Contributed by Chris Chappell
The biggest disaster in the history of the human race took place on March 11, 2011 in Japan. An 8.9 magnitude earthquake spawned a tsunami. It took out villages and killed 19,000 people. This event, although very tragic and destructive, is not what I’m speaking of. I’m referring to what has happened since the news footage was taken off the TV and has been long forgotten by most people: The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant meltdown.
This event is not over and has been ongoing since early 2011. It has been reported that there is more than 300 tons of radioactive water into the ocean on a daily basis. “I believe it’s been leaking into the ocean from the start of the crisis two-and-a-half years ago,” disclosed a 12-year TEPCO veteran identified only as Suzuki-san. (Source: North Asia news correspondent Mark Willacy.)
I have been avoiding seafood like the plague since the BP oil spill, and then Fukushima happened. I haven’t eaten anything from the ocean in years. That’s my personal choice, what you do is your decision.
The radioactive particles have been making their way to the US for quite a while now as well, coming across the Pacific Ocean. The International Journal of Health Services alleged back in 2011 that 14,000 people in the United States had died as a result of fallout from Fukushima. The rise in reported deaths after Fukushima was largest among US infants under age one. Pediatrician and founding president of Physicians for Social Responsibility Helen Caldicott said recently: “May I say that North America has received quite a large amount of fallout itself. We’re going to see an incredible increase in cancer, leukemia, and — down the time track — genetic disease. Not just in Japan but in the Northern Hemisphere, particularly North America”.
There seems to be breaking news out of Fukushima every couple of months yet the TV news doesn’t mention it.
Take this article from Naturalnews.com: “Fukushima: Radioactive cesium levels jump 9,000 percent in just three days, nobody knows why”.
I would call that huge news, yet I haven’t seen it on the evening news, have you? I am more concerned with outdated nuclear power plants than I am about being attacked by a nuke. Most of our own nuclear plants in the US are outdated and in need of repair, even the Shearon Harris nuclear power plant in Wake County — right here in our own backyard — has been in the news a few times this year, once in May and again in August.
I guess the “out of sight, out of mind” saying really works with the TV media. If they don’t mention it, then it’s not a problem. Do yourselves a favor and turn off the TV and plug into your own gut feelings and other news sources. The song by Don Henley “dirty laundry” really says it all.
Issue date: Aug 30–Sept 12, 2013
