Why Do Pathogen Researchers Face Less Scrutiny Than Nuclear Scientists?

Lasrick writes "Derrin Culp of the National Center for Disease Preparedness explores the different levels of scrutiny that scientists in microbiology undergo, when compared to those who work in the nuclear weapons field. His complaint is that, even though America's most notorious biosecurity breach — the 2001 anthrax mailings — was the work of an insider, expert panels have concluded that there is no need for intrusive monitoring of microbiologists engaged in unclassified research."

Comments

The same reason there no more anti-war protests

[Kohath]

Why pick on nuclear science and the nuclear industry? For partisan political advantage. In the 70s and 80s, the anti-nuclear crowd was able to spread lots of FUD -- and they got unlimited media help -- because it helped the left gain political power. Pathogen research offered no such advantage.

Where are the protestors for the drone war, BTW? Where was the "grim milestone" protest for Obama's 1000th US soldier killed in Afghanistan? Or his 2000th? No partisan political advantage means no (or very, very little) media coverage and no organized protests.