Radsafe: Soap Opera of the Health Physics Community

[ORSPI@aol.com]

Fellow Radsafers - lend me your ears, 

I have followed this list for a long time.  I have learned alot from other 
members posts about science, but most importantly I learned others had 
questions similar to mine about the every day activities I need to know about 
as a Health Physicist. 

Sandy, your words of wisdom below move me to respond.  

"To those of us who are members of the Heath Physics Society, have you read 
the Prospectus in the current directory, page 271? It starts out  with "The 
Society is a professional organization whose mission is to 
promote the practice of radiation safety." It goes on to state "Society 
members are involved in understanding, evaluating, and controlling the 
potential risks from radiation relative to the benefits." So I ask, what 
safety are we promoting from radiation, and, what are those potential risks 
that we are to control? If you 
read Radsafe regularly, there obviously aren't any risks to be worried about. 
If that's the case, we don't need the Society, we don't need Radsafe, AAPM, 
NRRPT, CHP or health physicists."


I have worked in this field for many years as a practicing Health Physicist.  
I share many of Sandy's concerns.

The recent behaviour ("there obviously aren't any risks to be worried about") 
on the Radsafe list is an evolution of lobbying that has been going on for 
some time from some members of the listserv such as those individuals who are 
members of Radiation Science and Health (for example Jim Muckerheide, Michael 
Ford, Fritz Seiler, and so forth).  See websites. 

http://fatman.neep.wisc.edu/~ans/rad-sci-l/date.html#187
http://cnts.wpi.edu/RSH/

Many of the individuals who take part in the Radiation Science and Health 
Group attack the position of anyone who posts something that does not fit 
their lobbyist agenda.  While providing some useful information from time to 
time, they have generally managed to intimidate and brainwash Health 
Physicist on the listserv for many years.   

Now we have a new crusader, Mr. Slavin, who has a political view he wants to 
put forward.  He is also not quick to present both sides of the issues.

I have no qualms with either Mr. Slavin's or Mr. Muckerhide's positions.  I 
just really do not think they are appropriate for this listserv. 

There must be some entity out there that would allow creation of a new 
listserv (perhaps even the Health Physics Society); a sponsor that would 
allow discussions (without intimidation) about topics more appropriate to the 
typical Health Physicist.  If these lobbying efforts on the Listserv 
continues, there will be few Health Physicist remaining by the time the 
summer arrives.

Mr. Slavin, is there a listserv you know of where these discussions could 
more appropriately take place?   Mr. Muckerheide, could your lobbying efforts 
and those of your group move to the RS and H listserv?

Bernie Cohen states,  "there has been a struggle going on for 30 years 
between Environmental Extremists (EE) and the scientific community." 

I fear a new type of struggle has moved to the Radsafe Listserv that leaves 
little room for science or the every day activities of the practicing Health 
Physicist.  PLEASE, consider my request for other listserv alternatives for 
these discussions.  If everyone really want to lobby, let's talk to Ray 
Johnson about developing listservs for each speciality within the Society.

I will be unsubscribing by days end.

Cheerio

Harry Hinks
ORSPI@aol.com
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