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Taking a dip is meaningless public stunt
By Sichuan Daily online edition |
May 9, 2012, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
EVEN if an environmental protection official swims in a river, it doesn't necessarily mean the river is clean.
Wenzhou Party secretary Chen Derong's requirement boils down to this: if local environment officials can swim in any river, then the city's water quality is basically good.
There are two flaws in this logic. First, a casual swim in a river can hardly prove the quality of its water. Ultimately water quality depends on scientific tests. Second, Chen Derong's requirement does not have a deadline, so local environment protection officials are not obliged to swim in a river any time soon.
A few years ago, a salesperson drank a kind of paint in an attempt to "prove" that the paint is harmless to health.
But it was more a sales stunt than a scientific proof. Few would believe that the paint was harmless simply because one pretentious salesperson drank it.
In a similar vein, even if Wenzhou's local environmental protection officials are willing to swim in a river, it does not mean local citizens are confident enough to follow suit.
Wenzhou Party secretary Chen Derong's requirement boils down to this: if local environment officials can swim in any river, then the city's water quality is basically good.
There are two flaws in this logic. First, a casual swim in a river can hardly prove the quality of its water. Ultimately water quality depends on scientific tests. Second, Chen Derong's requirement does not have a deadline, so local environment protection officials are not obliged to swim in a river any time soon.
A few years ago, a salesperson drank a kind of paint in an attempt to "prove" that the paint is harmless to health.
But it was more a sales stunt than a scientific proof. Few would believe that the paint was harmless simply because one pretentious salesperson drank it.
In a similar vein, even if Wenzhou's local environmental protection officials are willing to swim in a river, it does not mean local citizens are confident enough to follow suit.
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