Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1998 20:09:41 EDT From: JWi5770869@aol.com To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg2781$foo@default> Subject: New species or hybrid - a wider view?
Dear All,
In reply to Paul Temple's entry in Digest 1547
>It seems to me that there is an undeniable argument that the country within
which such a plant is endemic must have rights to that plant in the same way
that countries have rights to all other natural resources within their
borders.
What about plant breeders that patent/copyright certain plant strains....Are
you in favour of this as your argument seems to suggest?
>So, despite all I said, I don't believe in ownership of resurces
but thanks to the antisocial nature of human beings we are forced to have it.
So exactly what are you trying to say? ( BTW Communism is no longer a viable
alternative!!!!!!!)
>The outcome is that, despite almost all of Cuba's plants being known and
identified (established through publication), this has always been done by
non-Cubans.
If I wish to identify and publish on the white flowered Pinguicula Grandiflora
(yes I know the arguments about it not being a distinct species :) ) do I
have to become an Irish Citizen?
Instead of bemoaning the fact that most of the identifiers have been non-
Cubans , do you have a reason WHY Cubans have not been at the forefront? Or do
you just have an axe to grind on behalf of Cuba?
Is it perhaps that some of the so called selfish Europeans have put their own
resources, enthusiasm and also CONCERNS about the world in general ahead?
Doesn't sound very selfish to me.
>So, since botanists, especially those in the more scientifically advanced
countries, have failed to account for the moral rights of the countries on
whose resources they depend, the law has finally stepped in to aknowledge the
fact and afford protection.
Moral rights to what? One could argue that these countries have a moral right
to protect habitat, however they are just as keen as the 'selfish Europeans'
to cash in on mineral rights,grazing land for hamburger cows, timber etc.
And don't give me any old balony about local land owners being led astray by
temptation to the mighty dollar,eyes shut to everything else. By and large
they're like the rest of us, trying to get by and trying to do the least
damage between birth and death, however like all perfect intentions it never
quite works out that way.
Whilst I acknowledge the sometimes desperate gap between the un/developed
nations, blaming one side (if there is such a thing!) over the other only
leads to conflict.The casualties of this conflict tends to be the things that
we love (in this case CP's :)
John 'selfish European' Wilden
'Selfish' Southport
'Extremely self-centred' UK
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