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Joined 1 year ago
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Cake day: July 1st, 2023

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  • That’s a start then. I hope you’re wrong.

    I think we’re still a long way from reasonably comparing Hamas’s use of human shields and Martyrs among their own people, to this.

    I do think there are likely a very significant number of IDF soldiers who are monsters who treat Palestinians as subhuman out of pure prejudice and maybe psychopathy. Because of course there are in any military, and very likely moreso in this one. But there is insufficient evidence this applies systemically more than to a very small minority, and more in the IDF than wider Israeli society of course. But they’re still not motivated by anything specific in the culture except a long history of conflict. There is no intrinsic reason for even psychopathic Jews to be prejudiced toward Palestinians on the basis of Judaism. Not so the other way around, when there is well established hatred of Jews in Islam.

    This matters, and I remain sure history will remember this following what’s to come (especially if Trump wins the election).















  • I’m sorry that the only example you actually floated immediately contradicted your previous position of not driving farmers out of business.

    How does supporting local farmers drive local farmers about of business?

    Except there are kids whose lives and health we can save, right now, if we just start growing golden rice.

    “Right now” would be mass sustained imports of Vitamin A supplements. Golden Rice still has some ways to go to be establish on existing rice farms, and then enjoy a successful growing season, even if it had been approved to proceed. If we want to “think of the children” seriously, money shouldn’t be an object and we’d be looking at multiple strategies all at once, and not relying solely on an experimental product like this.

    We are talking about extremely poor people and areas here, where there is little or no infrastructure to support this as a long-term solution.

    Sure, but that’s part of the problem isn’t it? Why don’t we also go in and fix that right now?

    What you are suggesting requires drastic change and a lot of upfront money, and continued on-going long-term support and financial assistance.

    Indeed. Don’t get me wrong, I know it’s never going to happen. Given that fact, perhaps we need cheap and nasty shortcuts like golden rice in order to help poor people save themselves with minimal outside resources. Potential patent issues aside if the gene mixes in with local rice varients, and other risks to the environment, it would be great if there was more Vitamin A available in their poverty diets. But, I can see why there is opposition to this. It makes sense, and it’s not just “ignorant” people like me who think this, clearly.


  • I just said what “directly” would actually look like after you said to help then directly. I didn’t endorse this approach necessarily. My point is that getting them to grow our GM crop is not “direct”.

    I feel that you’re intentionally trying to one up me instead actually have a proper discussion here. Why not assume my intention here is to change my mind because together we might actually figure something out? This back and forth is all a waste of time otherwise.

    My actual opinion is that we give them monetary aid conditioner on certain outcomes, and send in experienced people to support transitions to more sustainable and productive food production. The money can upgrade housing, farming and transport infrastructure, and help boost Vitamin A rich crop yields and sale prices. Also subsidize imports if Vitamin A rich foods to make up the difference if local yields are insufficient.

    Expensive, hard work, job creating activities, instead of shortcuts.