Perspective and credibility

["David Ross" <David_Ross@qm.sri.com>]

                      Subject:                              Time:  5:37 PM
  OFFICE MEMO         Perspective and credibility           Date:  7/17/96

I want to respond to Alex J. Sagady's comments to Charlie Cray and his
discussion of DEHP.  Sagady appeals for more perspective and quantitation in
discussion of the problems on this list.   I am in full accord, and applaud
his stating that he very much cares "about the public and scientific
credibility of our modern day citizen environmental movement . . "  

Accountability, perspective, credibility are key elements that are critical to
influencing environmental policy, and I find sadly that they are in short
supply in what we commonly see on the web from Greenpeace and its related
organizations.   Frankly, while I support the spirit of the movement, I have
begun to reject out-of-hand many Greenpeace accounts I see on the web.   I
find the strident approach off-putting and coloring what would otherwise be
very good and useful information.   I often choose not to cite Greenpeace
accounts in my own reports for fear of lowering the credibility of what I am
writing.  

I would hope that a less confrontational posture and a lowered sense of being
victimized by the system can lead to sensible, measured narratives, which in
turn would be effective in bringing those of us with genuine interest in
reform in to the camp.  

David Ross
david_ross@qm.sri.com