X-Message-Number: 19564
Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2002 22:15:34 -0500
Subject: Moronic Editorial
From: Joesph A Zarka <>

Hello All!

   After I learned about the Ted Williams story and all the media
attention that cryonics was receiving I
contacted our local paper and informed them that I was into cryonics and
would be willing to talk to
them about cryonics. I told them there was a lot of misinformation being
reported. They never responded.
I wrote a letter to the editor for publication in the voice of the
people, it never got published.
   There was an editorial in todays edition of my local paper which is by
far the worst I read since the Williams saga began. It does not surprise
me however since our paper is more like a supermarket
tabloid than a respectable newspaper.There is no URL for this editorial
so I will write some of the
highlights of this editorial, which is all you will need to see just how
moronic this editorial is.
  The editorial is titled "Splinter is already baseball immortal"  It
starts out, "So who needs cloning?
Baseball legend Ted Williams' death has revealed to the more gullible
what they may take for a better way to immortality."  It goes on to say
in the next paragraph "People silly enough to seek physical immortality,
if that's not a contradiction in terms, have been cheered by the hoopla
around the sluggers new frozen
home." "More attention surely means more investment in cryonics, which
just might lead to an immortality
breakthrough." Next paragraph, "You just never know. Dr Jerry Lemler,
head of the Alcor Life
Extension Foundation, Williams' home for now, reminds us people once
laughed at Leonardo and his
flying machines, and just look at us now."  The next paragraph asks, "why
would anyone want to do such
a stupid thing? Once around is enough for most of us." Next paragraph, "
Whatever science might one
day be capable of doing, scientists can never avoid the question, what
should they be doing? Did we need
the hydrogen bomb? Do we want to replace real parents and families with
laboratory cyborgs? Do we
want to live to be 100, 200 or forever, and do away with children
altogether?" The remainder of the editorial
goes on to say, "Beyond that, however, is our convection that cryonics is
one of the dumbest ideas we've ever come across. Even if Williams'
immortality were possible, which it never will because of the
impossibility
of recreating the millions of cells that constituted the "Splended
Splinter" in say, 1941, the year he hit .406, who could wish such a
thing?" "Such an idea is an offense against human nature, against natural
law, against
the natural order of life which allows creatures to be born, mature and
die, making place for the next generation. It is a natural order praised
by the sacred books and celebrated in life, art, political theory
and science itself." "To everything there is a season, and a time to
every purpose under heaven: a time to
be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to reap..."
"Turn, turn, turn. Ted Williams lives on
in what he achieved. That's what really matters."
   There you have it, not only are we immoral we are straight up stupid
and gullible. I would like to see
this editor match wits with the likes of Max More or James Halperin. The
part that bothers me most is that
the paper never talked to me to get a cryonicist point of view. I would
have been happy to discuss any
of the points the editor asked in his editorial. I would like to
encourage cryonet readers to write letters
to this editor. Let him know that the next time he writes about
something, he should look at both
sides of the story instead of writing a one sided editorial.

Voice Of The People
The Daily Times
110W Jefferson St
Ottawa, IL 61350

Long life
Joseph

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