Kickass and Oppenheimer by Bill Stokes

By Bill Stokes

United States Army, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Kickass, the doorstop dog, joined the keeper and Phyllis to stay up much past their bedtime to watch the MSNBC documentary “Oppenheimer” which showed the life of the man responsible for the atom bomb and how it was subsequently used to kill thousands of Japanese civilians to make the point that, while the human race has advanced to the technical point of total push-button self-annihilation, it needs protection from those who would push the button.

Random thoughts:

*As the only country to have used the mass killing A bomb in the interest of world peace, the US is now sending “cluster bombs” to help Ukraine defeat the invading Russians, also in “the interests of world peace.”

*One of the greatest scientists to have ever lived, Oppenheimer smoked himself to death at an early age–62, because he didn’t know any better.

*The fumbling of the global population in matters of self- destructive weaponry reflects the absurdity of the gun issue in the US.

*Even in Oppenheimer’s day, Wisconsin had a stupid narcissistic US senator–McCarthy, to gum up the works and generate a plea for “decency.”

*The keeper and Phyllis may or may not see the much-ballyhooed “Oppenheimer” movie when it comes out later this month. There can be such a thing as too much Oppenheimer and not enough sleep.