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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
Peter Borst <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 15 Aug 2002 20:46:50 -0400
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The "Proposal for the Sequencing of a New Target Genome: White Paper
for a Honey Bee Genome Project" contains a number of ringing
endorsements, including these two:

1. "Obtaining the genomic sequence information of the honey bee would
provide important information and myriad positive implications for
apiculture, entomology, human health, human biology, ecology and
agriculture"

-- Troy H. Fore, Jr.

2. "Because both the brain and social organization are simpler and
more accessible in honeybees and other social insects, principles are
likely to be discovered early on that have application to the
understanding of human social behavior."

-- Edward O.Wilson

-------------------------

A counter argument follows:

How Science is Perverted to Build Fascism, by Steve Rosenthal [excerpts]

E.O. Wilson is a Harvard professor emeritus of entomology, the study
of insects. In the 1970s he updated the old social Darwinist ideology
that human societies are shaped by the biological nature of humans.
Just as the nature of ants creates colonies of queens, drones,
workers, and slaves, the nature of humans creates racism, sexism,
patriotism, wars, religion, and class exploitation.

Wilson used this "revelation" to argue that efforts to fight against
racism, sexism, and imperialism go against human nature and are thus
exceedingly difficult, and to claim that communism is unscientific
and cannot work. Wilson proudly says of himself, "At my core, I am a
social conservative, a loyalist. I cherish traditional institutions,
the more venerable and ritual-laden the better."

There is no genetic basis for tribalism, racism, sexism, or other
features of present societies. These ideologies and behaviors in the
world today reflect the class interests of capitalist rulers, and
millions of workers throughout the world have fought against them.

In universities today capitalist control over science has been
tightened up. Biotech, pharmaceutical, and military interests control
public and private research funding, and pressures to obtain grants
preoccupy most scientists.
--

Peter Borst <[log in to unmask]>

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