Originally Posted by
OldnGrounded
Without commenting on the merits of Nader's statement, I'll just point out that taking him seriously on matters of transportation safety is pretty much baked onto US culture. He will not be ignored or dismissed.
I am fully aware of Ralph Nader's history and reputation. My point was twofold: His comments add nothing new to the technical understanding of the causes, nor the existing media clamour. It should not matter whose relatives died in a plane crash, the numbers speak for themselves. There were multiple UN representatives from many countries on the Ethiopian flight, most arguably more well known around Africa (where I live), and others worldwide, outside the narrow scope of US media. Imagine a news headline that reads "massive plane crash in Africa, one US citizen dies". Confusing sympathy with advocacy does not make for a valid argument. All of those factors informed my gut reaction. Sorry for the rant.