I absolutely abhor fear-mongering being used as a political tool to get what you want when what is said is false, but it does, for better or worse, make people listen and repeat. Is this, focusing more on the consequences of not completely metricating (which are true), the only way to actually get through to a member of Congress whom would otherwise ignore repeated inquiries and tales of the benefits? (Metrication deemed not important enough "in the grand scheme of things affecting the country right now".)
Predicting the nation's economic downfall, which metrication would help prevent, in a time when the American and global economies are being focused upon in the government, could potentially get the message across that we need metric now, and we needed it yesterday. Of course, the nay-sayers would reply that it costs too much, to which we'd reply it costs more to keep USC than it does to switch, many transitions are virtually costless (such as changing weather reports, gas station signage) and it wouldn't cost a thing today had we switched thirty/forty years ago like we should have. "But we're unfamiliar with metric!" — Familiarity comes with usage; it worked with the Australians, none of whom was formally educated in metric prior to the transition from Imperial, not through merely teaching, as can be seen here and, to an extent, in the UK. If the issue of metrication were to get through to a Congressperson, I hope that it would not be framed by the opposition as a plot "to overthrow the traditions, morals, and values of the American people", because that reasoning is laughable, and, again, fear-mongering. My one major fear is that our government representatives are too proud to mandate metrication, much less ask for help doing so from other nations or the UN (which, I think, would be glad to help). Still, if we spell out the consequences of not metricating, focusing on the economy, add the overwhelming benefits, (and bring up historical examples of metric in the US, like the 1902 bill that was defeated by a single vote, share the experiences of other countries when they metricated), while appeal to that same source of overly-patriotic pride by saying something along the lines of: "If it's good enough for not only *the entire world*, the American government [officially], the American military, American scientists, American medicine, and American industries, [all which have metricated more than the general public], then it's good enough for the American public [while being superior to USC in every, single way]" to Congress, then, perhaps, they just might see what we've been saying all along, and, then, we could finally become an exclusively metric people. Metrication has been brought up several times in Congress before, and it can be again. It will happen; we've just got to keep prodding the government. Zach Rodriguez http://twitter.com/#!/nativetexanzach P.S. Does anyone know where I can get physical addresses to mail senators and representatives letters? If I go through the government sites, all I seem to get are contact forms that are delivered by email. I believe that, if I went the email route, it would just get lumped in with everything else, whereas, if I hand-write a letter and have it sent through USPS, although it may take longer to get there, especially with security checks and whatnot, it will stand out and perhaps give the issue of metrication more credence in a sort of "I *really, really *care about this issue, therefore I personally write you and want to pull on your heartstrings" kind of way. On Wed, Jul 27, 2011 at 19:45, Kilopascal <[email protected]> wrote: > ** > I don't see US metrication happening in my lifetime, until the US falls to > the level of Zimbabwe and outsiders take over and make it happen. > > In the eyes of the world, the US is losing its significance. The fact that > the US still uses units different than the nations experiencing growth won't > have any effect on their growth and progress. The world will continue to > grow using metric units and the US will continue to decline using USC. > > [USMA:50922] RE: Ditch the viss, govt urges traders > > Paul Trusten > Mon, 25 Jul 2011 15:24:16 -0700 > > ...by working to achieve U.S. metrication first! Any prevalence of pre-metric > units in the world has to be related to our continued use of them. > > Paul Trusten > Midland, Texas > United States+1(432)528-7724 > [email protected] > >
