4 ms·

The last three paragraphs read very strongly like propaganda to me, which makes me wonder if the subject (tumeric adulteration) was chosen as something to write

by oska 3y ago

The last three paragraphs read very strongly like propaganda to me, which makes me wonder if the subject (tumeric adulteration) was chosen as something to write about just to put pressure on Bangladesh's and India's current rulers.

fnordpiglet 3y ago
I read it as exactly that - pressure to reduce the prevalence of lead in turmeric. That seems like a reasonable thing to do and place to apply pressure?
- oska 3y ago
  The pressure was much more than that, they are pushing for an "openness to foreign expertise" and a "willingness by the government to work with [NGOs]". And they criticise Modi for "driving out foreign donors and dismantling any NGO he considers unfriendly to him". I don't think the problem of tumeric adulteration is something that needs 'foreign expertise' to solve. It's an undeniably serious problem but one that any country should be able to address on its own.
  - dgellow 3y ago
    Why the scare quotes[0]? That impacts people throughout the entire world, of course international experts should be part of working groups trying to deal with the situation. How else do you create trust? 0: fixed typo “scary quotes”, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scare_quotes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scare_quotes
    - deleted 3y ago
      [deleted]
ta_vf7xjd34cc 3y ago
[flagged]
- mschuster91 3y ago
  > The British Empire might have disappeared but a segment of the English elite continue to believe that the former colonies must be run based on ideas that emerge from their superior intellect. Everyone and their dog knows that lead is dangerous. You don't need to have a "superior intellect" to realize this. > Most governments in Africa, Asia and South America must have first hand experience with why (and how) NGOs are funded in their countries by the West Most of these governments are corrupt to the bone.
  - ta_vf7xjd34cc 3y ago
    > Everyone and their dog knows that lead is dangerous. If the article were truly written by someone whose heart bleeds for those suffering from lead poisoning in the Indian subcontinent, they would restrict themselves to that single issue. These potshots at the leaders together with the emphasis on "foreign expertise" and ""effective NGOs" shows two things: - the colonial supremacist mindset is alive and well. It is merely adopted a new form conducive to this era. - NGO-fronted regime change operations are not doing so well in this part of the world. > Most of these governments are corrupt to the bone. As are most governments in the West. Lobbying and campaign contributions is bribery by another name. Parts of every Western power center are for sale at the right price. That does not mean that it is acceptable for their enemies to initiate regime change operations in these places.
  - graphe 3y ago
    Except this molecule isn't dangerous. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead(II)_chromate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead(II)_chromate >Despite containing both lead and hexavalent chromium, lead chromate is not particularly toxic because of its very low solubility. The LD50 for rats is only 5,000 mg/kg. Lead chromate is treated with great care in its manufacture, the main concerns being dust of the chromate precursor. "Extensive epidemiological investigations have given no indication that the practically insoluble lead chromate pigments have any carcinogenic properties".
    - mschuster91 3y ago

by oska 3y ago

fnordpiglet 3y ago

I read it as exactly that - pressure to reduce the prevalence of lead in turmeric. That seems like a reasonable thing to do and place to apply pressure?

oska 3y ago
The pressure was much more than that, they are pushing for an "openness to foreign expertise" and a "willingness by the government to work with [NGOs]". And they criticise Modi for "driving out foreign donors and dismantling any NGO he considers unfriendly to him". I don't think the problem of tumeric adulteration is something that needs 'foreign expertise' to solve. It's an undeniably serious problem but one that any country should be able to address on its own.
- dgellow 3y ago
  Why the scare quotes[0]? That impacts people throughout the entire world, of course international experts should be part of working groups trying to deal with the situation. How else do you create trust? 0: fixed typo “scary quotes”, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scare_quotes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scare_quotes
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]

ta_vf7xjd34cc 3y ago

[flagged]

mschuster91 3y ago
> The British Empire might have disappeared but a segment of the English elite continue to believe that the former colonies must be run based on ideas that emerge from their superior intellect. Everyone and their dog knows that lead is dangerous. You don't need to have a "superior intellect" to realize this. > Most governments in Africa, Asia and South America must have first hand experience with why (and how) NGOs are funded in their countries by the West Most of these governments are corrupt to the bone.
- ta_vf7xjd34cc 3y ago
  > Everyone and their dog knows that lead is dangerous. If the article were truly written by someone whose heart bleeds for those suffering from lead poisoning in the Indian subcontinent, they would restrict themselves to that single issue. These potshots at the leaders together with the emphasis on "foreign expertise" and ""effective NGOs" shows two things: - the colonial supremacist mindset is alive and well. It is merely adopted a new form conducive to this era. - NGO-fronted regime change operations are not doing so well in this part of the world. > Most of these governments are corrupt to the bone. As are most governments in the West. Lobbying and campaign contributions is bribery by another name. Parts of every Western power center are for sale at the right price. That does not mean that it is acceptable for their enemies to initiate regime change operations in these places.
- graphe 3y ago
  Except this molecule isn't dangerous. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead(II)_chromate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead(II)_chromate >Despite containing both lead and hexavalent chromium, lead chromate is not particularly toxic because of its very low solubility. The LD50 for rats is only 5,000 mg/kg. Lead chromate is treated with great care in its manufacture, the main concerns being dust of the chromate precursor. "Extensive epidemiological investigations have given no indication that the practically insoluble lead chromate pigments have any carcinogenic properties".
  - mschuster91 3y ago