About all of the hoopla concerning the plume of radiation.

[peace13]

For many years the United States has sent bombs and troops into other countries with Americans giving very little concern for their destination. We give no regard for contamination of the soils of others and have no sense of responsibly for the damage that we do. Now, here comes the plume and how dare it arrive on American soil. We've had it coming and who would have guessed that Mother Nature would be the one to deposit the goods. When you feel yourself getting frightful remember this, and if you haven't been actively trying to get our illegal wars stopped well..make the calls, get out in the streets and make a difference.

If you truly are upset about the devastation that these nuclear plants have brought then decide today to work for the safety of one near you. Look at the map. They are all over our country, just ripe for our own disasters. If that sounds too messy then get involved with green energy and for goodness sake.....do something!

[tabatha]

1. Agreed.

Look what was done to Iraq.

[slackmaster]

2. I was born in the Midwest in 1958. I was probably exposed to more fallout in the first three years

...of my life than anyone born after the 1963 test-ban treaty will be in their entire lives no matter how Japan pans out.

We nuked the bejeezus out of ourselves for almost two decades.

[thecrow]

3. That's the thing that made me crazy through all this...

instead of "What can I do to help?" it was all "Ohhhhh noooooo! How could the happen to AMERICA? "
Seriously, we are so all about us, I am ashamed.

[Bluerthanblue]

11. I couldn't agree more-

it has really saddened me to see this.

People here in the north east buying up Potassium Iodide tablets- not to send to Japan- but for themselves.

Sad.

[BobbyBoring]

24. We're exceptional!

It's OK for us to litter the world with depleted uranium. A gift that keeps on giving!

[RZM]

4. US foreign policy and the Japan earthquake are not connected

Not at all. Can you explain to me how this isn't a left-wing version of what Pat Robertson said about Katrina?

[peace13]

5. Read carefully my friend!

They are related in the manner in which we receive them. I see a lot of hysteria out here from folks who don't bat an eye at our 'foreign policy' as you call it.

[RZM]

6. I read it carefully the first time

And I'm pretty sure I grasped your argument. You seem to be arguing that those who do not strongly condemn US aggression around the world have no right to be concerned about radiation contamination caused by the recent earthquake. But in the end, all you're really saying is: 'I don't like war and nobody else should either.' There's nothing wrong with that position of course, but why not just come out and say that, instead of forging connections between things that are unrelated?

Again, this is similar to what Robertson said about Katrina. While he claimed there was a connection between the hurricane and tolerance of homosexuality, sane people realized that no such connection exists. All he was really saying was: 'I don't like gays and nobody else should either.'

[peace13]

8. A person either cares about polluting the planet or they don't.

Of course there are those of us who don't want our backyards polluted but have no concern for the yards of people on the other side of our planet. In addition they don't want their own babies killed by someone else's radiation but they don't care if our white phosphorus kills our troops and intended targets. You see the point.

[RZM]

15. Not really

Everybody is a hypocrite on some level - you could make up any connection you wished here. Maybe the radiation is actually retribution for throwing away electronic products, which can cause ill health effects to those who live near the third world dumps where they end up? Or maybe for driving cars, which degrades the environment and pushes up the price of oil? My guess is you chose the war analogy because you're 'safe' on that one - nobody's going to accuse you of supporting wars. But are you as safe on every other connection I could possibly come up with?

[peace13]

25. I don't consider myself safe or unsafe.

I consider myself an observer of those who worry about the destination of a cloud while never imagining things such as piles of used electronics decaying over an aquifer or dirty foods and drugs sent to third world nations. That was my point. Why do Americans tend to be so unfeeling about the outcome of other peoples yet tend to hyperventilate over potentially the same thing happening here at home?

As for me supporting war goes, I will say that I voted for a man who loved him some Afghanistan war. I knew that when I voted for him. I never dreamed that he would continue to send our soldiers into harms way with no regard for outcome. I never dreamed that he would ignore his own advice on what was sensible. I never dreamed that he would continue to bankrupt the country and then allow the powers that be to ignore the hungry and sick at home. I feel completely overwhelmed by the fact that we send soldiers to war zones over and over and over again. I will say that.

