The Choice Is Ours

By Fred Hurley

During this Millennium, the formulation of the “Theory of Relativity” has given us a blueprint, a reference map to explore outward. A mental voyage initially that may offer a physical way to preserve the species and avoid the fate of the dinosaurs in the next Millennium. At the same time, the discovery of the structure of DNA has started us down the inward path of discovery that may lead to unimagined forms of gene therapy that may stop cancer, eliminate Alzheimer’s disease and end the birth of Downs Syndrome children. The new Millennium promises change. But there will be one constant, one governing force with all the new discoveries: human nature.

With parents suffering from either cancer or Alzheimer’s, you would think that I would welcome the promise of the New Millennium, and I do. However, there is a concern. My youngest child brings pure joy to myself, my family and all who meet her. However, as a child with Downs Syndrome, I wonder what the Millennium will bring her if human nature, with control of genes, decrees that no more like her shall be born.

In the New Millennium, I want man to strive to go to Mars and beyond. We must reach out if we are to physically survive as a species. More importantly I want human nature to learn to rejoice in its differences and not try to make us all the same just because we can. If we master the inner challenges of morals and ethics as science and technology unfold their wonders, then humanity will not simply survive but will transcend in the new Millennium.

One certainly wants to be positive in the outlook for our future but history can easily make us pessimistic. A thousand years ago humanity emerged from the so-called Dark Ages only to continuously slaughter each other for king and country for the next 900 years. We obviously don’t learn very quickly, as more people died in this century from war than in the previous 900 years. However, while Einstein’s equations may be used to make a bomb they also can be used to take us to the stars. In the end the choice will be a human one.

(Fred Hurley is director of public works in Newtown)