What’s an article that you read that blew you away? That you shared with all your friends. That you Delicious’d and referenced throughout the year.*
This article was actually published in 2006, but I read it this year, and it made a huge impression: 10 Reasons to Rethink “Overpopulation” by the Population and Development Program at Hampshire College.
It’s an issue that’s important to me on a personal level (it’s always been difficult for me to articulate what I didn’t buy about the overpopulation argument that people raise to me as a mother of four), but it also just makes so much sense.
From the intro:
Placing the blame on population obscures the powerful economic and political forces that threaten the well-being of both people and the planet. It leads to top-down, target-driven population control programs that undermine voluntary family planning and women’s reproductive rights. It reinforces racism, promoting harmful stereotypes of poor people of color. And it prevents the kind of global understanding we need in order to reach across borders to work together for a more just, peaceful and environmentally sustainable world.
* This post was written in response to Gwen Bell’s December 3rd prompt for the Best of 2009 Blog Challenge.
i never know where to talk to people when i want to! i’m coming here, because at least i’m sure you’ll get it! =)
FUNNY that our daughter’s names are the same!! (well, pronounced the same!) someone asked where all their names came from, so i’ll answer eventually, but we used the scandinavian spelling because my husband’s family is swedish. = )
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