[RZM]

27. Is this really an American thing though?

People all over the world throw away electronics, drive cars, and generally degrade the environment in a myriad of ways. Plenty of them don't particularly care about the effects - at least not enough to stop doing it. Anybody can say they are concerned about pollution, but if they aren't taking major steps to stop their own contribution to the problem, are they really any better than somebody who doesn't pretend to care?

[northernlights]

7. karma. nt

[RZM]

10. That's ridiculous

Let's assume for a second that a very dangerous radioactive plume hits southern California and millions are exposed to its ill effects. Are you really going to argue that it's 'karma' because of US wars and that those who suffer 'had it coming,' as the OP stated? Radiation doesn't discriminate due to political affiliation. What about those who don't support US wars? What about young children with no conception of foreign affairs? What about the mentally handicapped? What about citizens of foreign countries, of which there are millions in that area? Would they be victims of karma too or just 'collateral damage?'

[peace13]

16. I don't know if I would call it karma but....

My pappy always said...what goes around comes, around! All kidding aside, each life is equal and we should honor that. Cause no harm and respect life. As a nation we do not do that. I support the soldiers but these wars have got to stop.

[northernlights]

17. collective karma. collateral damage. whatever.

seriously, we brought nuclear power to the world. why is it surprising that we could end up on the bad end of its effects.

If the very dangerous radioactive plume hits s. california, I wager it will continue across the US right through the heartland. A nor'easter will bring it up to where I live, where inevitably, it will stall and dump. I have yellow toilets due to the acid rain that comes here from the midwest.

I don't support US wars. I don't support nuclear energy. I use as little energy as I can, and still live in our society. I still end up a victim of collective karma.

Karma is not about punishment. It's about cause and effect.

[Dappleganger]

22. Science.

[RaleighNCDUer]

13. Of course they're not.

But there IS a direct correllation between the US spreading depleted uranium around the globe via our weapons systems - which is OK because it is over there - and a radioactive plume coming from a compromised reactors - which is NOT OK because it is coming here.

The topic is the lack of concern about 'us' poisoning 'them', compared to the hysteria about 'us' getting a dose ourselves.

Your post was a dismissive strawman, attempting to change the subject.

[RZM]

20. The OP didn't mention depleted uranium

But rather 'illegal wars.' As I said in another post, there are hundreds of connections you could make up here. Truth is, you could argue just about everybody 'has it coming' in one way or another, as plenty of harmful practices are built in to our modern lifestyles.

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. and plan a donation to a relief organizantion

my choice... the ICRC

[peace13]

12. Thanks for adding this! n/t

[Statistical]

14. Furthermore the US detonated 1000 nuclear weapons in tests

The rest of the world another 1000 or so combined.

Somehow people living in the 1960s survived the death plume.

[RaleighNCDUer]

18. Never mind the explosion in cancer statistics post-1945.

Before the war, the big killer in America was heart problems. Beginning in the 50s, it was cancer.

Just a coincidence, I'm sure.

[nadinbrzezinski]

19. You just made me smile

:hi:

[RZM]

23. Heart disease is still number one

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/lcod.htm

[Earth_First]

21. What more do you suggest I do?

I send on the order of 25-50 emails a week.
I've been to the offices of my elected officials.
I've stood in the streets 100...200...300,000 strong.
I've stood at the gates of Fort Bragg.
I've been to the drone operation facilities in Syracuse, New York.
I've stood with union brothers and sisters.
I've GOTV.
I've canvassed, phone-banked, and traveld to Iowa and New Hampshire.
I've facebooked, tweeted and DU'ed.

I've been doing this for twelve fucking years.

No, I do not deserve this.

Nobody does.

[peace13]

26. It looks like you have it covered.

I feel your pain. The job is endless.