[ RadSafe ] Educating USA antinucs

Fri Oct 14 14:46:51 CDT 2005

Floyd,

I agree with your points.  I think the issue is more of semantics.  Education is an institution in which an individual seeks out knowledge and information by his or her free will (I'm not talking about primary and secondary schooling where students are "forced" to learn).  For instance when you go to college, you are choosing to learn and acquire information.  "Informing" is more casual or subtle.  If the person wants to learn more about a subject, then he or she will seek out education.  

As an educator myself, I think it is very important for people to receive unbiased, truthful information.  And I understand that sometimes just telling the public isn't enough.  But, I think people get turned off or even resent those that try to force-feed them things just because they may be an "expert" in a certain area.  Part of getting our messages across to people is to appeal to the human element - by earning their trust and respect.

Jason

Jason T. Harris
Health Physics Doctoral Fellow
Purdue University
School of Health Sciences
Civil Engineering Building, Room 1287
550 Stadium Mall Drive
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2051
w(765) 494-1530 h(217) 417-4937

-----Original Message-----
From: Flanigan, Floyd <Floyd.Flanigan at nmcco.com>
To: jastharris at aol.com; hflong at pacbell.net; crispy_bird at yahoo.com; Rainer.Facius at dlr.de; radsafe at radlab.nl
Sent: Fri, 14 Oct 2005 14:15:24 -0500
Subject: RE: [ RadSafe ] Educating USA antinucs

Jason,
I see you are a Doctoral Fellow. Is that part of your 'education'? When
we choose to inform rather than educate, we add fuel to the proverbial
fire of ignorance. We cannot just pass out the information without
including a bit of education. This is not because we perceive the
general public as ignorant. There is no insult intended by considering
it education. No more so than if I were to ask a surgeon where the
incision for a particular procedure should be made. I wouldn't expect
them to point at my stomach and say 'right there' without telling me
why. Along those lines, simply telling the public what the rules are and
what is or is not safe is not enough. We are expected to include the
supporting educational information necessary for the layperson to have a
better understanding of what went into the decision-making process which
led us to said conclusion. We are not looking down on Joe Six-pack by
offering up such educational information. On the contrary, we are
showing that we have enough respect for their collective intellect to
share the basis with them and expect that they will understand. 'Why'
should never be answered with 'Because I said so'.

Floyd W.Flanigan B.S.Nuc.H.P.

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] On
Behalf Of jastharris at aol.com
Sent: Friday, October 14, 2005 12:06 PM
To: hflong at pacbell.net; crispy_bird at yahoo.com; Rainer.Facius at dlr.de;
radsafe at radlab.nl
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Educating USA antinucs

Part of the problem is how to go about talking to the public.  For
example, I have been told by many media experts that we should not be
"educating" the public, rather we should be "informing" them.
"Educating" in this context is perceived as demeaning, as if
non-radiation protection people are stupid or ignorant.  Communicating
effectively and respectfully is key. Just my two cents worth.

Jason

Jason T. Harris
Health Physics Doctoral Fellow
Purdue University
School of Health Sciences
Civil Engineering Building, Room 1287
550 Stadium Mall Drive
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2051
w(765) 494-1530 h(217) 417-4937

-----Original Message-----
From: howard long <hflong at pacbell.net>
To: John Jacobus <crispy_bird at yahoo.com>; Rainer.Facius at dlr.de;
radsafe at radlab.nl
Sent: Fri, 14 Oct 2005 09:24:13 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [ RadSafe ] Educating USA antinucs

"So what have you done to educate these people?", you asked, John.

I took my palmRAD (Berkeley Nucleonics) to a meeting of CARE at LLNL
Visitor Center, sat in the front row near the 7 person panel of
anti-nucs and 
conspicuously listened to its clicking while they gave speeches
accusing LLNL of making the environment radioactive.
Those chief activists conspicously pretended not to notice that
refutation 
of their statements, but some of the 100 present did. 
A few of the quiet LLNL personnel present did snicker. 

I wear my NukAlert continously and show it at every opportunity, writing
the 
www.nukAlert.com address on my card for fire chiefs and other first
responders,
with the reminder that many are available without charge for them.

What are YOU doing to educate the Anti-Nucs, John?

Howard Long

John Jacobus <crispy_bird at yahoo.com> wrote:
Howard,
Carrying a Geiger counters and Nukalerts is sending
the wrong message. It has to do with education, not
gadgets. I do not know of a single HP who carries a
meter around with them.

I would not waste my time doing it your way. How
successful have you been with yours? 

I think it is about time we moved beyond nuclear
weapons. Our deficit is big enough. 

--- howard long wrote:

> John, you can help.
> I, and all HPs, should carry Geiger counters and
> Nukalerts to show radiophobes 
> and first responders especially (and at every
> opportunity),
> 1, Our environment is naturally radioactive,
> 2, As with sunshine, most people would be healthier
> with more radiation.
> 
> Reagan, like Bush, was called a warmonger for
> straight talk and action,
> necessary to stop aggressors. My friends at LLNL
> rightly believe their research
> and production of deterrent H bombs probably saved
> millions of American and European
> and USSR lives. Reagan's legacy lives. We are it.
> 
> Howard Long
> 
> John Jacobus wrote:
> Howard,
> So what have you done to educate these people? If I
> can be of help, let me know.
> 
> And what does Ronald Reagan have to do with the
> subject we are discussing? He is dead, you know.
> 

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