Sunday, September 21, 2008

Special Place in Hell



Someone once said that capitalism without humanity is evil. That is an adage that takes special meaning, at least for me, whenever children are involved. I'm all for some person who comes up with a new idea, or through hard work builds a business, making a buck or two off of it. However, to purposely endanger the lives of children so the bottom line can be fatten up just a little more defies all manner of common sense. While I write this last statement realizing I'm far from perfect I hope God reserves a special place in Hell for those "business people" that follow such practices and curiously enough a few business journalists I've heard who make light of these events claiming China is too good a friend to get very upset over a few poisoned children.

A government probe announced on Tuesday showed a fifth of 109 dairy producers checked made batches of products adulterated with melamine, which is banned from use in foods.

Earlier this week, officials said 1,253 children were ill and two had died after the country's biggest baby milk powder maker, the Sanlu Group, last week revealed its products contained melamine, which can be used to bamboozle milk quality checks.

Melamine is rich in nitrogen, used to measure protein, and so can be used to disguise diluted milk. It can cause kidney stones and other organ problems. Four suppliers have so far been arrested for selling melamine-laced milk to Sanlu.

23 comments:

Mike said...

I have never been a fan of Chinese products, but this last incident is the straw that broke the camel's back for me, and if our government had any balls (which they don't), they would halt all Chinese imports.

rainboy said...

these bastards ..they just want to make money..what the fuck is the govt doing??
damn ...1,253 kids ..how many will survive?

they fellas should be hanged.

Distributorcap said...

you know what else

they have found $700 billion (or more) to save fat cats and idiots on wall st

last year they couldnt come up with $40 billion for SCHIP - health care for kids

both the pres and congress (whoever blocked this) deserve that special place in hell.

i didnt think bush could get me more angry -- i was wrong

Commander Zaius said...

Mike: I absolutely agree. Both political parties (with notable exceptions in both) to a great degree have sold their souls to business interests in the name of free trade and globalization. Top it all off China buys our T-bills that finance the federal government's spending. I freaked over how way back during the lead paint on toys event how the Chinese governments and the business journalists here in the US played it off. I won't mention which business journalist I personally heard on one of the business channels say that we were luck to have China as a friend. I won't saw who it was but here is the link to the you tube video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCab5CJXWo4

Vicky: Yeah, I'm not big on the death penalty (but it is needed at times) for several reasons but those who poisoned the milk sure should get it.

DCap: 700 billion for (generally) republican fat cats and 40 billion was too much to for kid health care. If most Americans, who claim to be good Christians, actually lived up the beliefs of the teachings of Jesus they would be ashamed.

Vigilante said...

This is a great opportunity and timely post.

The Reichwing alleges that efforts of Americans to defend themselves and their families against the "creative destruction" (an expression of capitalism purists) of unregulated capitalism is "socialistic".

Not true. Socialism has to have regulations too, or the people suffer from structures which are not earthquake safe, from un-safe foods, etc.

e.g., China.

This is not a subject that can be adequately addressed by capitalist or socialist dogmatists; the consumers - everywhere - can only be protected by commonsense pragmatists.

Leigh of Tales from Bloggeritaville said...

It's dispicable and disgusting. CHINA SUCKS!!!! Really, I wrefuse to purchase any more products that are "made in china" and I wish our government would to tha same.


HORRIBLE!

Leigh of Tales from Bloggeritaville said...

Hey beach bum,

Would be so kind to consider passing this link along. It is one that I know you will find worthy. We shoudl all write to your givernment officials and insist something be done.

http://lbratina.blogspot.com/2008/09/of-great-importance.html

Kentucky Rain said...

There are times when I wish I could believe in things like "hell." This is one of those times. I have been railing against the Chinese for years and will continue to do so. Not only is the Chinese government dangerous to their own they are dangerous to the world.

Unknown said...

Hi Beach -- this milk fiasco is one more example of the greedy business society we live in.

I second your motion -- with a difference, i.e., those responsible should be hogtied and fed to the sharks in China Sea.

(PS: hope everything's well with you and yours...)

Unknown said...

Btw, my Mom had been warning me against China made food stuff; she says their toothpaste marked Colgate are also fake and could contain lead... yikes!

Stella by Starlight said...

Beach, If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at the people he gave it to. (Dorothy Parker)

Like distributorcap, every time I think I've hit my limit with Bushit, he commits some other nasty action to heighten my anger.

This is so horrible. I do everything I can to buy locally—it's a challenge. If China will do this to their own children, is it any wonder we're getting lead-coated toys?

Unknown said...

Re: "Not only is the Chinese government dangerous to their own they are dangerous to the world."

And there's billions of them.

Commander Zaius said...

