Just weeks beforehand (and continuing as i complete writing
this in October, 1989, i was renewing contacts with the popular
entertainers i had dealt with and asked for help in the 1970s.
I had to advise them i foresaw publicity in future about that,
and i suggested we take steps to prevent misunderstanding of our
original (and presumed continuing) concerns and goals. I
reminded Mick Jagger (and the Rolling Stones) that in
1982 i'd mentioned he had told an NBC interviewer that if
he could do anything in the international field, it would be "to
help get Mr. Reagan and Mr. Breshnev together to
talk" ("presidents", as are Mssrs. Bush, Gorbachev, and
deKlerk).
I reminded Billy Joel that on October 26, 1986 he told
about 500 youngsters marching for peace that he hopes his baby
daughter will some day have their courage, that as a then-new
parent he is concerned about world peace (as were then-little
Edward Stephens, and J.M. Roberts, Jr. when
Billy was about the age his daughter was in 1986).
And i asked Jackson Browne if i could quote the following
from his song, "How Long" (copyright 1989, published by
Swallow Turn Music), in a future statement to George
Bush and Mike Dukakis--suggesting it be supplemented
by my own "...AND..." (included here):
"How long can you hear someone crying
How long can you hear someone dying
Before you ask yourself why?
And how long will we hear people speaking
About missiles for peace
And just let it go by
How long will they tell us these weapons
Are keeping us free
That's a lie."
Science fiction has throughout its history encouraged human beings who are not "selfish people who think only for themselves and not of anything that really matters" to have "the theme of a dream" for "a better, more peaceful world for 'all of us'."
Whether "Tesseracts3" includes my submission (in this
form), i'll send copies to Mssrs. Mulroney, Bush,
Gorbachev, and deKlerk; as well as to Pete
Townshend, Mick Jagger (and the Rolling Stones),
Billy Joel, Jackson Browne; and John
Polkinghorne, Alan Alda, "Physicians For The
Prevention of Nuclear War", William Epstein, "The Center
For Defense Information", "Veterans Against Nuclear Arms",
Michael Stephenson and Roger Hearn, John
Baker and Robert Berman, and Mike Dukakis.
And i'll add copies to the Israelis and "Arab League", former
"World Bank" President Bob McNamara and former Carter
Administration "SALT II Treaty" negotiator Paul
Warnke--who helped me with the 1978 work and who can
help with "shifting policy priorities from continuation of the
arms race to...aid for disadvantaged peoples"...as can Jimmy
Carter and Canadians Bill Bennett, Dave
Barrett, Bishop Remi de
Roo, Bill Davis and Roy McMurtry and
Gerald Emmett Cardinal Carter, whom i also contacted in
the 1970s work...making this "an open letter," if you will.
Perhaps if it does include my "views" of "Science
Fiction", "Education", "...AND...", they will
become interested in the overall volume and its contents will
give them some new "dreams" and "ideas" that "even H-Bomb(s)
can't kill."
Like Edward Stephens, J.M. Roberts, Jr., and visionaries like Charles Drew...we must hope they will.