TIL U.S sprayed nearly 20 million gallons of chemical herbicides and defoliants during Vietnam war as a part of Operation Ranch Hand. Longstanding effects of the sprayed chemicals led to approximately 400,000 deaths and at least 500,000 children born with congenital disorders in Vietnam

submitted by magnora7 from environmentandsociety.org

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[–]Tom_Bombadil 8 insightful - 4 fun8 insightful - 3 fun9 insightful - 4 fun -  (4 children)

This crime is multiplied many times over, as contaminated persons may have long term birth defects and health complications for multiple generations.

Multigenerational and Transgenerational Effects of Dioxins - NCBI

To make matters worse dioxins are:

  • Exceedingly temperature resistant (many dioxins are produced during incineration, so incinerators don't destroy them)
  • Environmentally persistent
  • Evaporate at room temp
  • Many condense a few degrees above the freezing point (and eventually accumulate at higher latitudes)
  • Bioaccumulate

https://www.alsglobal.eu/specialities/dioxins-testing/dioxin-testing/about-dioxins

The seriousness of this hazard cannot be overstated.

[–][deleted] 4 insightful - 3 fun4 insightful - 2 fun5 insightful - 3 fun -  (3 children)

The seriousness of this hazard cannot be overstated.

Absolutely not! And don't forget about Depleted Uranium as well. Many innocent soldiers and civilians have been harmed because of it in Iraq and Afghanistan for generations.

[–]JasonCarswell 5 insightful - 5 fun5 insightful - 4 fun6 insightful - 5 fun -  (2 children)

It's stuff like this that make me retch every time someone goes off on the "commies" - as if we're the good guys. As if "we" meant we. ("We" didn't win the Superbowl. A few guys on the team did. "We" watched.)

The real battle is between the ruling class and everyone else. #FightElitesNotEachOther

[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

FightElitesNotEachOther

A little off the mark but yes, Elites utilize the public to achieve goals. If one faction convinces 100% of the public about something, then the balance of power is negatively shifted and detrimental to the whole. In order to have space and wiggle room, battles have to be fought in multiple directions- both in the public, while addressing the leadership simultaneously. It can get complicated but one has to resist internally against both friends and foes externally or get others to see that in order to get back on the proper path and have balance.

If the Elites are destroyed though, then another faction will just come to exist in a power vacuum as part of the multiple heads of the hydra. In the end, the fight for power is nothing more than a fight for convenience and riches to exploitation of the farm. Somewhere in the chaotic middle, is the possibility of genuine development and problem solving (Which is the real war!) but it too requires balance of power to be maintained.

[–]JasonCarswell 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Fighting the elites doesn't mean fighting the elites alone - it also means disassembling their rigged control systems - breaking their machines so that they can't continue the status quo.