From ROLAND HIRSCH
The report in your 17 November issue on the defeat of the ‘Big Green’
initiative in California neglects to mention a major reason for the outcome
(This Week, 17 November). Most of the publicity for the initiative was
provided by film and television stars, while many of those speaking against
it were scientists with expert knowledge in the subjects involved in the
proposal. The public put more trust in scientific evaluation than in the
often ill-informed opinions of media personalities. I think this is an encouranging
development, a sign that anti-intellectual scaremongering is no longer accepted
automatically by the public.
Roland Hirsch Germantown Maryland, US
