[ RadSafe ] Zimmerman's Book (University at Buffalo Library)

[Franz Schönhofer]

Rick, 

Thanks for your thoughtful reply. May I ask you, whether you really regard
such people as "enemies"? If one would pay attention to all similar ones
worldwide one would have to spend the whole day to read their nonsensical
pamphlets, mailings, to spend 48 hours a day to answer them - and the
counterarguments would only multiply their nonsensical "arguments". 

To use the picture of Sun Tzu: If you split your powers to fight small
little groups of a few enemies, you will not win any battle. This is called
"guerilla tactics" and you should know that this tactic has been very
successful to defeat the technologically most advanced army of the USA in
the Vietnam war, the Sovjet troops in the Afghanistan war etc. This tactics
were used in the second world war in former Yugoslavia, in Italy, in France,
the Sovjetunion and many eastern countries etc. and it is still used very
successfully in many parts of the world. What is needed is the (sometimes
forcefully achieved) backing of the population. In the case of Nuclear it
might be forcefully psychologically achieved. 

To me it seems that this is most similar to the myth of the small David
killing the mighty and strong Goliath (simple citizens against big
companies) and is intended to raise sympathy for the "small ones" in their
fight against an overwhelming and threatening power.

Greenpeace and Sea Shepard are using the same "myth" - look at the
photographs released in the papers (and on their homepages). Regard the tiny
small boats fighting the giant whalers.
  
To draw a conclusion: There is for me no reason to pay much attention to
such people, who use the machinery of the mass media to distribute their
opinions, which are according to my experience taken only slightly serious
in opinion polls but not in practice. I do not believe that Zimmermans book
was taken serious in US mass media or it was sold well. 

I repeat: I would not buy it.

Best regards,

Franz



Franz Schoenhofer, PhD
MinRat i.R.
Habicherg. 31/7
A-1160 Wien/Vienna
AUSTRIA


-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu
[mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] Im Auftrag von Richard D. Urban
Jr.
Gesendet: Mittwoch, 02. März 2011 20:20
An: The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) MailingList;
'The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) MailingList'
Betreff: Re: [ RadSafe ] Zimmerman's Book (University at Buffalo Library)

Franz, WHY? ... it's a little thing shortly refered to in english as "Know
Your Enemy".

The full common english translation is...
  "It is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not
be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know your enemies but do
know yourself, you will win one and lose one; if you do not know your
enemies nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle."   Sun
Tzu... The Art of War

In other words, to win the debate against their stupidity and properly
educate the populace, one must know what is coming to be prepared to counter
it with honest fact.

Rick Urban
Lowly Health Physics Technician
Chino Valley, AZ