Today, the Dayton Daily News editors took the position that we should celebrate killing people- by building shrines to the work that was done to create the most evil of all mens creation: the nuclear bomb.
Thankfully, they offered an alternative view by Professor Joseph C. Kunkel who went as far as to suggest that the dropping of the nuclear bombs on Japan was a terrorist act. The killing of 200,000 civilians- even during wartime, is nothing to be proud of.
While there is much to be said for “we must remember our past- so that we don’t repeat it”- no one will forget the nuclear bomb- until everyone of them has been destroyed- and that is a dream far removed from our future.
At some point- all this comes down to money- not historical signifigance. Museums and historical sites require constant care and feeding- into eternity. Instead of investing money preserving Dayton’s connection to the bomb- maybe we should be more worried about what our future generations may remember Dayton for.
Instead of being a community fixated on the past- like the ever present ghosts of Orville and Wilbur Wright- why don’t we focus our energy on creating a vibrant, forward thinking community that works together to make this an incredible place to live and work.
Ideas like the Five Rivers Outdoor whitewater park- or working together to end sprawl and create a viable “Green” community.
We need to have forward thinkers at the helm – not people who can’t take their eyes off the rear view mirror.
What do you think?