How the NRC Brass Refuses to Recognize Costly Lessons of Fukushima - truthout

[PamW]

6. What were we supposed to do?

RobertEarl,

This is another problem with the anti-nukes; they are all so damn self-righteous.

Suppose your neighbor likes to mountain climb for sport. Mountain climbing is risky. Your neighbor is an adult, and wants to go mountain climbing. You think it's a bad idea. What are you supposed to do? Are you supposed to restrain your neighbor from engaging in a sport that he willing understands and accepts the risks.

You advise your neighbor that mountain climbing is risky; and you let your adult neighbor make up his own mind. You treat your neighbor as an adult; and not a child that you have to make decisions for.

How about if your neighbor's sport was general aviation. Flying planes is safer than mountain climbing; but it's not as safe as commercial aviation. Are you going to prevent your neighbor from flying?

I showed you that the radiation in Lithuania was TRIVIAL. Mother Nature gives you more.

You misunderstand the Lithuania plutonium story. Yes - they found plutonium in Lithuania; but they never traced it back to Fukushima. Please tell us how they knew the plutonium they found in Lithuania was from Fukushima and not from US / Soviet bomb test? Did they do DNA testing on the Plutonium? How did they know where it came from. Show us whether you understand what you read.

We didn't "know" that Fukushima was going to happen. We knew that the Japanese were taking a risk. For that risk to turn into the accident, you also need the tsunami and nobody "knew" that was coming. We just knew that they were not as prepared as we would have liked; but they were doing that on their own choice.

Yes - the anti-nukes are crazy. They are so damn self-righteous that they "think" everyone should do as they say.

Again, that's one of the nice things about the USA. Californians and Vermonters can be progressive, and Texans can be conservative. If you say that Texans should have to obey what Californians and Vermonters want; then what if the tables are turned and Californians and Vermonters are forced to do what Texans want them to do.

Can't you see that the best thing about our system is that we treat people as adults. People get to make their own decisions and they have to live with the consequences. The same thing goes for States. Finally, the same thing goes for countries.

The Japanese are the ones that have to live with the consequences. Yes - we have scientific instruments that are so EXTREMELY sensitive that we can pick up small amounts of radioactivity. We know that the radiation levels due to Fukushima are TRIVIAL in other countries, especially those half-way around the world. So the Japanese didn't hurt anyone else; only themselves.

The Japanese have to live with the consequences of Fukushima. However, those consequences are relatively mild. Industrial accidents and airline crashes are worse in terms of mortality to humans.

Again from Dr. John Boice of the Health Physics Society; in his sworn testimony to Congress:

http://www.hps.org/documents/John_Boice_Testimony_13_May_2011.pdf

Dr. Boice testifies:

The health consequences for Japanese workers and public appear to be minor

The health consequences for United States citizens are negligible to nonexistent

PamW