A Terrible Thing To Waste

A Terrible Thing To Waste

Adult nonfiction IT
"For more than a century, we've been assured that nothing can be
done to restore the intelligence of groups who manifest evidence--such
as lower IQ scores--that they are unprepared to compete in our fast-
paced Western world, where the mastery of specialized skills such as
reading and mathematical analysis has come to determine who will be a
success and who will be resented as a burden on society."
It should come as no surprise that those beyond redemption
groups consist of non whites. American history is rife with evidence
of belief in the genetic, unchangeable cognitive inferiority of People
of Color This myth allowed slave owners to act abominably without
experiencing guilt. According up their logic, Blacks were too
degraded to even survive without White supervision. In the 1920's,
when eugenics were all the rage, Whites used this reasoning as
justification for restrictive immigration and involuntary
sterilization laws. This belief is sadly still being recycled in the
21st Century.
In A Terrible Thing To Waste Harriet Washington shows how IQ,
rather than being innate and hereditory, is very environmentally
susceptible. In 1924 the United States actually closed an IQ gap of
fifteen points. Intending to cut down on deficiency diseases such as
goiter, the government had iodine added to salt. People from low
iodine areas suddenly did much better in intelligence tests.
But environmental effects can be toxic and devastatingly
damaging, which brings us to environmental racism.
"...De facto racial segregation, mortgage redlining, and, as I
shall describe, the withholding of basic environmental services are
used to force racial groups into environmental 'sacrifice zones,'
where exposure to high levels of IQ lowering heavy metals, chemicals,
and pathogens impede normal brain development..."
In chapter after chapter Washington describes the witch's brew
of toxins and pathogens that disproportionately impact communities of
color through the air they breathe, the water they drink, the foods
they eat, the places their children play, and the dust and chipping
paint in their rental apartments. She also describes the ways in
which America is failing to remediate the devastation the wreak as we
would if the sufferers were upper class whites. Read the book and
imagine how you'd feel if the afflicted were friends and family. Get
angry--maybe even angry enough to do something.
On a purrrsonal note, I had an unusual Mothers' Day. My husband had
given me a beautiful bouquet of flowers yesterday. Today I got very
special phone calls from my three children. Being able to talk to
them and learn that they and their significant others and cats are
healthy and managing really made my day. I so look forward to being
able to see them again. Of course sweet Tobago gave me the so many
gestures of love. Even though it was a mostly work day it was a good
day. (Jules).
I love my mommy hooman. (Tobago)
Tobago and Jules Hathaway.


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