Re: "Anti-Nukes"

[Eduardo Mendez III <emendez@vt.edu>]

first, so i may properly identify myself, and it's understood which side of
the fence i'm on… i have previous experience as a rad safety tech here at
the virginia tech RSO, and am currently a grad student studying, in a
nutshell, the natural attenuation of rad waste in the subsurface.  i guess
that classifies me as a 'non-anti'.  

the continued dialog between radsafers and, shall i say 'non-believers',
has prompted my first post to the list.  please help me with my
questions/concerns.  i am all too aware of the science vs. emotion trend
that has been played out in the previous dialogs.  it's sad that good
science can be so easily ignored.  i see (read) such good, logical
communication on our part to the list visitors; unfortunately to no affect.
 to what extent does this dialog go beyond radsafe to where it really
matters?  they are the ones spreading the same emotionally-biased,
scientific nonsense all over the place; media, uneducated (in the matter of
concern) public, any type of organization that will listen (fund/donate),
etc.  does our point get trapped in the radsafe vacuum.  what do we have as
a defense against this nonsense, that operates in the same efficient manner
as they do?  something beyond technical government and academic
publications which the general public has no interest in.  how about even
distributing these same dialogs that have been presented on radsafe to the
PIs/adiministrators/funders of the TFP, the media, and good ol' brinkley
and baldwin.  has something of this sort been done for the TFP(insert any
other anti-nuke propaganda here)?  who do we have to represent us on the
front that they fight?  i know we all have 'real' jobs that make it
difficult to play the same games they play, but i sure would be able to
sleep better at night if i knew we had someone on our side, or could we
could at least stoop to their level.

PS- don't get me wrong, i'm all for saving the world; but let us think
before we act.

_________________________________________________________________________

Eduardo Mendez III
Graduate Research Assistant
The Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA  24061-0105
email emendez@vt.edu
ph    540.231.3913
fax   540.231.7532
_________________________________________________________________________





************************************************************************
The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html