X-Message-Number: 392
From att!U.ERGO.CS.CMU.EDU!Timothy_Freeman Wed Aug 14 09:57:34 0400 1991
To: 
Reply-to: Tim Freeman <>
Subject: Re: cryonics #391 - Re: Write California Senator Watson! 
In-reply-to: Your message of Tue, 13 Aug 91 20:02:00 -0500.
Date: Wed, 14 Aug 91 09:57:34 -0400
From: 

 ([John E. Kreznar]) says:

  In cryonics #390 Allen Lopp urgently implores us to write or call a legislator
    to thank her for her interest in cryonics and press our views on the matter.
  ...
  Your intentions are good, but by your actions and recommendations you empower
  the very institution with the potential to obstruct your plans.

Nonsense.  The choices available to us are:

1. Die,
2. Do cryonics despite active obstruction from the police, or
3. Do the political things necessary to keep cryonics legal, and then
   do it without active obstruction from the police.

Of these choices, #3 seems best, and that's what Allen Lopp is
suggesting.  John Kreznar seems to be suggesting another option:

4. Do what we would do in an ideal society where the legislature
   didn't have any interest in cryonics.

This is denying reality, and in the long run is suicidal.  The central
error in his argument is to equate communicating with a politician
with "empowering the institution with the potential to obstruct your
plans".  One must repeatedly tell the politicians not to interfere for
the same reason one must treat a cancer: if you ignore the problem it
just gets worse.

Tim

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