[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: settlement - ludicrous!



Steven Rima wrote:
> 
>      On Fri, 7 May 1999, Dianah Williams wrote:
> 
>      >I think this issue is more about the lack of ethics on behalf of the
>      >U.S. government.  Put yourself in the place of the individual who
>      >doesn't understand radioactive materials and then is exposed to
>      >radiation without their consent.
> 
> 
>      I disagree 100% with this assertion. 

My turn on the soapbox? :-)

You're wrong! No case exists if US Gov't doesn't lie about rad risks,
including suppressing the data. You can't blame the public (or lawyers,
or courts) for simply believing that rad is bad because that is exactly
what EPA, DOE, NRC, NCRP, BRER, ICRP, IAEA, etc etc state clearly (with
some beginning honesty from UNSCEAR - which will probably be 'nipped in
the bud' by the gov't interests that assign people to these groups). 

Just because some in those agencies make some "reasonable statements" in
the science arena, where some in the audience know better (and some know
how and are committed to misrepresent that data), they consistently tell
the public and Congress that "we use the best science" referring
explicitly to BEIR reports, NCRP/ICRP reports that many people know are
dishonest, including the BEIR Committees (eg, BEIR V/VI).

After all, if we didn't know they were dishonest we would "know" that
the high doses could well have caused cancers in this group, which is
what really drives the issue and the ability to take this case to court
at all! 

Fortunately many actual cases do go before judges where a factual case
usually succeeds in finding out that there is no basis to consider that
there are rad risks below 100 mSv or so (eg, Judge Rambo in dismissing
the TMI suit, and many others successfully defended by Jose and others).

Of course that doesn't stop rules with 15/25 mrem/yr from extorting
$100s billions for "cleanup" and moving waste from pile A to hole B with
more discharge by moving it than eliminated by its new location (as
stated by DOE officials) from a believing (gullible?) public. The
ultimate "protection racket" :-)

Jim Muckerheide
muckerheide@mediaone.net
========================

>I believe that this settlement
>      has everything to do with the lack of ethics on behalf of the lawyers
>      and the plaintiffs involved. They found an easy and painless way to
>      get a "free" $50,000 and took it. We can try to place the blame on the
>      media, the government (pick one), LNT, the medical establishment,
>      etc., but that's just ducking the real root cause of these types of
>      settlements.
> 
>      I would challenge all RADSAFERS to ask themselves what they would do
>      in this situation: A lawyer calls you and says that your deceased
>      grandparent, who lived to an age of 80+ years, was involved in this
>      "experimental" treatment, and that he can get you $50,000 or more with
>      absolutely no payment to him or involvement on your part if you simply
>      allow your relative's name to be used in the lawsuit. How many of you
>      would take the money and run?
> 
>      Before anyone flames me for insulting them, I'm just trying to put
>      this into the proper perspective. Many (most?) lawsuits brought in
>      this country have everything to do with getting "free money" and
>      little or nothing to do with real damage or injury. Unfortunately,
>      many such suits are settled, like this one, because the cost of
>      winning the case is far more than just settling it. As a former part
>      owner of a company involved in a wrongful discharge lawsuit by a
>      terminated employee, I've been there, done that.
> 
>      Let's face it, educating the public, arguing about the LNT, adopting
>      hormesis as an official position, etc. won't stop these types of
>      lawsuits or settlements.
> 
>      O.K, it's someone else's turn to get on the soapbox.....
> 
>      Steven D. Rima, CHP, CSP
>      Manager, Health Physics and Industrial Hygiene
>      MACTEC-ERS, LLC
>      srima@doegjpo.com
> ************************************************************************
> The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
> information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html
************************************************************************
The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html