Voices

Getting the facts right: that’s the morality

When questioning how many more will be killed because of dangerous nuclear radiation, Bill Pearson [“Nuclear power: a moral issue,” Viewpoint, May 2] failed to note how many have been killed so far.

I'm not going to do your legwork for you, but look up the number of people who have been killed harvesting crops, in the last year, in Vermont, and that number will almost certainly exceed the number of deaths from dangerous radiation.

There were no deaths or serious injuries from Three Mile Island. The Fukushima death toll is five - none of which were radiation induced. The Chernobyl death toll is officially 28, but disputed. Even if you accept that the death toll at Chernobyl is in the thousands, statistically, nuclear power is safer than automobile travel, which has killed many times more people.

You're at higher risk living near an airport than living near a nuclear power plant.

If morality is what you're into, consider this. Morally, facts are important when stating opinions. Morally, stating opinions without supporting facts is bearing false witness.

Lying.

For the sake of morality, get your facts right before stating opinions.

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