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To the Editors:

I am writing to you to thank you sincerely on behalf of all life for your editorial "Apocalypse When?" (January 2002:7–9). You both have gone far out there into some touchy emotional issues around our greatest problem and mortal danger, so I fear the propaganda-blinded rightwing will hammer you hard for telling the truth and trying to wake them up. I want to make sure that you both will not be disheartened by any flak you catch. It will take a lot of us saying the same thing over and over before we can change the world. Those who cling to the current paradigm will not easily relinquish it, but thanks to your words, we are all just a little closer to the new day we all hope for so intensely.

Rebecca Renbourne, RN
Lewis, Colo

The Editors reply

Thank you for your supportive letter. So far, we have remained "unhammered" by the rightwing, but then we have espoused a conservative liberalism! Critical care practitioners have been severely criticized for the care they have for themselves. As a group, we tend to weigh too much, eat a disastrously junky diet, underexercise, and work long hours with shift changes that disturb the normal rhythms of a healthy existence. (A few still smoke cigarettes.) We would like to ask our readers to consider what they are doing to keep out of the ICU—as patients!

There may be some hope in the sphere of government. The possibly correct perception that some of our key political leaders are being influenced (bought) by big-business interests has led many of our elected representatives to consider cleaning up their acts with campaign finance reform. If this is successful, perhaps a more altruistic political atmosphere will come about, and politicians may possibly be able to look beyond the next election.

We fear that the promotion of a healthy lifestyle will remain politically less attractive than "guns and butter."

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