H2O Scare

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As we have often heard, when polled Americans continue to saythey care deeply about the environment. But, what is that beliefbuilt upon? On sound science and careful environmental analysis?Or, is it the results of flimsy or non-existent evidence coupledwith carefully crafted rhetoric and scare tactics?Peter Sparber, a Washington D.C. business lobbyist, conducted asimple experiment to find the answers to those questions. Theresults from Mr. Sparber's efforts were reported in the October10, 1995 issue of the "Journal of Commerce" in an article writtenby Peter M. Tischwell.Mr. Sparber has a simple theory, which is this: Many Americanscan be tricked into believing an environmental crisis existswithout any facts whatsoever. To test this theory, Mr. Sparberput together a mailing list of people who support banningpesticides and sent them a letter from a fictitious group hecalled "Stop the Silent Killer Foundation". Here is theentire text of the letter:Dear Mr. Smith,You have been identified as a person who cares deeply about thefuture of our fragile planet, the health of our children and thequality of our nation's leadership. If we are right, we needyour help, and we need it immediately.As you have undoubtedly read, DIHYDROGEN OXIDE has been found tobe a major threat to the environment and to humans and animalhealth. Here are the facts:In 1991, the most recent year for which statistics are available,4,100 Americans, many of them under the age of 10, died fromexcessive dosages of dihydrogen oxide commonly found in manyhomes and recreation areas.Our polluted lakes, rivers, and oceans are known to contain vastquantities of dihydrogen oxide. On this, there is no controversy!Contaminated ground water? Same tragic situation.In California, Missouri and Georgia, families have lost theirhomes due to dihydrogen oxide contamination.In some applications, dihydrogen oxide is a major contributor toinjuries from falls. In other applications, dihydrogen oxide isa major cause of burns.Why does America endure this wasteful destruction of our planet,our children and ourselves? Greed. Simple greed and stupidity.We need your help now. In the next 24 hours, we need you todemand an end to the production and use of dihydrogen oxide.Please write: The Dihydrogen Oxide Institute, P.O. Box 7178,Washington DC 20044-7178.On behalf of future generations, I thank you.Sincerely,John Alan WatermanWaterman, eh?And, what is this heinous product, Dihydrogen Oxide? Does H20 orwater ring a bell?Well, as you might guess, responses to Mr. Waterman's letterimmediately came pouring in to Mr. Sparber's fictitiousDihydrogen Oxide Institute. For instance, a couple fromPortland, Maine wrote:We're writing to state a demand to end production and use ofdihydrogen oxide. This is a major threat to the environment andto humans and animal health. Do the right thing and don't let $$always speak.A woman from Lyndon, Washington, sent in this response:What is going on here? You people must really believe the worldwill come to an end in the year 2000. Why else would you bepoisoning the planet and its inhabitants with dihydrogen oxide.I know producing this poison is how you make your living. Youmust also realize that this same poison is what causes somepeople's deaths. How in God's name can you live with yourselves?Stop production and get a job you can be proud of - one thatwon't ruin your karma. From New York, New York:For the sake of other's lives, please stop the production ofdihydrogen oxide! More than 4,100 Americans died from excessivedosages. Since 1991, there are no more statistics, but I surmisethe total deaths must be about 13,000 more!You are polluting our water. Stop your greed. Stop production.Mr. Waterman Sparber received many other responses all asking foran immediate end to dihydrogen oxide production. Didn't knowwater could be so dangerous. But every year thousands ofAmerican slip and fall on ice. More are burned by scaldingwater; and in 1991, 4,100 American drowned. Water can be a trulydangerous substance.The lesson in all this should be disturbing for a farmer seekingsound environmental policy. Farm Bureau members nationwide wantreform of the Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, theDelaney Clause but are fighting an uphill battle againstenvironmental groups who use skewed, distorted or non-existentevidence promising imminent environmental disaster if FarmBureau supported reforms are enacted.It's easy to create fear. It's difficult to allay those fearsand disprove negative statement. The reason they continue isbecause they are effective, and there is no penalty whatsoeverfor publishing false, misleading statements on the environment.AFBF President Dean Kleckner, in his annual meeting address,challenged Farm Bureau members nationwide to challenge everyshoddy piece of "environmental science". If we don't, farmpractices will be governed by people easily fooled by theenvironmental scare of the week rather than by science and whatmakes sense down on the farm. Utah Farm Bureau News.

 

http://joneshomestead.tripod.com/My blog: http://thelifeofanoklhahomatomcat.blogspot.com/My : jonesfamilyhomestead/--------I believe - That just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other. And just because they don't argue, it doesn'tmean they do.

 

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