Tom, I understand your fear that people with strong irrational beliefs are likely to destroy the world and us with it. I used to believe as you do that it was worthwhile opposing them.

I think we are well into a reformative cycle of civilization where strong belief systems swell in peoples minds paralyzing their ablilty to reason - until they explode in death and destruction. Maybe this time around the weapons are powerful enough that truly major changes in the ecology of our planet could result. Maybe this will be the next great extinction in Earth's "reformative" cycle. Those predicting the end times will get their way and homo sapiens will finally leave the stage.

But if history is any guide, it seems that these cycles only end after so much death and destruction is let loose that the "true believers" finally exhaust themselves. Lying in their smoking ruins they have no ability to stop the next age of enlightment and peace to bloom - or in this case perhaps the age of insecta.

Maybe I'm too old to find much hope in opposing the current wave of ideology that seems to be sweeping over us. I'll have to leave it to you youngsters to carry on as I know you will - but know that I'll be cheering you on and appreciating your efforts.

Margaret