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Re: Stop the madness
HI Bill,
I've been following this discussion, of course, hadn't had time to answer. This 'anti' appreciates the folks who have posted and said 'no' to restricting
information. There has been a number of posts, like John J's NRC budget posting, that are useful information to people on all "sides" of the nuclear power
issue. Whether radsafers believe it or not, I'm not here to "steal plays" from your playbook, but to listen and learn, and hopefully have some
consstructive dialogue.
Much of what you've been discussing comes down to public perception of nuclear power. In my experience, most people, without any prompting from us
'anti's, have a uneasiness about nuclear power. I'm not sure what "pro-nukers" can do about that.
On the other hand, a Martian reading all these posts would assume that the 'anti's had won the battle and that nuclear power was dead. And that is
certainly not my perception. Yes, the 'anti's were able to get some of the real clunkers, like Maine Yankee, shut down several years ago. But times have
changed. Take Oyster Creek (please!) for example. Financially, because Exelon bought Oyster for pennies on the dollar, there no longer is any enducement
to shut the plant down, even with it's many problems. Anti's, even with the support of Robt Kennedy Jr, and other big wheels, can't seem to clsoe down
that big clunker, Indian Point. Even the 911 events and Pres Bush's mention of nukes as terrorist targets hasn't prompted the Administration of Congress
to phase out nukes in favor of alternatives.
So what I'm saying is that the remaining nuke plants and companies do indeed have a great deal of power.
A couple of other points. I continue to marvel at radsafers concerns about 'anti's actually earning a living doing anti-nuke work, and considering this
earning a lving to be somehow evil. You seem to imply that unless anti-nukers work as volunteers, that our motives are suspect. This is just silly.
Besides the fact that most of us make peanuts for salaries, the fact that we get paid is irrelevant. What is relevant is whether or not what anti-nukers
say is accurate. I certainly don't see you all asking the much better paid NEI staff to work as volunteers. And I would never criticize any of your
personal statements because you happen to work in the nuke industry.
B. Cohen and others are correct that politics, media, and message play an important role in perception of nukes. And thats not the fault of the
'anti's either, its just the reality of todays world. More of you should be like Maury, who rather than just complain, actually takes the time to write a
letter to the editor. You are all very intelligent folks - there are many ways you could influence public debate and public perception of nuclear power.
If any of you live near the Atlantic City area and want to pariticpate in a pro/anti forum at our local college,
email em and we'll work out a fair and balanced event.
Finally, I appreciate the continued welcome to this forum given to me by Bill Lipton, Sandy Perle and others.
What makes this country so special is freedom of expression, and respect for opposing views.
If you want my resposne to other posting in this thread, feel free to email me as well.
Peace,
Norm
William V Lipton wrote:
> As I've said all too often, "We have met the enemy and he is us" ("Pogo"). Our near total lack of credibility is not due to the anti's seeing our
> "playbook", or some media conspiracy, but, primarily to the knee jerk responses we give, such as the one from Mr. Frey. We've been hurt not so much
> by any outlandlish statements of the anti's, but by our saying that "it can't happen" and then finding that it does, eg, TMI, the "slow motion TMI" at
> Hanford, Chernobyl, the recent Japanese criticality accident,.... We seem to be the ones with closed minds.
>
> What we need is a good track record and a whole different attitude.
>
> I welcome the participation of antinukes in this forum. We have a lot more to learn from them, than they do from us.
>
> The opinions expressed are strictly mine.
> It's not about dose, it's about trust.
> Let's look at the real problem, for a change.
>
> Bill Lipton
> liptonw@dteenergy.com
>
> "Frey, Steven R." wrote:
>
> > I propose that we stop this madness. Barring antinuclears from access to this forum
> > is a great place to start. They never come here for objectivity and open exchanges
> > of objective science, no matter how sincere or friendly they pretend to be. Instead,
> > they come here with sickening sweetness to mine us for popular radiological science
> > phrases and expressions, then use them to develop horribly-wrong but highly effective
> > counterpoint sound bytes with which to crush us whenever we speak in public.
> >
> > Aiding and abetting the enemy is not a wise policy. We would help society benefit
> > better from radiological science if we stop showing the antinuclears our playbook.
> >
> > Steve Frey
> > (the above is my opinion only)
> >
> >
> > -
>
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--
Coalition for Peace and Justice and the UNPLUG Salem Campaign; 321 Barr Ave., Linwood, NJ 08221; 609-601-8537 or 609-601-8583 (8583: fax, answer
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"First they ignore you; Then they laugh at you; Then they fight you; Then you win. (Gandhi) "Why walk when you can fly?" (Mary Chapin Carpenter)
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