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Spring 2003

Ten Reasons Why Militarism is Bad for the Environment

DifferenTakes Series
22 ~ Spring 2003
[PDF Version]
By Simon Doolittle

As the world faces war with Iraq, many are understandably concerned with the immediate horror that war would bring. Beyond these very real dangers, we should take this opportunity to re-examine whether militarism is a healthy thing for our society and our planet. Reducing our dependence on the rule of force and de-militarizing our society would not only make the world more peaceful and free up resources to address the underlying causes of terrorism, it would also have a dramatically positive impact on our health and environment. Here are ten reasons why.

Simon Doolittle works for the Program on Development, Peacebuilding, and the Environment at the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.

Produced by the Population and Development Program at Hampshire College. Please see our website for other articles in our Ten Reasons Why Militarism is Bad series, including “Ten Reasons Why Militarism is Bad for Reproductive Freedom” and “Ten Reasons Why Militarism is Bad for Queer People.”

References

#1. Joni Seager,“Patriarchal Vandalism: Militaries and the Environment,” in Jael Silliman and Ynestra King, eds., Dangerous Intersections, Boston: South End Press, 1999.
#2. Will Collete, “Dealing with Military Toxics,” Citizens Clearinghouse for Hazardous Waste, 1987.
Center for Defense Information, “Highlights of the FY04 Budget Request,” accessed at http://www.cdi.org/budget/2004/.
International Action Network on Small Arms, “Global military spending rose 8% in 2000 after steady decline following Cold War,” accessed
at http://www.iansa.org/news/2001/aug_01/global_mil.htm.
#3. Natural Resources Defense Council,“The Consequences of Nuclear Conflict between India and Pakistan” accessed at http://www.nrdc.org/nuclear/southasia.asp.
Nicholas Lenssen, “Nuclear Waste:The Problem that Won’t Go Away,”Worldwatch Institute,Worldwatch Paper #106, December 1991.
Glenn P. Hastedt, “Nuclear Weapons and Nuclear Strategy,” American Foreign Policy: Past, Present, and Future, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1991.
#4. Nicholas Lenssen, “Nuclear Waste:The Problem that Won’t Go Away,”Worldwatch Institute,Worldwatch Paper #106, December 1991.
#5. James K. Boyce and Miriam Zoll, eds., The New Environmental Activists, Amherst, MA:The Political Economy Research Institute with the Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice, 2003.
Joni Seager,“Patriarchal Vandalism: Militaries and the Environment,” in Jael Silliman and Ynestra King, eds., Dangerous Intersections, Boston: South End Press, 1999.
Rachel L. Jones,“Minorities in the Military,” in Cynthia Peters ed., Collateral Damage, Boston: South End Press, 1992.
Military Toxics Project and Environmental Health Coalition, “Defend Our Health:The U.S. Military’s Environmental Assault on Communities,” accessed at http://www.miltoxproj.org/magnacarta/magnacarta.htm.
#6. Military Toxics Project and Environmental Health Coalition, “Defend Our Health:The U.S. Military’s Environmental Assault on Communities,” accessed at http://www.miltoxproj.org/magnacarta/magnacarta.htm.
Joni Seager,“Patriarchal Vandalism: Militaries and the Environment,” in Jael Silliman and Ynestra King, eds., Dangerous Intersections, Boston: South End Press, 1999.
#7. Lewis Publishing Company,“Agent Orange Website,” accessed at http://www.lewispublishing.com/orange.htm.
Donovan Webster, Aftermath, New York: Pantheon Books, 1996.
Joni Seager, “Operation Desert Disaster:The Environmental Costs of the War,” in Cynthia Peters ed., Collateral Damage, Boston: South End Press, 1992.
Daniel Faber, Environment Under Fire, New York: Monthly Review Press, 1993.
#8. Michael Klare,“Weapons of Mass Destruction in Operation Desert Storm,” in Cynthia Peters ed., Collateral Damage, Boston: South End Press, 1992.
#9. Donovan Webster, Aftermath, New York: Pantheon Books, 1996.
Dr. Huda S. Ammash,“Toxic Pollution, the Gulf War, and Sanctions,” in Anthony Argrove, ed., Iraq Under Siege, Boston: South End Press, 2000.
#10. Tom Roberts,“Peacemakers buck war’s strong headwinds,” National Catholic Reporter, April 26, 2002, page 22.

