Human Radiation Experiments

[Steven.Rima@DOEGJPO.COM (Steven Rima)]

     OPINION - Recently on RADSAFE, the ethical and moral aspects of the 
     "experiments" (and I only use that term here because others have, it 
     has come to have a negative connotation associated with it) and not so 
     much on the legal aspects. From what I understand, what was done was, 
     for the most part, legal at the time it was done. As far as I am 
     concerned, the legal and ethical implications must be addressed 
     separately.
     
     If what was done at the time was legal, but would be illegal now, does 
     that entitle someone's relatives to become rich? (I consider a 
     $400,000.00 payment as making someone rich) I DON'T BELIEVE SO!!! 
     Especially when no harm was done to the person or to the relatives. I 
     don't feel that this is a prudent expense of my tax dollars.
     
     I am sure that we can find lots of other things that were legal long 
     ago and are now illegal, due to changing morals, more extensive 
     knowledge, etc. How far back are we going to "search" for this type of 
     thing, and then give their heirs money??? We have already gone back 
     50+ years and done this, where does it stop? In the 1700's it was 
     legal to burn a suspected witch at the stake, and was done so by the 
     government. Should we now re-examine that practice, in light of 
     today's knowledge and morals, and find these victims' relatives and 
     give them lots of money? I DON'T BELIEVE SO!!! (These victims were 
     harmed much more than the "radiation experiment" victims, so it must 
     be worth much more than $400,000.00 to their heirs!)
     
     However reprehensible one may think the "radiation experiments" were, 
     I don't believe it is proper, smart, prudent, or anything else to 
     re-examine them, compare them to what we would do today, and pay our 
     tax dollars to the families of "victims" when niether the "victims" or 
     their families were harmed by the "experiments." It is a colossal 
     waste of taxpayer money done only to further the political agenda of a 
     particular administration. - OPINION
     
     Steven D. Rima, CHP
     President, DATUM Enterprises, LC
     steven.rima@doegjpo.com
     
     "The above is my opinion and I claim every word of it."