To recapitulate: Cingular Wireless cut a deal with GUSD:
Cingular would pay $900 per month for the privilege of erecting two
flagpoles at Luigi Aprea School and mounting its cell phone
antennae on top.
To recapitulate: Cingular Wireless cut a deal with GUSD: Cingular would pay $900 per month for the privilege of erecting two flagpoles at Luigi Aprea School and mounting its cell phone antennae on top. A petition, initiated by one Chris Cote, and signed by numerous parents of unimpeachable rectitude, protested. Superintendent Edwin Diaz listened; the flagpoles remain standing as mere flagpoles.
I find several things interesting about this mini-fracas.
First, there are scientific studies to support both sides of the debate. Some studies show increased rates of birth defects and cancer associated with miniscule levels of radiation, such as those near cell phone towers. Other studies debunk and refute such claims.
(I note in passing that it took seven years to establish the link between childhood leukemia in the babies born after being X-rayed in utero, and that is a huge effect; interuterine X-ray increases the risk of leukemia by 50 percent. Minor effects are harder to prove.)
Second, I am surprised at the level of acrimony and disrespect being shown by partisans of each side for the other. The school district has been accused of being underhanded in cutting the deal with Cingular, without informing parents of the secondary purpose of the flagpoles.
Chris Cote’s background of fraud and litigation has been dredged up. Parents who signed the petition have been characterized as overwrought, ignorant, and emotional.
Regardless of what GUSD decides about these cell phone towers, all parties need to treat each other with respect. The school district doesn’t routinely tell parents about the money they earn renting out district property; they didn’t think to this time either; no especial deceit intended. Parents aren’t idiots just because they are concerned about background radiation; there is data on both sides.
As it happens, I signed the petition a few months ago at a City Council meeting. Later in the meeting, Hizzoner Tom Springer pointed out that the City Council had had just approved a police department building with a radio tower on top.
Point well taken, Mr. Mayor. Radiation is ubiquitous in our society. There are cell phones and microwaves and TVs and police radio towers and dental X-rays and even old Sol himself. The question we have to decide is not how to eliminate radiation in our lives. We can’t do that, short of climbing into a lead-lined box.
The questions we ask, as a society and individually, are: what are the risks? What are the benefits? Do the benefits outweigh the risks?
Which brings me to my third and most important point: I think that people should be more willing to assume the personal risks associated with civic benefits.
Personally, I feel perfectly justified in signing the anti-cell phone tower petition. But then, I don’t have a cell phone (or a microwave or a television.) Not because of radiation phobia, but because, for me, the benefits allegedly associated with each of these devices approach zero. I don’t want to be always at the mercy of a ringing phone. I don’t mind taking 12 minutes instead of two to heat up leftovers. I think TV programming is trash and the habit a waste of time.
But that’s me. Probably most of the people who signed that petition have cell phones, let their kids use cell phones, and yearn for better cell phone service. Certainly an overwhelming majority of them have microwave ovens and televisions, and never twitch at the thought of the radiation they are thereby accumulating. The personal convenience of owning a cell phone is more important than the miniscule risk of a brain tumor.
Yet NIMBY-ness takes over, or at least NIMSY-ness, Not In My School Yard. They won’t take the miniscule extra risk associated in providing a public benefit. They want to have the cake of personal convenience, but eat it too; let somebody else suffer the radio tower.
It reminds me of the constant complaint of some individuals in our fair city, that they can’t get a good, cheap DSL connection. Alas. We don’t have the population density to interest a DSL provider in rewiring the city. Alack. We just have green hills, low traffic, and friendly neighbors. Let San Jose keep their DSL.
