Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 (Tek) 9/12/84; site tektronix.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxj!ihnp4!zehntel!tektronix!larryk From: larryk@tektronix.UUCP (Larry Kohn) Newsgroups: net.flame Subject: Re: poor starving people Message-ID: <4284@tektronix.UUCP> Date: Tue, 27-Nov-84 17:03:07 EST Article-I.D.: tektroni.4284 Posted: Tue Nov 27 17:03:07 1984 Date-Received: Thu, 29-Nov-84 03:34:36 EST References: <642@amd.UUCP> Reply-To: larryk@tektronix.UUCP (Larry Kohn) Distribution: net Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR Lines: 69 Summary: In article <642@amd.UUCP> phil@amd.UUCP (Phil Ngai) writes: >I feel like starting a flame here. > >BACKGROUND >Many people are starving in Ethiopia. Many countries are giving food aid >and this cause has made even the USA and the USSR temporarily forget their >differences and work together to help get food to the needy. Of course, the USSR has a vested interest in one of its satellites. I can't help wonder what they'd be doing for the starving Ethiopians if the USA and other countries weren't trying to help. > It still isn't >enough, Ethiopia says it has only half of what it needs to prevent a >famine. Meanwhile the US government pays farmers not to produce to keep >prices up. So to meet this crisis, the USA dips into its food surpluses. The increased demand for food will cause food prices to rise which, of course, means that farmers will produce more in the future; unless the government raises their non-production payments. In any case we'll get to pay more for our food and the Ethiopians will have put off starvation a bit longer. So, everyone wins? > >But that's not what I want to flame about. Are the United States and other >countries expected to continually bail out countries which can't feed >themselves? I think there must be too many people living in Ethiopia. >I think there probably isn't any birth control there. Maybe. Might not there be other factors that caused the problem (e.g., crop failures, unusual climatic conditions, poor farming practices, ignorance, stupid government policies, etc.)? > >PROPOSAL >The United States should send more food to Ethiopia, but all recipients >must consent to sterilization. > Do they get sterilized before or after they get fed? Even in its simplicity, this proposal merits consideration. Mainly because it hinges vaguely upon that old proverb about being fed a fish versus being taught to fish. So, what's a rich country like us supposed to do - continue to be charitable as we have? Or should we be more charitable? Some would say yes. We should go the limit. That being when the population of the world is reduced to a common denominator of misery. Or should we put some strings on our charity? Not this simplistic proposal! No, but something that would really help. Is such a thing possible? Are there real solutions to such problems? And in finding solutions to them, might we not find solutions to other problems? U.S. companies such as IH, Catapillar, etc. are hurting. They can't sell their equipment in a depressed world economy. Farmers in many parts of the world would benefit from some mechanization. However, they can't afford what we're selling, nor will our stuff meet their needs, everything considered. So, what's the solution? You tell me. COUNTER-PROPOSAL The United States should shift its emphasis from helping others to helping others help themselves.