Vigil: One of the things that makes me ashamed of my fellow Americans is how they can't seem to act as anything but as consumers. So much that the thought that they act more like a malignant virus has come to mind. I know this is speaking both to the choir and the wind but it’s time to start acting more like citizens than consumers.

Leigh: The problem is that Chinese products are so wide spread, cheap, and most of the time there isn't any American made counterpart. Business types wanting that easy buck and consumers wanting cheap products have sold their souls. I'll do a write up on the link in a couple of days.

MadMike: While I naturally, because of Miss Wiggles, have a huge affection for China and its peoples the Chinese government knows that the 21st century will more than likely see them become the dominate world power in a few decades. Therefore, like you while I know they are dangerous now I believe in a few decades we might see a reverse of "gunboat diplomacy" on us like the United States did to the Latin American countries in the late 19th and 20th centuries.

Hill: What did Lenin say about the capitalists selling them the rope they would hang us with? But in this case, with Red China going capitalist, we might all just be committing suicide for the sake of a buck. Heard the same thing about toothpaste.

Stella: I'm with you; every time I feel it can't get any worse it does just that. I fear things with China could get much worse.

Vigilante said...

Beach, maybe we Americans ought to read (or reread) Vladimir Dmitrievich Dudintsev's Soviet era novel Not By Bread Alone (1956). In it, Lop takin defies his oppressors:

"Man lives not by bread alone, if he is honest,"

and says to them

"Unfortunately, it is impossible to offend you....You disgrace yourself abominably and never feel it." (That should be directed at Busheney)

We Americans are living by and for our consumption. If not by bread alone do we live, we live for our gas, our teevees, and our SUV's. If our heritage was saved in the 1940's by the "Greatest Generation", how would you describe the generation which has sacrificed it? "The Greediest Generation"?

Sara Sue said...

Vigilante said it all. 1253 kids ... it just boggles the mind!

Randal Graves said...

In addition to the $700 billion for Gordon Gekko, don't forget about the billions in Iraq.

Good thing no one needs health care. Whew! Not that we'd accept it 'cause that's socialist.

Vigilante said...

Let the Church say, "Amen"!

Keshi said...

Asian products r so gross I dun even buy a toy from em anymore!

Keshi.

Forrest Proper said...

There is certainly lots wrong in China these days. One of my favorite interests is the history of food adulteration, and in Victorian America & England they made fancy white frosting for children's cakes by dumping white lead into it; they put cobalt salts into canned blueberries to make them blue, and copper into canned peas and green beans to keep them green. So now it looks as if the Chinese have learned their lessons well- from us.

lime said...

it's really quite disgusting. perhaps now that their own children are suffering they will wise up? then again maybe not.

in lighter news, you have a role in a post i just put up.

Utah Savage said...

Great post Beach. I came late to this post and everyone has said it better than I could so like Vig I say Amen.

Commander Zaius said...

Vigil:I've had this phrase in my mind several times as I've watched the strange behavior far too many Americans seem to relish.
"Those that the gods wish to destroy they first drive insane."

Don't know who wrote it and my google search wasn't much help. If all my whining is boiled down to a relatively simple level is exactly what you hit upon, Americans are not the people we were twenty years ago much less going back to WW2.

Sara Sue: Going back to my first comment on this thread since China does not have a government directly responsible to its people I can in a very cynical way grasp how inspectors and others could let something like thus happen. Where this situation worries me about the nation's soul is too have it happen here and to have the female business journalist on CNBC make light of the situations were children's lives are endangered under the mantle of cheap products.

Randal: You know with all the damage Bush and his kind have done I'm actually starting to entertain the idea that he is an enemy agent. As far as health care is concerned most of the guys I work with rail against the idea of "socialist health care" but yet complain of paying so much for from their paychecks. But the kicker is that in the break room right now a lady has setup a bucket with a note saying that in her church a child is suffering from cancer. And that some unnamed company will pay for ONE minute of chemo for the child for every drink bottle cap collected. Now I can't speak for anyone else but there is something so freaking wrong with my co-workers, that company pushing some gimmick for that kid's chemo, and a country will in a panic cough up 700 billion for bankers.

Vigil: Amen, my friend. My God, the universe, or simple karma have mercy on all our souls.

Keshi: I wish we all had a choice in where the products we buy came from.

Colonel: I didn't know that about icing, blueberries, and peas. I have some knowledge of Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle" about the meat industry in the 19th century.
But in the name of Free Markets, cheap products, and globalization I'm sure most can overlook toxic milk, lead in toys, and dead pets.

Lime: I wish the Chinese and our own people would get pissed enough to scare the people in power enough for them to actually start working for us.

Utah: Don't ever worry about being late. I'm late for too often .

Anonymous said...

Interesting....
thanks for sharing....



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Melvin
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