Interesting Australian mix of emotions and rationality

Comments on David Penberthy “SA should stop worrying and learn to love yellowcake”, 24/07/2009, http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/sa-should-stop-worrying-and-learn-to-love-yellowcake/

Everyone has emotions and rationality. They are not necessarily always consistently related to things.

The nuclear issue in Australia provides an excellent example to illustrate this point.

On the one hand, it has allowed to have a few uranium mines. On the other hand, new uranium mines are opposed almost at all costs and irrespective their cases, for fear of its environmental effects.

On the one hand, uranium (or uranium ore?) is exported to other countries to be used in their nuclear power generations. On the other hand, no nuclear power stations are allowed to be built in Australia for fear of safety.

On the one hand, it was allowed to be used as a nuclear boom test site. On the other hand, it opposes any of its vast and geologically very stable land to be used to store nuclear waste.

On the one hand, it wants to reduce carbon pollution emissions. On the other hand, nuclear power with almost zero carbon emissions is not allowed to play a role in that noble endeavour.

They are an interesting mix of emotions and rationality (or irrationality). But that is what Australians have been for quite a while and still are. No one knows how long that interesting mix will last for and when there will be some reconciliation.

Only time can tell.