Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Discrimination (for any reason)

[Kay Argyle (argyle]

> And I believe we ought to work very hard to expand
> our tolerance for differences to include ...
> perfume-wearers, smokers, .... > Sheila

To appropriate an old cliche about bigotry --
I don't mind what perfume-wearers and smokers do in the privacy of their own
homes, but they shouldn't do it in public.  (I'm more forgiving of smelly
armpits -- I may breathe shallowly, but I don't start wheezing.)

Or, your right to wear perfume ends where my nose begins.

This has philosophical connections to the debate about the criteria by which
it's fair to exclude people.  My bronchitis isn't something I chose or can
change.

One of these days, researchers will figure out that what's causing the
asthma epidemic.  My bet is it's some chemical which has become a ubiquitous
pollutant.

The focus in safety studies has been so heavily on carcinogenicity.  Some
field researcher would say, "I've been seeing some weird stuff when this is
used, I think maybe it's dangerous."  The lab researchers give a heavy dose
of it to rats, and then watch for cancer.  No cancer.  "Nope," they say, "if
the rats didn't get cancer at that dosage, smaller dosages must be perfectly
safe."

PCBs don't seem to cause cancer. Cell phones don't seem to cause cancer.
Safe, right?  Come to find out PCBs are an estrogen mimic, and do nasty
things to the developing reproductive system at very small doses.   This
week's Science News reported a study indicating microwaves at levels emitted
by cell phones kill brain cells in rats, apparently by disrupting a blood
barrier.

Until somebody figures out what's doing it, though, it's only going to get
worse.  Perfume is probably going to become as widely unwelcome as cigarette
smoke.  There are already hospitals that ban it.  I'll be relieved when that
gets more common, even as I grieve for the necessity -- I used to love
perfume.

Kay

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