Re: [cdn-nucl-l] A pathetic display

[Randal Leavitt <randal.leavitt@rogers.com>]

Andrew Daley wrote:

> To say the crowd was anti-nuclear is an understatement.  That is, of
> course, to be expected.  The majority never feels the need to shout.

Good for you for turning up.  Most people who work in the nuclear
industry are rather quiet and careful types who do not like these kinds
of public spectacles.  You are really making a difference by turning
up.  I for one am very thankful that you gave your statement.

I have been involved in some email arguments with the Ontario groups
opposing new nuclear development.  They know very little about fission,
and almost nothing about the economics and politics of energy.  They
keep labelling me as "hostile" because I call their wrong statements
lyes.  Well, I think the statements are lyes because they know that they
are wrong but they keep repeating them anyway.  These fanatics have a
high emotional level of fear and a feeling that they are being pushed
around.  This creates a sense of injustice and righteous anger that
gives them a lot of energy.  Venting these feelings at a public meeting
feels really good for them.  One cannot get through to these people with
facts - they don't want facts.  I think the nuclear industry has to go
around these hard-core fanatics and explain the benefits of nuclear
energy to the more moderate public with a wide reaching advertising
campaign.

I must admit that I am amazed by how little advertising there is for
CANDU.  It takes more than technical excellence to operate a business. 
If you don't sell it then the public will buy something else.  There are
all sorts of examples of "good enough" beating out "best" in business. 
If Ontario does not go nuclear fast enough that will be one kind of
disaster.  If they do go nuclear but not with CANDU that will be another
kind.  If they go with CANDU but do not evolve to a closed fuel cycle
quickly that will be a third failure.  There are more ways to get this
wrong than there are to get it right.

-- 
Randal Leavitt ---------- gnupg public key: bbbad04d
http://positiveenergy.blogspot.com/
http://de.lirio.us/rubric/entries/user/RandalLeavitt