               The Enemy 


Attention, all citizens:
As you know, we are at war
Against Country X, The Enemy.

I have good news, cause for rejoicing:
Our bombing of strategic targets is going well
And much of their military might lies in ruins.
There is, however, one disturbing note,
One thing you should be warned against:
You may be tempted
To feel sympathy for The Enemy.

We try not to waste bombs and bullets on civilians,
But some will go astray,
And in this age of instant global video
We cannot protect you from what The Enemy would like you to see:
Perhaps what appears to be a mother
Grieving over the body of a child.
Do not be deceived!
This is not real grief.
The Enemy are not really people like us,
But are just automatons
Going through the motions of life
And love
And death.
Because they are The Enemy they lack true souls
And cannot feel pain or fear or grief
As we do.
So if they should happen to stand in the way
Of our march to victory
It will be no more a sin
To mow them down
Than it is to cheer at bowling pins
Scattered by the champion's ball.

This condition will continue
Until the war is over
And we are allied with Country X against Someone Else.
Then the people of Country X 
Will again be real people
And it will be that Someone Else we will be allied against
Who will lack souls.



                                   Thomas G. Digby
                                   entered 0020 hr 2/19/91
                                   format  13:25 12/22/2001
