RE: More on "informed dialogue"

[Steven Dapra <sjd@iolnm.net>]

January 11

	The AEC, the NRC, and the nuclear industry have been receiving a lot of
criticism in these postings, and some of it is doubtless warranted.  Let's
examine this from a different angle though.

	Any organized body - company or corporation (small or large), foundation,
non-profit organization, denomination, or government - is only as good as
the people in it, and in particular it is only as good as the people who
lead it and who set the tone for the members.  If either the leaders or the
members do not have the basic moral scruples, and do not apply them in
their day to day lives, the stage is set for mischief.  For example, I
doubt that anyone with some moral scruples would make the comment that
since the Marshall Islanders weren't "civilized Western people," they were
suitable for use as experimental animals, (referring to the incident
reported in Peter Crane's posting of Jan. 11).  

	I would maintain that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (and all Federal
regulatory agencies) are far too large, and far too powerful.  I would also
maintain that the regulators at all levels have let their power go to their
head.  Let us remember Lord Acton's famous dictum:  "Power tends to corrupt
and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

Steven Dapra
sjd@iolnm.net



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