Responding now only to the last few messages under this rubric....
	It is true that some on this list have limited science education,
as Eric says, and that others, as Larry says, have been stamped "approved"
by the educational establishment.  The latter group are still ignorant in
most areas we are concerned about, because we can't study everything.
Both groups should be grateful to correspondents who inform them on one
of these areas.  (I am.  Thanks to those who have informed me.  Reminder
to the one who hasn't answered my specific private query yet.)
	Months back, one of us uttered some thoughts about depleted
uranium which were dubious (okay, no disgrace) and which were put in such
a way as to reveal that he hadn't studied this kind of physics.  He was
answered with a blast, something like, "If you haven't taken undergraduate
physics you should keep quiet in this group."  I propose exactly the
opposite.  What say we try to speak to our fellow leftists as we would to
our students-- AND as we would to our colleagues and our profs.  Inform
when we can; seek information always.
	This would not preclude advocating political responses.  That
should be (in principle) a major part of our discourse, because the major
scientific channels are deficient in it.
				Chandler