Charles D. Varnadore, Whistle-Blower at Nuclear Lab, Dies at 71

[bananas]

Source: New York Times


Charles D. Varnadore at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in 1992.

After Charles D. Varnadore complained about safety at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, where he worked as a technician, his bosses moved him to an office containing radioactive waste. When an industrial hygienist recommended that either he or the waste be moved, he was put in a room contaminated with mercury.

Mr. Varnadore fought back, publicizing questionable safety practices at Oak Ridge, a federal nuclear research center that had helped develop the atomic bomb, and his own treatment, which he characterized as retaliation for his outspokenness.

...

Mr. Varnadore’s complaints also led to stronger laws and practices governing employees who dare to blow the whistle on powerful employers.

....

Mr. Varnadore died at his home in Lenoir City, Tenn., his wife, Frances, said. Asked about the cause, she said, “He got tired of fighting.”

...

“The only conclusion which can be drawn from this record is that they intentionally put him under stress with full knowledge that he was a cancer patient recovering from extensive surgery and lengthy chemotherapy,” the judge, Theodor P. Von Brand wrote in his decision. “Under the circumstances, he was particularly vulnerable to the workplace stresses to which he was subjected.”

...

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/05/us/charles-d-varnadore-whistle-blower-at-nuclear-lab-dies-at-71.html?_r=0&pagewanted=all

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Saw this in GD, where Catherina writes:

"Sad, shameful story. If you have time, read the whole thing"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023403832

[William deB. Mills]

1. History

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. It is so important to remember the pioneers, for only thus can we put current events into perspective. Suppose Obama had reacted to Manning and Snowden by saying:

"I regret that laws were broken. I regret that Manning and Snowden felt it necessary to break laws to warn their countrymen of abuses of power. I regret far more that power was abused, sometimes under my leadership. We can do better and we will, and the first step will be for me, as President, and everyone else actually to listen to the message of these and all whistleblowers."

[ConcernedCanuk]

2. Same old, same old

.
.
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Reminded me of Karen Silkwood

Karen Gay Silkwood (February 19, 1946 – November 13, 1974) was an American chemical technician and labor union activist known for raising concerns about corporate practices related to health and safety of workers in a nuclear facility.

She worked at the Kerr-McGee Cimarron Fuel Fabrication Site plant near Crescent, Oklahoma, United States. Silkwood's job was making plutonium pellets for nuclear reactor fuel rods. She joined the union and became an activist on behalf of issues of health and safety at the plant as a member of the union's negotiating team, the first woman to have that position at Kerr-McGee. In the summer of 1974, she testified to the Atomic Energy Commission about her concerns.

For three days in November, she was found to have high levels of contamination on her person and in her home. While driving to a meeting that month with David Burnham, a New York Times journalist, and Steve Wodka, an official of her union's national office, she died in a car accident under mysterious circumstances.

Her family sued Kerr-McGee on behalf of her estate. In what was the longest trial up until then in Oklahoma history, the jury found Kerr-McGee liable for the plutonium contamination of Silkwood, and awarded substantial damages. These were reduced on appeal, but the case reached the United States Supreme Court in 1979, which upheld the damages verdict. Before another trial took place, Kerr-McGee settled with the estate out of court for US $1.38 million, while not admitting liability.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Silkwood

She was only 28 when she died

More at link

From the OP:

Mr. Varnadore’s complaints also led to stronger laws and practices governing employees who dare to blow the whistle on powerful employers.

The World needs MANY more people lie Ms. Silkwood and Mr. Varnadore - many, many more

(sigh)

CC

[Octafish]

3. Nuclear priesthood contaminated thousands of Americans.

http://www.whale.to/a/cantwell9.html

Is it in your kid's history book?

Thank you and Catherina for the heads-up on Mr. Varnadore's struggle for justice.

Any textbooks mention Karen Silkwood? How about Dorothy Lagaretta?

Nuclear power and weapons are what the 1-percent of 1-percent cattle barons of today use to protect their spreads 'n' holdings.

[Archae]

4. Whale.to is a nutcase conspiracy theory woo site.

They are full of conspiracy theories, especially anti-vaxx CT's.

http://www.whale.to/

As to Dr Cantwell, he is convinced of his conspiracy theory that AIDS was spread deliberately through the hepatitis vaccine.

Dr. Alan Cantwell is a physician and AIDS and cancer researcher. He is the author of Queer Blood: The Secret AIDS Genocide Plot, and The Cancer Microbe

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Cantwell

[Octafish]

5. Is what I posted wrong?

Sorry if I used a source that doesn't meet your approval. Seeing how what I posted has nothing to do with vaccines, doesn't really matter.

So, what did I post that was not true, Archae?

[Archae]

6. Unless you have another source, it's not acceptable.

I wouldn't trust Alex Jones and his nutcase websites either, and he says much of what is on this "Whale.to" website.

It's not a matter of "my approval," it's a matter of credibility.
And "Whale.to" has none.

[Octafish]

7. So, because you don't like a source, DUers shouldn't read about illegal radiation experiments?

Gotcha. Here's my original article on the subject, from 2005. Where were you on the subject then?

Know your BFEE: American Children Used in Radiation Experiments

Note its subject is radiation, like in this post. Right?

[Archae]

8. No.

If the source is not credible, it should not be used.
If Rush Limbaugh reported about these experiments, would you trust the report from him?

Would you trust Faux "news" to accurately report on it?

Stormfront?

WND?

As to the article you posted in 2005, I read it.
I do know about what was done to people including little kids during the Cold War.
And there are credible sources as you noted in your 2005 post.

But using as a source an article written by a dermatologist who claims AIDS was spread deliberately by a vaccine, and this is posted on a site notorious for posting articles that are a lie, just doesn't wash.