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Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis and Selection: From Disease Prevention to Customized Conception

DifferenTakes Series
24 ~ Spring 2003
[PDF Version]
By Tania Simoncelli

Many expectant parents hope that their child will be a girl or a boy, but should people be allowed to use high-tech fertility techniques for the sole purpose of customizing a child’s sex?

Tania Simoncelli currently works for the International Center for Technology Assessment (ICTA) in Washington, D.C. This article was written while she worked as a Program Director for the Center for Genetics and Society in Oakland, CA. Ms. Simoncelli holds an M.S. in Energy and Resources from the University of California, Berkeley and has worked as a policy analyst, researcher and activist on a host of environmental and public health issues.

References

  1. Zitner, Aaron.“A girl or boy, you pick.” LA Times, 23 July, 2002: A1.
  2. ASRM, 2001. “Preconception gender selection for nonmedical reasons.” Fertility and Sterility 75(5): 861-864.
  3. ASRM, 1999.“Sex selection and preimplantation genetic diagnosis”. Fertility and Sterility 72(4): 595-598.
  4. CHR (Center for Human Reproduction). 2002. http://www.centerforhumanreprod.com/treatment_assisted.html
  5. Zitner, 2002.
  6. Marcus, Amy Dockser. “Ensuring your baby will be healthy.” The Wall Street Journal, 25 July, 2002: D1.
  7. The Fertility Institutes, 2002.“Fertility evaluation and procedures: Sex (gender) selection employing PGD and sperm separation.” http://www.fertility-docs.com/fertility_gender.phtml
  8. Benagiano, G. and Bianchi, P. 1999.“Sex preselection: an aid to couples or a threat to humanity?” Human Reproduction 14: 868-870.
  9. Schieve, L.A., S.F. Meikle, C. Ferre, H.B. Peterson, G. Jeng, and L.S.Wilcox. 2002.“Low and very low birth weight in infants conceived with use of assisted reproductive technology.” New England Journal of Medicine 346: 731-737.
  10. Hansen, M., J.J. Kurinczuk, C. Bower, and S.Webb, 2002.“The risk of major birth defects after intracytoplasmic sperm injection and in vitro fertilization.” New England Journal of Medicine, 346: 725-730.
  11. Towner, D. and RS Loewy, 2002. “Ethics of preimplantation diagnosis for a woman destined to develop early-onset Alzheimer Disease.” JAMA,Vol. 287.
  12. Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Genetic Testing, 2002. http://www.preimplantationgenetictesting.com/Cancer_of_Breast.htm http://www.preimplantationgenetictesting.com/Cancer_Prevention.htm
  13. Malone, M.E.“A very early checkup: Genetic screening of embryos helps ease parents’ fears, but is it a step towards ‘designer babies?’”? Boston Globe, 11 December, 2001.
  14. ASRM, 2002.“What ASRM membership signifies.” http://www.asrm.org/search/asrm_physician/index.html
  15. Malone, 2001.
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10 Reasons Why Militarism is Bad for Women

DifferenTakes Series
25 ~ Spring 2003
[PDF Version]
By H. Patricia Hynes

We are mired in a U.S.-led pre-emptive war against Iraq and occupation of the country that violate international law and the UN Charter. With one exception, none of the U.S. administration protagonists have fought in a war. As one veteran recently wrote, “those who declare war should know [its price].” They should also know who pays the price. The greatest casualties of modern war are noncombatant civilians. Among civilian casualties, women and girls are deliberately targeted and grievously harmed by war. The following are ten reasons why militarism is bad for women.

H. Patricia Hynes is Professor of Environmental Health at Boston University School of Public Health where she is Director of the Urban Environmental Health Initiative and works on issues of urban environmental health, environmental justice and feminism.

References

Ashford, M.-W., & Huet-Vaughn, Y. (2000). “The impact of war on women.” In B. S. Levy & V.W. Sidel (Eds.), War and public health (pp. 186-196). Washington, D.C.: American Public Health Association.

Brownmiller, S. (1975). Against our will: Men, women and rape. New York: Simon and Schuster.

International Campaign to Ban Landmines. (2002). Toward a mine-free world. Human Rights Watch. http://www.icbl.org.

