Re: Stop the madness

[RuthWeiner@AOL.COM]

In a message dated 2/1/02 5:19:07 PM Mountain Standard Time, MOS3@PGE.COM writes:



> "If a big plane hits a nuclear power plant it will surely go up like
>
> Chernobyl".  No equivocation, no list of references, no explanations of
>
> force and mass and angles.  
>
>
> We say: "Well, we haven't analyzed for that specific accident but we feel
>
> that the probability of a containment breech is low, perhaps very low, and
>
> even if a breech occurs the reactor is not necessarily at risk.  But, we
>
> can't say categorically that a big release can't happen".


I think we should just say what we think.  If "the public" is not reassured, tough!  Actually, I have found "lay audiences" to be very receptive to genuine discussions, and not dumbed-down ones either.  No it doesn't produce sound bites, but so what?  Let's not be so defensive and let's get off the "we just don't say it right" theme.  


Actually people know they face risks every day.  Moreover, most people know perfectly well that pro- and anti-nuke is a political game, not a scientific one.  One just has to keep on telling it like it is.


Ruth Weiner, Ph. D.

ruthweiner@aol.com