Re: "Political wranglings over WIPP"

["jjcohen" <jjcohen@PRODIGY.NET>]

  ----- Original Message ----- 

  From: BLHamrick@AOL.COM 

  To: liptonw@DTEENERGY.COM ; radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu 

  Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2003 7:57 PM

  Subject: Re: "Political wranglings over WIPP"





  In a message dated 10/20/2003 9:26:13 AM Pacific Standard Time, liptonw@DTEENERGY.COM writes:

    One key conclusion: "The book empirically proves that public opposition

    to a nuclear repository stems from lack of trust toward the government

    and the perceived risk..."  [i.e. It' not about dose, it's about trust.

    Perception is reality.]



    Examples of misconceptions cited:  (a) "All we have to do is to perform

    a really complete, objective analysis of the project, showing that the

    risk is low and the site is good."  (b) "If we have any opposition, it

    must be because they don't understand."

  I don't understand how (b) is a "misconception."  And, if (a) is truly a "misconception," that is simply is a sad commentary on the American public's average intellectual capacity.



  Barbara



  Barbara,

      (a) may be a misconception, but it is a useful concept for those who receive massive funding to do the analysis, and (b) since we "need" further analysis, it figures that we do not currently know enough to proceed. 

      There is nothing wrong with the American public's mentality. They are simply drawing logical conclusions from the information they receive from the government and the media.

  Jerry