I’m not sure I captured the purpose of the July 27 guest column “The bomb and me, 75 years later,” by Paul Krza, other than to list a litany of negative experiences with radiation on the anniversary of the Trinity test.
What is the purpose of conflating only loosely related topics of medical radiation, World War II defensive use of an atomic weapon, nuclear testing in Nevada to protect against a Cold War with the Soviets, nuclear weapon storage, U.S. nuclear policy, and COVID-19 hot spots in New Mexico?
While the writer is listed as “devoted to lively conversation about the West,” I can only surmise that his intent was to make yet another contribution to doom scrolling that’s become so popular in today’s social media. I would think a more lively conversation would be to point out the risks of each of his experiences and the reason those risks were accepted by those in charge of making difficult and courageous decisions based upon knowledge at the time.
Of all the positive attributes and advances in science, technology, medicine and industry contributed by Western states as a result of investments in national security that could have been extolled in a guest column, it seems a shame that yet another “Debbie Downer” article was included in the Sun.
How about some positive topics?