PART 5: We Were Considered Expendable
Series: Downwinder Diaries
From: Claes Andreasson
Length: 00:02:39
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PART 4: The Family List
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PART 3: A Patroitic, Non-Questioning Population
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Related Pieces
Piece Description
Michelle Thomas, is a St. George, Utah downwinder. What bothers her the most about the tests is that the people living downwind from the test site, were never asked to participate in the Cold War, but rather used as guinea pigs. And she recalls how the school children in St. George were examined to find out if they were having enlarged thyroids:
Broadcast History
The interview has never aired on American public radio, but was part of a documentary for Swedish NPR
Timing and Cues
Running time: 2:26, plus 0:03 intro and 0:17 outtro (ambience/music)
Musical Works
"Jeux d´eau" (Benoit Jutras) from Cirque du Soleil´s "O"
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Stress Test (00:07:20) - 3 also bought:
- 3 also bought:PART 2: The Son of a Bitchin Bomb Went Off (00:03:23)
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- 3 also bought:PART 4: The Family List (00:02:49)
Deborah Astley
Posted on September 15, 2004 at 12:03 PM | Permalink
Review of PART 5: We Were Considered Expendable
The five segments of The Downwinder Diaries available on PRX are powerful pieces. They are short, to the point and consist of first person interviews, along with audio from original newscasts. These are rich, moving, informative pieces, made even more powerful by their brevity.
When one reads a book, the author doesn't stand over one's shoulder, explaining each nuance. The reader is respected. The presentation of the Downwinder Diaries respects the listeners' intelligence. Mr. Andreasson stands back and allows the stories to tell themselves. A courageous move and one that makes these pieces even more powerful.