Thoughts on "Stop the Madness", etc.

["Michael Stabin" <michael.g.stabin@vanderbilt.edu>]

The following from Bates Estabrooks:



> From: "Estabrooks, Bates (IHK) " <IHK@y12.doe.gov>

> To: "'radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu'" <radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu>

> Subject: Thoughts on "Stop the Madness", etc.

> Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 08:39:25 -0500

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>

> CAUTION: Uns*bstantiated Opinion to Follow!

>

> In response to Ruth's Weiner's comments, Sandy Perle offered the

following:

>

> The pubic loses confidence in anything, be it nuclear,

> chemical

> technology, politics, when their confidence is shaken.

> Unfortunately,

> there have been occurrences that have indeed, shaken the

> public's

> confidence with respect to anything nuclear (fortunately

> this hasn't been

> a serious issue when it comes to medical exposure). There

> have been

> incidents throughout the world. This shakes confidence.

> There have been

> outright fraud and deception on the part of some utility

> management, and

> when this became public knowledge, that too shook the

> public's confidence.

>

> While this is unarguably true, why do we see no "Anti-Chemical"

> demonstrations, or "Anti-LNG" spokesmen on Larry King?  "Where are the

"Ban

> Coal" agitators? Fraud, deception, accidents, etc. have been part of all

> industry (though I do not believe they are the norm).  Remember Bhopal?

How

> many propane tankers have exploded due to faulty welds?  How many miners

> have been killed through the decades due to willful management neglect of

> safety?

>

> It seems, though, that the nuclear power industry is singled out by

> professional, dedicated, very-high-visibility, opponents.  I believe that

> there is a deeper reason for the vocal opposition to nuclear power, which

> the professional opponents hold close to their chests.  That is the

intimate

> tie between nuclear power for electricity and nuclear power for weapons.

To

> many of the leaders of the movement, the presence of fissile material for

> power plants only makes it easier to continue using these materials for

> weapons.  If we shut down all fission-based technologies we can shut down

> weapons production  This philosophy runs true in the issue of waste

disposal

> also.  The highly vocal opposition to the WIPP over the years, was

primarily

> motivated by the understanding that if you can stop disposal of

> Pu-contaminated waste, you can clog the weapons production pipeline. .  I

> humbly submit, that if energy production from atomic sources did not

involve

> fission, the protest would not exist.

>

> One final thought, unrelated to the issue, above.  "Stop the madness"

when

> it comes to units!  I read the posting about the radiography source in

> Louisiana, and gritted my teeth.  "1.5 terabequerels"  Give me a break!

"41

> Curies" makes much more sense intuitively.  Rise up "Anti-SIers!"  Take

> stand for Marie!   [For the levity-impaired reader, this last comment was

> inserted for humorous purposes.]:-)

>

>

> Bates Estabrooks

> Facility Safety-EUO Restart

> BWXT Y-12

> 9983-FS

> P.O. Box 2009

> Oak Ridge, TN 37831

> 865-574-7376

> 865-241-5780 (Facsimile)

> ihk@y12.doe.gov <mailto:ihk@y12.doe.gov>

>

>



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