On Nov 23, 7:47*am, Quadibloc wrote:
On Nov 22, 10:09*pm, wrote:

When he uses phrases such as "They may even provide a service," one
might logically conclude that he supports their actions.

Not if one applies the normal rules of idiomatic English to that
phrase.

Its meaning, normally, is:

- their actions are, on the whole, negative
- but the negative consequences of their actions are slight, and may
be disregarded
- a possibility may even exist that those actions yield some slight
side benefit

That is not an argument for joining the misguided and ill-informed
protests, it is merely an argument for not making an effort to bring
them to an end.

I'll grant you that there are responses to that argument.

Any kind of protest anywhere near places where rockets are launched
puts a strain on security resources in the post-9/11 era.

If people harbor misinformed beliefs which lead them to exaggerate the
dangers of nuclear power, the consequences of such mistaken ideas are
not limited to whatever protest activity such people are engaging in
at present. People who live in a fantasy world are dangerous, because
of course they take their fantasies seriously, as what they believe to
be reality, and, therefore, it is not clear what they might do *next*.

Thus, like you, I don't share his optimism. Unlike you, I don't
approve of putting words in his mouth.

He wrote:

"They may even provide a service, by providing some pressure that
ensures these things really are designed to survive a launch failure."

The "may" applies only to the phrase before the comma. The portion
after the comma is presented as a fact without any qualification.
Leaving out the comma would have made the comment somewhat less
objectionable by making it resemble an opinion rather than an
assertion.

As it stands, his statement would be misleading to those unfamiliar
with the facts.