Visit by Truxtun

Press, 24 September 1980, Page 20

Visit by Truxtun

Sir,, — The defence attache ‘ to the' United States Embassy, Captain Crummer, is quite convinced that welcomes to the Truxtun outnumber protests by five to one. That may be so but what does it prove? The majority is not always right. Let us not forget that Hitler once rose to power through a majority vote. Unfortunately it is always a minority that are informed, care, and have the guts and selfdiscipline to stand up and say no. The rest just follow, like sheep. Do we have to be attacked before we wake up to the fact that there is no “resisting armed nuclear attack”? No winners, no losers, just annihilation. The probability of. nuclear exchange during the Truxtun visit is one in 7300, says Captain Crummer. How did he arrive at that figure? And if it’s “correct,” is the risk worth taking when the consequences would be so horrendous? — Yours, etc., ANITA LILBURN. September 22, 1980.

Sir, — Yesterday I joined the peace procession to Harewood protesting against the visit of the nuclear warship Truxtun. What a moving experience! Children, young adults, elderly people walking together in a plea for sanity. It lifted the heart to see that there are still idealist folk around prepared to show a face to the establishment. While there are such people there is still hope for our country, even though protests may seem futile, even though our allies have sufficient warheads simultaneously to obliterate every major city on earth. Really, I felt quite sorry for those poor American sailors locked away in their “safe” ship. —: Yours, etc., BRUCE NAYLOR, Rangiora. September 22, 1980.