I'm glad that the phrasing of my question teased this response out of you. You make no comment on my use of 'moral imperative'. I rather like the phrase, though I keep wondering whether it conveys my meaning to others.
People here are a bit allergic to the word 'moral'.
Or so it seems to me. Anyway, your response indicates that you understood all I wanted to say. Sorry to not answer your question directly. As I see it, there is neither a moral nor immoral impe- rative. I feel that the selfish human mind attempts to control its violence through the invention of morality, certain spoken and unspo- ken rules of behavior.