Muska, S., & Olafsdottir, G. (2002). Women, the forgotten face of war. New York: Bless Bless Productions.

Pollock Sturdevant, S., & & Stoltzfus, B. (Eds.). (1992). Let the good times roll: Prostitution and the U.S. military in Asia. New York:The New Press.

Rehn, E., & Johnson Sirleaf, E. (2002). Women, war and peace: The independent experts’ assessment on the impact of armed conflict on women and women’s role in peace-building: United Nations Development Fund for Women. http://www.unifem.undp.org.

Reza, A.,Mercy, J. A., & Krug, E. (2001). “Epidemiology of violent deaths in the world.” Injury Prevention, 7, 104-111.

Rojas, C., Okazawa-Rey, M., & Arriola, M. (2002). “War hits home for U.S. women.” WarTimes, 6,5.

Robson,T. (2002). Bosnia: the United Nations, human trafficking and prostitution. http://www.wsws.org.

Sarin, R. (2003). HIV/AIDS in the military. WorldWatch, March/April, 17-22.

Save the Children US. (2002). Mothers and children in war and conflict, State of the World’s Mothers 2002.

Spectre orange. (2003). The Guardian,March 29. http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,923831,00.html.

Swiss, S., & Giller, J. E. (1993). “Rape as a crime of war: A medical perspective.” JAMA, 270, 612-615.

Toole, M. J., & Waldman, R. J. (1997). “The public health aspects of complex emergencies and refugee situations.” Annual Review of Public Health, 18, 283-312.

United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women. (2001). Women 2000: Widowhood: Invisible women secluded or excluded. New York.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, & Save the Children UK. (2002). Note for implementing and operational partners by UNHCR and Save the Children UK on sexual violence & exploitation: The experience of refugee children in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. http://www.unhcr.ch.

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Ten Reasons Why Militarism is Bad for Queer People

DifferenTakes Series
21 ~ Spring 2003
[PDF Version]
By Ryn Gluckman

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (lgbtq) people cut across race, class, gender, and nationality lines and represent a full spectrum of political opinions. There are queer people in the military and a visible queer presence at almost every recent peace rally. Queer organizations, listserves, and communities have been rife with debates about what position to take on a war with Iraq. Meanwhile, lgbtq people remain under attack by military and fundamentalist governments around the world, including the U.S.

Ryn Gluckman is a queer activist and writer. S/he is the Program Coordinator for the Population and Development Program at Hampshire College and sits on the Board of Directors for Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere.

References

  1. Press Release.“PFAW President, Ralph G. Neas, Addresses Divisive Comments by Religious Right Leaders.” 9.13.2001. http://www.commondreams.org/news2001/0913-02.htm.
  2. Smith, David.“HRC Troubled by the Rise in Hate Crimes Following September 11.” The Human Rights Commission. www.hrc.org. 11.1.2002.
  3. Amnesty International. Crime of Hate, Conspiracy of Silence: Torture and Ill–Treatment Based on Sexual Identity. 2001.
  4. Conduct UnBecoming: 8th Annual Report. Service Members Legal Defense. 2002. Johnson, John. “Nine Gay Linguists Discharged from the Army;Soldiers’ dismissals stem from violations of the �don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy. Critics call move unwise, given a shortage of Arabic translators.” L.A. Times. 11.16.2002, p.10.
  5. Amnesty International. Crime of Hate, Conspiracy of Silence: Torture and Ill–Treatment Based on Sexual Identity. 2001. The Lesbian and Gay Immigration Rights Task Force. www.lgirtf.org.
  6. “Boycott the NGLTF.” Posted by the Out Against the War Coalition. Queers for Racial and Economic Justice Digest. Digest #736. 12.11.2002. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/QFREJ
  7. “Is Opposing the War an LGBT Issue?” American Friends Service Committee and the National Youth Advocacy Coalition. http://www.afsc.org/lgbt/peace/. Center for Defense Information, “Highlights of the FY04 Budget Request, ” accessed at http://www.cdi.org/budget/2004/. Thayer, Andy. “The Next War and Why We Should Oppose It.” Chicago AntiBashing Network. http://www.cabn.org/archives/2002/081802opposewar.html. 8/18/02. Stewart, Rhonda. “Gay Teen Program Looks at Service Cuts.” Boston Globe. 8/25/2002.
  8. “Europe and the US Bankroll Persecution of Homosexuals in Egypt” International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission. Press Release. http://www.iglhrc.org/php/section.php?id=5&detail=82 2/12/2002. “TV Preacher Robertson Attacks Islam as Violent Faith Bent on World .” Press Release by Americans United For the Separation of Church and State. 2/22/2002.
  9. Baer, Susan. “Women move closer to the front lines.” Baltimore Sun. 3/9/2003. p. A24.
  10. Barillas, C. “Swiss Provide Compensation to Gay Victims of Nazis.” Data Lounge. www.datalounge.com 8/18/1997. Mattson, Marcia. “Transformed by tragedy.” The Florida Times–Union. 9/11/2002.
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Conflict of Interest: Maternal–Fetal Conflict and the Politics of Conservation

