Re: "Anti-Nukes"

["Sandy Perle" <sandyfl@earthlink.net>]

Hello Ruth,

A few points per the 4 items referenced:

(1) When I say we've lost a whole generation, I mean not that there 
are few science students, rather than I mean that most students 
today learn from teachers and parents, and those teachers and 
parents, for the most part, do not believe all that we tell them. On 
the other hand, there are fewer undergraduate and graduate 
programs focusing on nuclear related degrees. This is not just a 
statistic I throw out, but a reality.

(2) You state "A rational thinker will recognize the value of data, 
experiment, testing hypotheses,  etc.  "trust" has nothing to do 
with it." Now you're confusing "thinking" with the converse, simply 
"believing" or "trusting." The public listens and in some cases 
perceives what they are bombarded with, by both sides. The 
"anti's" use all kinds of fear, scare words and conclusions based 
on a few data points. We on the other hand, throw all kinds of 
numbers, statistics, documents at the public and say believe us. It 
doesn't work that way. The anti's are in the communities, talking to 
them, going to meetings and holding public gatherings. We on the 
other hand rarely promote any information to the public, rarely go 
into the communities on the same scale as the anti's, and wonder 
why nobody perceives our message? When was the last time you 
saw a pro-nuclear message or paid advertisement on TV, on the 
radio or in the written media?

(3) You say " I compare the questions Norm asks with the 
questions my students ask (and many of the students I had over 
the years would characterize themselves as being opposed to 
using atomic energy to generate nuclear power). However, they 
asked real questions and they were able to distinguish when they 
got an answer (or, most often, when they had themselves figured 
out an answer)." These were your students. The public is not, 
although we wish that they were interested in learning, not our 
students. They don't always ask the right questions, and they don't 
always believe the right answers either. In the case of those who 
wish not to learn, when there is no movement on either side, after 
amole attempts, one needs to move back and work on the next 
segment of the population, for the one group you're working on is 
lost. Realize it and move on.

(4) "Disagreement is not intolerance, not is pointing out an 
incorrect statement. I too think the "Tooth fairy project" is stupid, 
and there's been plenty of stuff on this listserver to back up that 
opinion." I agree with that. However, that doesn't mean a whole lot 
when a large segment of the population, at least within a 
geographical area, do believe them. That was my point. If data isn't 
going to be believed, the question is what do you do. Based on all 
of these standstills, I say we need to educate from the ground up, 
at the pre-school levels. We can disagree with those who have a 
different opinion than us. We have the data, we know it's right, we 
know the other side is dead wrong. But they disagree. So, what's 
our reaction .. most often indigancy, intolerance and disrespect. 
How do we win the minds of those who think we despise them and 
ridicule them whenever we have an opportunity. Seems kind of 
childish to me.

I am happy that you participate and judge in science fairs. How 
many others from these ranks do you believe do the same thing? 
Why aren't there more members in the HPS supporting our values 
and beliefs? Why, why why? 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sandy Perle					Tel:(714) 545-0100 / (800) 548-5100   				    	
Director, Technical				Extension 2306 				     	
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Division		Fax:(714) 668-3149 	                   		    
ICN Biomedicals, Inc.				E-Mail: sandyfl@earthlink.net 				                           
ICN Plaza, 3300 Hyland Avenue  		E-Mail: sperle@icnpharm.com          	          
Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Personal Website:  http://www.geocities.com/capecanaveral/1205
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Website: http://www.dosimetry.com
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