Current Event: Cowardly or Courageous I

It is clear to me that what the public requires is the new. In that spirit, I bring you another series. Unlike Thursday Tragedy or Triumph (which will run tomorrow, yes, I took Thanksgiving off, but no, I'm not gone forever), Current Event: Cowardly or Courageous will run on whatever day I feel like running it. Its format will be similar to Thursday Tragedy or Triumph:
1. I will present a current event, both providing a brief explanation of the event and a link or two to further illuminate it.
2. I will then, in the extended entry, determine whether the event is Cowardly or Courageous. This dichotomy has been inspired by a segment on the BBC Radio's "World Have Your Say", in which they asked callers to comment on whether John Murtha's call for withdrawl was Cowardly or Courageous. I thought it was hilarious to reduce a current event to such a silly pair of options (especially in light of the most junior member of the House's comments), so I have been inspired to provide you with current events broken down simply.
3. However, I would encourage you to, if you so desire, state your opinion: Cowardly or Courageous? Please stick to the dichotomy.

This week's Current Event: Cowardly or Courageous? involves Brits, Blair, and Bombs. Actually, there aren't any Bombs, but there is some nuclear power, so I guess its close. Here's an excerpt of the Reuters article:

"Anti-nuclear protesters staged a rooftop demonstration on Tuesday in a hall where British Prime Minister Tony Blair was due to launch a major review of Britain's future energy needs, forcing him to deliver his speech elsewhere.

Speculation is rife that Blair favors a new generation of nuclear power stations to help fill a looming energy gap.

The Greenpeace protesters, dressed in suits to mix in with the business audience, clambered into the rafters of the conference center shortly before Blair was due to speak, dropping leaflets, saying: "Nuclear: Wrong Answer"..."

My question to you is: Are the actions of the Greenpeace protesters Cowardly or Courageous? I will answer this question in the extended entry, but feel free to think for yourself!

Cowardly.

Blair is right. Nuclear power is the cleanest power production technology we have available to us, and every country that can safely use it, should. Yes, nuclear reactors produce nuclear waste, which is extremely toxic. However, the amounts of waste they produce are infintesimal compared to the amounts produced by fossil fuel methods. Its not like Nevada is running out of room in which to store nuclear waste. And there's always Arkansas.

("Alternative" energy technologies, like wind and solar, are valuable and will become more valuable as our fossil fuel supplies wind down in the next couple centuries; but let's not kid ourselves about how much power they can generate. Its not like they don't have their own sets of problems).

Posted by eatingbark at November 30, 2005 9:33 AM