On fighting the fight

["Grimm, Lawrence" <LGrimm@ADMIN.UCLA.EDU>]

To Bob Flood:

You had two nice pieces on Radsafe today.  In my dealings with anti-nukes, I
found that it pays to attack their religion.  It is easy to make the fool of
them when you attack their religion,  mixed with solid science and an
impassioned plea that the anti position is bad for people.  

You can defend radiation and cite all of the good science that you want, but
unless you make the anti's look like the idiots that they are, the public
buys their impassioned beliefs because it feels good (like an old time
religion). Few people give the Klu Klux Klan much credence. Most people
believe in one god, and dismiss pantheists in a hurry.  Few people today
would listen to the precepts expounded by Nazism (it is a religion in my
mind).  The key is getting the average Joe to recognize that the anti-nuke
precepts are dangerous, destructive, akin to the Gallileo farce, and just
plain bad for them.  If we can do that, then the rest seems to take care of
itself. There are a thousand ways to touch people with a positive image of
radiation and negative image of the anti-nukes.  We just need people willing
to use the attack approach, and take the hits until the ball gets rolling
(and a media to do it in). The reason I said to take the hits? Because when
you use this method, you threaten their religion. I have had my life
threatened by anti-nukers and I was physically pushed around on a couple of
occasions, so I understand the courage it takes to stand up to them.  The
anti's are bullies, and it takes courageous people to stand up to them.
(Rhetorical question: Why is it that fanatics say they are protecting
everyone, but then turn around and threaten to kill anyone who disagrees
with them?)  

I often had success, and lots of fun, by taking the attack route when
debating anti's.  Amazingly, I was often chided by my own (HP's) for using
the impassioned, attack 'em method.  However, I am finally seeing a change
of attitude in our profession, and I hope more will choose the same method.
I believe that it works. 

Larry Grimm
	UCLA Radiation Safety Division
*	On Campus: CHS A6-060 MS 957061
*	Off Campus: UCLA Radiation Safety Div, 2195 West Medical
Building, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1764
*	lgrimm@admin.ucla.edu   Phone:310/206-0712   Fax 310/794-5825
*	If this email is not RSD business, the opinions are mine, not
UCLA's.

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