Lively Debate Between George Monbiot and Helen Caldicott

Democracy Now hosted a debate between pro-nuclear convert, George Monbiot, and anti-nuclear activist, Helen Caldicott. Text can be found here.

Here’s one of George’s notable quotes:

When it comes to low-level radiation, unfortunately, environmentalists have been responsible for quite a similar approach by making what appear to be unjustifiable and excessive claims for the impact of that radiation. That is not in any way to minimize what is—what could well happen as a result of the events in Fukushima, but what it does say is we have to use the best possible science to work out what the likely effects are to be and not engage in what could be far more devastating to the lives of people in Japan: a wild overreaction in terms of the response in which we ask the Japanese people to engage.

I’d say Mr. Monbiot did quite well holding his own, Dr. Caldicott, on the other hand, well, er, watch and decide…

Update, 4/1/11 9:50 AM EDT: Rod Adams has a great recap of his debunkings of Dr. Caldicott over the past year.

Comments

Brian Mays said…

Wow! It's like watching two blind people argue over what an elephant looks like.

Monbiot was obviously better prepared and better informed, and fortunately, he exposed Caldicott for the fringe lunatic that she is. Someone get that old bat a tin-foil hat! He had her reduced to babbling about conspiracy theories and using such convincing arguments as "I’m a physician ... doctors can’t lie." Well, who could argue with that? ;-)

Did Caldicott just admit that she doesn't know about UNSCEAR?! Amazing! It's no wonder she doesn't know anything about radiation.

She does know about self-promotion, however. I notice that she shamelessly managed to plug not one, but two of her books.

March 31, 2011 at 1:54 PM

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