What's wrong with turning Humanity into a crusade against the Shiplords again?
"If we let ourselves forget everything that we were before the Week of Sorrows, if we sacrifice our compassion and humanity to become weapons, then the Shiplords win. For they will have succeeded in destroying humanity."
There is a difference between a war and a crusade. Amanda knows that the first is inevitable, and she will not falter from that path now that she knows how the Shiplords build their ships. The second is very, very different. A crusade, in the terms expressed here, involves sacrificing all else for the cause of defeating or wiping out the Shiplords. To accept that such sacrifice is necessary, and that all will be cast aside to become weapons. That is a path that the Elder First fought to keep humanity free from, because that sort of sacrifice can easily become perpetuating and ultimately self-destructive. Amanda has spent most of her life strengthening the works of the Elder First to
prevent that happening.
She accepts that humanity needs soldiers; men and women who are willing to sell their lives dearly if they have, but to do so intelligently and not seek death. Inevitably, what she has to say to humanity will alter that somewhat. But how she does so is what will dictate how
far humanity slides down that road. There is also the established fact that humanity is not in any universe ready to embark upon a war with the Shiplords. You're learning quickly, but you can't do it alone.
Atop that, there is the analysis presented in Unknown Potential, which still holds. Even if humanity can unite enough of galactic civilisation against the Shiplords, a war against them will still leave the galaxy a shattered wreck. I repeat, Amanda isn't going to flinch from that, but the damage inflicted on all sides by a crusade will be far higher.
[x] Let Humanity know the Truth. Trying to hide the facts will only cause people to hate us later.
Amanda is taking this information to the people, that's not up for debate in this vote. This and the next few sections will dictate
how she does so. In relation to your discussion on Shiplord motivations and the like, I'm going to give you a quote. It's probably paraphrased, and I can't remember the source.
"Only a man who believes he is good can do true evil."
This applies both ways.
