Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site gcc-opus.ARPA Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!godot!harvard!gcc-opus!alien From: alien@gcc-opus.ARPA (Alien Wells) Newsgroups: net.flame Subject: Re: poor starving people Message-ID: <150@gcc-opus.ARPA> Date: Tue, 27-Nov-84 12:51:22 EST Article-I.D.: gcc-opus.150 Posted: Tue Nov 27 12:51:22 1984 Date-Received: Thu, 29-Nov-84 04:29:07 EST References: <642@amd.UUCP> Reply-To: alien@gcc-opus.UUCP (Alien Wells) Distribution: net Organization: General Computer Company, Cambridge Ma (creators of Ms. Pacman) Lines: 37 Summary: On the news the other day, I heard a report about a letter drafted by the American Council of Bishops (or something like that) where they were deploring the 'fact' that the 'rich' western countries do not do more to help out 'those who are less advantaged'. No doubt, their announcement was timed to ride on the recent publicity from Ethiopia. I find it rather ironic. It seems to me that the Catholic church (and other similar organizations) in particular should take much of the blame for the famine. Who was it that insisted on sending 'missionaries' to 'educate' those poor, unfortunate savages in Africa? Who was it who set up schools and hospitals so they would live longer and their children and babies would have a good chance of living? Who is it who convinced Western countries that it was their moral responsibility to give aid to these countries? AND IS IT WHO THINKS ANY REAL FORM OF BIRTH CONTROL IS A SIN, AND STRONGLY ENCOURAGES LARGE FAMILIES? The real problem in Ethiopia is not the number of people. If it was, the Bishops would be right, we could just send more food, and everything would be fine. The problem is that we have arrogantly pushed the third world into 'modern' methods of living which eliminate the 80-90% infant mortality rate without instituting some other form of population control. Face it, it doesn't matter how much we lower our own standard of living, an exponentially increasing popluation cannot be fed. All you can do is to put off the eventual famine, making it much larger in the process. That was our policy in the 60's and 70's. It is now catching up with us. THERE WOULD BE LESS PEOPLE STARVING IN FAMINES NOW IF WE HAD NEVER HELPED THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE. What we ought to be doing is making our foreign aid contingent on effective population control measures by the country we are helping. If they won't do it themselves, the time honored methods of plague, famine, and war are all that will work, and all we can do is put it off and make it worse. Alien