I'm sure the good sisters are
convinced as well that Sadaam was simply misunderstood and all those
bodies found in the mass graves in Irag died of the sniffles and were
buried together for social purposes.

Mmm hmm.

I've got no sympathy. In fact, I'd like to turn the key on the foolish
old ladies.

I certainly have no problem with them being locked up, but I'm glad
there are people who are willing to look stupid to demonstrate their
beliefs. I'm also glad there are people like you to fly the jets and
write the books, but that's another topic.


Glenn