Is it not a fact that not long ago we were being told that the
possession of nuclear arms was our guarantee against future wars?
Yet now we hear every day of the growing threat to world peace.
About 20 years ago a book was published called Silent Spring
(when no birds sing) by Rachel Carson. Her concern then, as is mine
now, was primarily for Mother nature.
Though we are stewards of the earth yet we continue to pollute
the land, sea and air. By slowly destroying nature we destroy
ourselves. We have the God-given gift of free will and therefore the
responsibility to choose whether to work with or against nature.
Where is the sense in polluting our abundance of fresh water, our
seas, our earth, whilst famine is raging in, for example, Brazil,
due to drought? We waste water, we pollute it - how much longer
before some wise leader will not mind 'losing face' to save our
heritage?
In my opinion the issue at stake is now a moral one and has gone
far beyond the realm of politics. The God of money seems to be
leading men on so that a fear of losing their jobs, and thus their
livelihood is the limit of their short-sighted vision.
What use a livelihood if there is no life? If we are afraid of
Russia, is not Russia also fearful of us? The least we can do is to
have a nuclear freeze.
We are told that the two great powers have enough nuclear
warheads to destroy one another 20 times over.
Finally, if Russia walked in to our beloved country, there would
be our chance to convert them, or, as in Poland, to suffer as
martyrs. What is the alternative, but global extinction?
Mrs. E. W. Davidson
Catholic Herald (30/3/84)
