© 2015 Michael Swickard, Ph.D.
"Justice
delayed is justice denied." William Gladstone
That twenty kiloton nuclear
explosion was in a remote area of New Mexico seventy years ago this July 16th. The
scientists wanted to be sure the device would explode correctly when dropped
over a Japanese city.
The implosion-design plutonium
device at Trinity Site was similar to the bomb detonated over Nagasaki, Japan
August 9, 1945. In the seventy years since that nuclear test our world has
changed dramatically and yet some of that 1945 world perhaps stays with us
Downwinders.
We suspect we are survivors of invisible
pollutants from that nuclear explosion leading to our health problems. For me
it was an aggressive form of thyroid cancer. Around Chernobyl it is called Radiation
Induced Thyroid Cancer.
The 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power
plant accident injured many people downwind of the area, however, there are
robust efforts underway to identify and help those injured by the radiation. In
our country our government has no interest in the radiation injury to New
Mexico Downwinders. Does anyone doubt that the atomic explosion polluted New
Mexico?
Years ago one politician stated,
"We beat the Japanese, what do you want?" He seemed mad that I was
bringing up stuff from years ago. Politicians and journalists alike are not
interested. I have written these issues in columns several times to the yawns
of our leaders.
Worse, we Downwinders are dying out.
Our movement is like the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) founded in 1868 with
their membership limited to Union military in the Civil War. Five US Presidents
were GAR members. Then Albert Woolson, age 109, died in 1956 and then there
were no longer any GAR members.
The same will happen to the New
Mexico Downwinders. One of us will be the last one alive and then the movement
will end. Will we Downwinders find justice in our lifetime?
The problem is we do not know for
sure. Suspicion is not proof, but we have a right to be suspicious. Our
government has not done what was done in Europe after Chernobyl where they studied
carefully the people who thought they might have been sickened by the release
of radiation.
I appreciate that U. S. Senator Tom
Udall held a meeting a couple weeks ago in Tularosa and New Mexico
Representative Steve Pearce and I have spoken several times. But another day goes
by, another week, another month, another year, and some more of us Downwinders
have died.
Why do I think it was the radiation
release from the Trinity explosion that caused my cancer? Research is
compelling around Chernobyl that a very aggressive form of thyroid cancer is
tied to the radiation. I had that very aggressive form and was lucky that I
noticed the tumor early and it was removed within ten days of diagnosis or
perhaps I would not be here today.
Again, suspicion is not proof but my
government has not done anything to help Downwinders find out if our health
maladies are tied to Trinity Site. These maladies are not cheap. We are out
lots of money and there are quality of life issues.
Our government is quick to throw
money at other countries and other maladies in our country, why not this? Or
even come up with the cost of looking at this issue. Because there is no
political advantage and our people in government must always gain a political
advantage.
This issue will go away if
politicians and government leaders can ignore us long enough. There is only one
group who can bring justice to us if they will work at getting to the truth of
the radiation.
Journalists can continue to ignore
us or they can put it on the front page until our government comes to its
senses and acts responsibly. That is the role of the media in a perfect world.
Justice delayed is justice denied.
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