Computer centre explosion

Press, 27 November 1982, Page 14

Computer centre explosion

Sir, — I am appalled at the heroic status accorded by your correspondents to Neil Roberts’s terroristic action, when his line of thought and action parallels those of the P.L.O. and the Baader-Meinhof gang. I am also 22. Instead of being an anarchist punk, however, I am a university honours graduate. And, despite the iniquities and inequities of this world. I have not lost the courage to live. What the supporters of Neil Roberts’s action have overlooked (or chosen to ignore) is the simple fact that, in order to change the world for the better, we must begin with ourselves. — Yours, etc., Z. PAZAMETA. November 25, 1982. Sir,—Neil Roberts died for his beliefs; he abhorred the pseudo-totalitarian “Big Brother” state he saw about him. Just as generations before him have died for their political principles, so too did Roberts. Because his beliefs differ from, or have not yet been reached by the general populace, they in no way can be dismissed as irrational. If Roberts had been fighting for his country (which in many ways he was) then he would be saluted as a national hero; instead he is tagged an extremist. Because he was a “punk” (whatever that may mean) his views are not taken seriously; yet he was serious, deadly serious. For too long we have maintained a silence closely resembling stupidity. Neil Roberts spoke up and now the conservative would-be avantgarde are speaking him- down. If it does not take a death to wake the media from its whitewashing, hypocritical stance, what will — genocide?—Yours, etc. T. K. COURTNEY. November 24, 1982.