Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Overpopulationisamyth.com

That site is owned by Joel Bockrath for his organization, the Population Research Institute.  They are a strongly anti-abortion/anti-birth-control group. 
I've never come across or heard of anyone who is pro-abortion.  I think the problem is one that needs to be honestly and ethically addressed.  To ignore the very real world, clearly demonstrated problems of overpopulation, to suggest stop trying to realistically address the root cause of deep suffering, disease and death that affects literally millions of people is not in any way ethical or necessary in order to address the abortion question.  To allow tens of thousands of infants and children to die each year to try to prevent abortion is a perversely false economy.
The kinds of wholesale change suggested are worthy to the extent they don't supplant other successful and compassionate strategies,  but they are overly simplistic.  I have no problem with the advocacy of political/governmental strategies to provide for common welfare.  However, to do so while abandoning other strategies - and, incidentally, dictating personal values - would literally result in massive suffering.  I know he's taking a Catholic position, but its focus is narrow; I can't believe the God he worships would be in favor.  
And again, there's practicality.  Look at the backlash there is in this country to reduce the share of wealth of the richest 1% of this country to less than 25% of all the country's money, and resources that money provides, by reducing taxes to the rich-favorable Reagan levels.  Look at the vigor of many conservatives to reduce any aid to poor families and children whatsoever, so that money can stay in the hands of the very wealthy.  There's even growing strength to the movement to repeal Medicare and Social Security.  The deep level of change Bockrath - and I - dream of will be met with resistance stronger than the Huns showed against the Romans. 
The problems of overpopulation are rife, present, common, threatening, and deadly.  It's beyond cruel to advocate abandoning ethical and working methods such as simple availability of condoms to prevent AIDS, unwanted births, and abortions in favor until the realization of a Utopian dream.

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