Leave the moon alone; focus on demanding issues on earth

Aug 26, 2023 Letters

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Dear Editor,

This week India made history by being the first country to land near the South Pole of the moon. Congratulations to the team! Earlier this week, Russia was also unsuccessful in its attempt to return to the moon. Colonization of the moon is beginning to become a hot pursuit. Some countries also have plans to mine it for minerals, start colonies and create bases for further space exploration.

The main concern with these pursuits is the altering of the moon’s pull on the earth, which will affect the ocean’s tides. The current hostility on earth provides clear evidence that mankind has not reached a level of maturity where they can peacefully coexist and take care of what they have already been given. The earth is in turmoil and the pursuit of vanity in the form of riches continues to lead to wars and the destruction of the balance within the ecosystem. Mankind’s form of civilization is leading them to their own self destruction and will force change in how humanity exists. Considering the current circumstances and the outlook for the future, it is in mankind’s best interest that alteration of the lunar mass and its distribution be prohibited. Man has already unlocked the technology that allows them to alter cloud formation, and in times of war having the capability to also change the tide will bring about further destruction. Control of atomic and nuclear energy has led to its weaponization. Cloud formation and tidal force control will also be weaponized if further development is allowed.

The United Nations has a resolution governing the moon and other celestial bodies, which states that their use shall be exclusively for peaceful purposes. However, we must remember that the USA had recently walked away from the Paris agreement on Climate Change, but after a change in leadership has rejoined. Mankind’s future is at a very critical juncture and we should not allow any country rooted in greed for power to be reckless and have a detrimental impact on the fragile existence of all humans. The moral authority of mankind over the earth must return to its rightful place, and those lacking such moral authority must not be allowed to lead. They must be sanctioned and controlled to prevent unjust wars and destruction from taking place. The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons continues to not have the full commitment of all nuclear states, and full disarmament has yet to take place. The threat of use of nuclear weapons should not be tolerated and we should have zero tolerance for such threats. The United Nations needs to ensure that any country that takes such a step will be fully isolated and forced to completely disarm. There are adequate alternative ways by which to win a war. If a country’s leadership and military are well prepared and skilled in warfare, they do not have to resort to such an extreme and cowardly form of attack.

In addition, the effective use and control of nuclear capability has yet to occur. This has resulted in disasters, which mankind is still unable to prevent and obtain a zero-occurrence rate. The changing climate will continue to bring with it unforeseen factors that are beyond the scope of past planning and construction considerations that were used when building nuclear reactors. Retrofitting for extreme conditions has to be undertaken.

This is but an example of where mankind is still in the learning phase of the planet’s capabilities. It is important that we as a human race take the time to appreciate and fully understand what it is that we have here on earth so as to better master it and unlock the hidden gifts and potential of our ecosystem. This will allow us to avoid many pitfalls and self-destructive behaviours. Thus, returning the joy of existence across the world. First, we should look at what is within our reach before looking beyond our borders and the earth. A cure for the common cold and its eradication would be a great first step.

Mankind on earth recently went through an epidemic that continues to evolve. Spending time and resources on the exploration of other planets and space may not be the best choice to make. There is plenty to do here on earth. At the beginning, I had mentioned that India was able to land near the South Pole of the moon. On the same day, it was reported that an under-construction railway bridge platform in India had collapsed here on earth killing 26 workers and injuring 2. Landslides and flooding have also been occurring in many major countries that have reached the moon, such as the USA, China, and India. Our Nation hasn’t reached the moon, but we are also spending enormous amounts of money in areas that do not improve our drainage and sea defence while the country continues to flood during high tide and the rainy season. All of this is very telling of the current problematic faced by mankind and the need for a serious wake-up call to relook at our priorities. Mankind must demand better of our leaders and Guyana must also do the same.

Sincerely,

Mr. Jamil Changlee

Chairman

The Cooperative Republicans of Guyana

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• destruction, earth, issues, Mr. Jamil Changlee, South Pole

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