The Nuclear Disaster in the Soviet Union

There is a pattern in the way recent world events have been manipulated by our government and the media.

When the Challenger blew up, we immediately heard that precisely because of this disaster, we must continue the space program (presumably to redeem those who died in the cause).

After we bombed Libya, and it was clear this would not stop terrorism, this was all the more reason to prepare for more bombing.

Now the nuclear facility at Chernobyl has blown up, and we are being primed to see this as evidence of just how safe our nuclear plants are by comparison.

Apparently, it’s working; scores of people interviewed on television news have no fear of such an explosion happening here. Such “coverage” of the event replaces informing these poor innocents that (1) there are five uncontained nuclear plants in the United States, and (2) an explosion even in a contained plant could kill thousands and cause incalculable, long-range damage to the environment.

When does ideology end and news begin?

ANNETTE LEDDY

Santa Monica