DifferenTakes Series
23 ~ Spring 2003
[PDF Version]
By Jill Moffett

What does promoting the sterilization of poor women addicted to drugs have in common with the reaction of environmental activists to whaling by the Makau Indians?1 To many people these actions seem uncontroversial: after all, most people support efforts to prevent fetal exposure to drugs and agree that endangered species should be protected. But both are premised on an adversarial mode of thought which is deeply embedded in U.S. culture and difficult to move beyond.

Jill Moffett is a feminist activist and writer. She is currently enrolled in the Women’s Studies Ph.D. program at the University of Iowa. Her research is focused on feminist health activism, particularly activism around breast cancer.

References

  1. The program, C.R.A.C.K./Positive Prevention, offers $200 for women using drugs to be sterilized or put on long–term, risky contraceptives. “Cracking open CRACK: Unethical sterilization movement gains momentum,” by Judith Scully. DifferenTakes. No.2, Spring 2000. http://hamp.hampshire.edu/~clpp/DTNo2.htm
  2. Dorothy Roberts, Killing the Black Body, (New York: Vintage Books, 1999), 40.
  3. Dorothy Roberts, “Punishing Drug Addicts Who Have Babies: Women of Color, Equality and the Right of Privacy,” in Abortion Wars: A Half Century of Struggle, 1950–2000, edited by Rickie Solinger (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1998).
  4. Valerie Hartouni, Cultural Conceptions (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1997), 2.
  5. Ibid.
  6. Anne Balsamo, “Public Pregnancies and Cultural Narratives of Surveillance, ” in Revisioning Women, Health and Healing, Adele E. Clarke and Virginia L. Olesen eds. (New York: Routledge, 1999), 236.
  7. Roberts, “Punishing Drug Addicts, ” 124.
  8. Tim Jones and Frank James, “White House proposes classifying fetus as a child, ” Chicago Tribune, February 1, 2002. ix Ibid., 149.
  9. Martha Nussbaum, Women and Human Development: The Capabilities Approach (Cambridge UK: Cambridge University Press, 2000), 6.
  10. Charles C.Mann, “The Real Dirt on Rainforest Fertility, ” Science297 (August 9, 2002).
  11. Joni Seager, Earth Follies (New York: Routledge, 1993), 4.
  12. Wendy–Anne Thompson, “That Was One Expensive Meal, ” Alberta Report 26, no. 25 (June 13, 1999).
  13. Mark Berman, “Gray Whales Still at Risk,” Earth Island Journal 15, no. 3 (Autumn 2000).
  14. Thompson, “That Was One Expensive Meal,” quoting Judith Stone, president of the Animal Advocates Society of B.C.
  15. Aaron Sachs, Eco–Justice: Linking Human Rights and the Environment (Worldwatch Paper 127, December 1995; Worldwatch Institute: D.C.), 14.
  16. John Mbaria, “Who Is Really Breaking Nature’s Law?” in World Press Review 47, no.10 (October 2000).
  17. Rajani Bhatia, “Greening the Swastika: Nativism and Anti–Semitism in the Population and Environment Debate, ” in Policing the National Body, eds. Jael Silliman and Annanya Bhattacharjee (Cambridge, MA: South End Press, 2000), 291.
  18. John S.Dryzek, The Politics of the Earth: Environmental Discourses (Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 1997), 7.
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