‘Making War for Fun’

The letters (Sept. 4) linking mock warfare “survival games” to militarism, sadism, or fascism are way off the mark.

I have played these games more than once. But somehow, I have not turned into a slavering animal who loves carnage and death. In fact, I am in favor of lower military budgets. I oppose aid to the contras in Nicaragua. My support for arms control has led me to volunteer for the Nuclear Freeze movement.

Is this a contradiction? No! I play war games precisely because they are not real wars. There is no killing, no agony, no cruelty involved. True, some people who play survival games are gung-ho militarists, but in these times, you can find some of those in almost any group.

The vast majority of the people I’ve played with hate the thought of a real war--and have said so, often during the game. Saying that such a game makes people want the “real thing” makes about as much sense as saying all people who play “Pac Man” eat too much.

In the Reagan era, I and other supporters of peace have our work cut out for us. We should not waste our time condemning what is, first and last, a game.

ANDREW SABL

Los Angles