Comments on: Newport Beach Activist Allan Beek on Over-Population

By: Kevin Loughrey

Kevin Loughrey — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 20:30:43 +0000

In the early 1980′s the world had “Live Aid” to provide food for the Ethiopians locked in a sickening famine. It is now 2008 and Ethiopians are now, once again facing starvation. The difference is that over that period, the population of Ethiopia has doubled, and due to desertification, arable land has decreased. What dizzy-headed fools have allowed this to happen?! Why is it that no one is talking about over-population being at the heart of environmental destruction and climate change and why is it that those in control of government can’t appreciate salvation lies in education and, most importantly, the improvement of the status of women in developing countries.

By: Sweetelle

Sweetelle — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 13:31:25 +0000

Allan,

That makes too much sense!

I enjoy your writing immensely. You are dually informative and eloquent. I hope you’ll do a lot more of it here.

By: Allan Beek

Allan Beek — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 06:30:13 +0000

. . I want to thank Red Vixen, Joe, SAHS Teacher, Sweetelle, and Ron and Anna Winship for their constructive comments. And I thank the Winships for the promotion; I am not a PhD or any other kind of doctor. And I hope Joe will tell us more about microcredits and the inventor; I have somehow missed out on that news.
. . Terry Crowley calls overpopulation a “myth” while admitting the world is headed toward eight billion people. Right now there are regions that can’t grow enough food for their people. They are suffering massive starvation. That is overpopulation. It is not a scary prediction. It is a simple statement of what exists.
. . Terry also calls peak oil a “myth.” Domestic production peaked in 1970, right when Hubbert predicted it would. What reason does Terry have to think that Hubbert’s 2010 prediction is wrong? Because he believes “new oil is plentiful?” Would he care to tell us where and how all this new oil is being created?
. . Terry cites square miles of shale oil and says it would last 110 years at current consumption. But consumption keeps doubling, so 110 years shrinks to 40 or 50. That is fewer years than it takes for even a drastic change in family size to make a dent in the population.
. . Terry fears I “would wreak massive unintended consequences” “at a cost we needn’t endure.” What cost does he see in having a population small enough so that there are ample renewable resources for all? The end of starvation is a “massive consequence,” but is that bad? Why is Terry so afraid of a world without genocide, without epidemics, and without starvation?
. . Terry speaks of “social extremists” “seeking more power over individuals.” My article pointed out that Japan, America, and Europe show that populations CAN shrink without any coercive measures or government control. No “UN courts,” no “dictatorial regimes,” and no erasing of “individualism and exceptionalism.”
. . But it seems that while Terry and I disagree in theory, maybe we agree on the practical steps to take now. For he ends on a positive note, giving his approval to themes of women’s empowerment, family planning, and improvement through education. Those are the themes of the soap operas distributed by Media Impact.

By: Joe

Joe — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 21:01:09 +0000

Terry,

The declining birth rates in countries like Bangladesh actually have a correlation with the increase of the microcredits initiated by the Grameen Bank and others.

To Rintrah, microcredits are helping people in developing countries to make a living. They have nothing at all to do with the financial crisis in the developed world, which has to do with greed. In the developing world, the microcredits are about survival, not greed.

By: Ron & Anna Winship

Ron & Anna Winship — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:29:45 +0000

*Back in the day….(circa 1959!) people believed that overpopulation was a red herring and that the globe could handle (in the words of Carl Sagen) “Billions and Billions of people!” The Catholic rap was that unless more Catholics were born…that Muslims would take over the world. It became the duty of every American to have five to seven children. Of course, that was when milk was 22 cents a gallon and a unit of education at USC cost 32 bucks! Things change huh?

By: Vern Nelson

Vern Nelson — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:01:19 +0000

Brother Crowley,

It is “Hear, hear!”

By: Terry Crowley

Terry Crowley — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:30:42 +0000

Ron & Anna,

Here here!

By: Sweetelle

Sweetelle — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:19:38 +0000

“Well, my use of the word “profligate” was the kicker, an adjective which I made a rare visit to the thesaurus to fetch.”

A fine word indeed! Thanks for adding a new one to my vocabulary!

BTW, this was a great post, and the comments are equally interesting …

By: Ron & Anna Winship

Ron & Anna Winship — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 08:10:40 +0000

*Since we have known Dr. Beek for over 50 years; we have a few observations: (1) Stupidity is having children when you can’t afford to send them to college, buy them a car or insurance and expecting the Government to do it for you. (2) Alan Beek has always been a NO-Growth advocate. He places himself directly against any pro-growth efforts what-so-ever.

By: Vern Nelson

Vern Nelson — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 07:59:00 +0000

Well, my use of the word “profligate” was the kicker, an adjective which I made a rare visit to the thesaurus to fetch. The irony is how far any of the three supposedly conservative “perspectives” you list are from conserving jack.

By: SAHS Teacher

SAHS Teacher — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 07:48:12 +0000

C’mon Vern, a little civility here. As I understand, the audience at the first playing of Stravinsky’s ‘Rite of Spring’ showed its dislike by throwing fruit at the orchestra. Bad form (although probably fun). You’re doing something analogous in calling another’s views ‘self-serving’. OK, you don’t agee–no need to throw tomatoes.
In this context “conservative” implies preference to “the tried and true”, although from another’s perspective, these are the people preferring the shadows in the back of Plato’s cave, which they understand and trust.

By: Vern Nelson

Vern Nelson — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 05:53:22 +0000

American conservative perspectives: human-caused catastrophic global warming is a myth; there will be plenty of oil for at least a century, Earth is not close to over-population.

‘Tis strange, and passing strange, that such profligate and self-serving “perspectives” are what passes these days for “conservative.”