While we were doing our investigations that yielded the books “Circle of Poison” and “The Bhopal Syndrome” in the 1970s and 1980s, I interviewed many scientists researching the long-term effects of agrochemicals like DDT, paraquat and Roundup (glyphosate).
Readers were understandably concerned about either getting poisoned by pesticides, or the possibility of developing cancer, birth defects or other central nervous system damage from exposure.
Inside the U.S., much of the reaction to the books focused on the low but persistent levels of residues in foods. Others, primarily environmental activists, worried about the contamination of the soil, water and air.
Personally, as one of the people doing the reporting, I did not have much concern about the short-term effects on anyone other than farmworkers or the industrial plant workers manufacturing these toxic substances. The dangers to those on the front lines were severe for sure, but to consumers, much less so.
On the other hand, I developed a sense from the many interviews with researchers that the long-term combined effects of multiple chemical exposure might gradually weaken the human immune system.
This would be due to the interactive or synergistic effects of absorbing the virtual cocktail of chemicals all of us unwittingly experienced day after day, year after year.
There were a number of potential consequences, according to those I interviewed:
A weakened immune system would make us more vulnerable to mutating viruses. Accordingly, pandemics would occur.
Injuries would become more common in competitive activities like sports.
Conditions like autism and other mental health problems might increase.
Our life expectancy would stop increasing and begin to drop.
Unfortunately, in the intervening decades, all of these complications have come to pass. In retrospect, the cumulative deterioration of our immune systems indeed appear to have been a factor.
It would seem we still have time to react, however. By transforming our agriculture from a chemical-intense mono-cropping system to organic multi-crop system, we may minimize the damage for future generations.
This is how we could break the circle of poison that is slowly weakening us as a species.
And that is my hopeful message for today.
NEWSLINKS:
Senate Control Hinges on Neck-and-Neck Races, Times/Siena Poll Finds (NYT)
Supreme Court temporarily blocks Congress from getting Trump income tax returns (CNBC)
Suspect in Paul Pelosi attack had list of targets, law enforcement sources say (CBS)
Pelosi, Vilified by Republicans for Years, Is a Top Target of Threats (NYT)
Elon Musk deleted a tweet about Paul Pelosi. Here’s why that matters. (WP)
The suspect in the life-threatening assault of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband was carrying duct tape and a bag with zip ties, according to law enforcement sources. It's chillingly reminiscent to what some of the Capitol rioters were carrying on Jan. 6, 2021. Suspect David DePape — a QAnon conspiracy theorist and defender of Donald Trump — insistently demanded of Paul Pelosi during the attack: “Where is Nancy? Where is Nancy?” [HuffPost]
Don’t blame ‘both sides.’ The right is driving political violence. (Max Boot/WP)
Paul Pelosi assault spurs calls on the Hill for boosted lawmaker security (Politico)
Election officials have been alerted to safe-proof their voting systems and be vigilant about political violence amid a "very complex threat environment," top cybersecurity official Jen Easterly said. (Reuters)
The FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Capitol Police and the National Counterterrorism Center reportedly issued a bulletin warning about attacks on political candidates and election officials by political extremists on the same day Paul Pelosi was assaulted. Heavily armed poll watchers have already cropped up in Arizona. [HuffPost]
Elon Musk’s Disastrous Weekend on Twitter (Atlantic)
The nuclear threats that hang over the world (Financial Times)
Power and water supply hit across Ukraine in 'massive' Russian missile strikes (BBC)
Putin ‘exacting vengeance’ for his military failures with latest strikes, says UK defence secretary (Guardian)
Nuclear memories: Russia, war and childhood fears rekindled (AP)
Twelve ships carrying grain left Ukrainian ports despite Russia having abandoned a U.N.-backed deal to guarantee exports from the war zone, suggesting Moscow had stopped short of reimposing a blockade that might have caused world hunger. (Reuters)
Lula da Silva will return to Brazil’s presidency in stunning comeback (CNN)
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won Brazil’s presidential election, as voters rebuked far-right President Jair Bolsonaro and his threats to dismantle the world's fourth-largest democracy. The new leftist leader led by less than 3 percentage points with more than 98% of votes counted. Bolsonaro has already laid the groundwork to deny any loss, spreading conspiracy theories about voter fraud. U.S. President Joe Biden quickly called da Silva to congratulate him. [HuffPost]
ICC judges approve request to reopen Afghanistan probe (ABC)
S. Korea in shock, grief as 153 die in Halloween crowd surge (AP)
Trump's company 'cheated' tax authorities, prosecutor says at trial (Reuters)
He’s an Outspoken Defender of Meat. Industry Funds His Research, Files Show. (NYT)
Euro zone inflation surged past expectations yet again this month to hit a record high, pointing to further interest rate hikes from the European Central Bank as price pressures appear to be broadening. (Reuters)
Michigan State suspends 4 players while police investigate ‘unacceptable’ scuffle after a Michigan-Michigan State football game (CNN)
Loretta Lynn's truth and excellence celebrated at star-studded tribute (Tennessean)
Dolly Parton says she likely won't tour again, but may play live from time to time (NPR)
‘Planet killer’ near-Earth asteroid spotted, the largest in 8 years (CNN)
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