Meeting Doctor Doom [Top scientist advocates eliminating 90% of population for ecology]

There is always something special about science meetings. The 109th meeting of the Texas Academy of Science at Lamar University in Beaumont on 3-5 March 2006 was especially exciting for me, because a student and his professor presented the results of a DNA study I suggested to them last year. How fulfilling to see the baldcypress ( Taxodium distichum ) leaves we collected last summer and my tree ring photographs transformed into a first class scientific presentation that's nearly ready to submit to a scientific journal (Brian Iken and Dr. Deanna McCullough, "Bald Cypress of the Texas Hill Country: Taxonomically Unique?" 109th Meeting of the Texas Academy of Science Program and Abstracts [ PDF ], Poster P59, p. 84, 2006).

But there was a gravely disturbing side to that otherwise scientifically significant meeting, for I watched in amazement as a few hundred members of the Texas Academy of Science rose to their feet and gave a standing ovation to a speech that enthusiastically advocated the elimination of 90 percent of Earth's population by airborne Ebola. The speech was given by Dr. Eric R. Pianka (Fig. 1), the University of Texas evolutionary ecologist and lizard expert who the Academy named the 2006 Distinguished Texas Scientist.

Something curious occurred a minute before Pianka began speaking. An official of the Academy approached a video camera operator at the front of the auditorium and engaged him in animated conversation. The camera operator did not look pleased as he pointed the lens of the big camera to the ceiling and slowly walked away.

This curious incident came to mind a few minutes later when Professor Pianka began his speech by explaining that the general public is not yet ready to hear what he was about to tell us. Because of many years of experience as a writer and editor, Pianka's strange introduction and the TV camera incident raised a red flag in my mind. Suddenly I forgot that I was a member of the Texas Academy of Science and chairman of its Environmental Science Section. Instead, I grabbed a notepad so I could take on the role of science reporter.

One of Pianka's earliest points was a condemnation of anthropocentrism, or the idea that humankind occupies a privileged position in the Universe. He told a story about how a neighbor asked him what good the lizards are that he studies. He answered, “What good are you?”

Pianka hammered his point home by exclaiming, “We're no better than bacteria!”

Pianka then began laying out his concerns about how human overpopulation is ruining the Earth. He presented a doomsday scenario in which he claimed that the sharp increase in human population since the beginning of the industrial age is devastating the planet. He warned that quick steps must be taken to restore the planet before it's too late.

Professor Pianka said the Earth as we know it will not survive without drastic measures. Then, and without presenting any data to justify this number, he asserted that the only feasible solution to saving the Earth is to reduce the population to 10 percent of the present number.

He then showed solutions for reducing the world's population in the form of a slide depicting the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. War and famine would not do, he explained. Instead, disease offered the most efficient and fastest way to kill the billions that must soon die if the population crisis is to be solved.

Pianka then displayed a slide showing rows of human skulls, one of which had red lights flashing from its eye sockets.

AIDS is not an efficient killer, he explained, because it is too slow. His favorite candidate for eliminating 90 percent of the world's population is airborne Ebola ( Ebola Reston ), because it is both highly lethal and it kills in days, instead of years. However, Professor Pianka did not mention that Ebola victims die a slow and torturous death as the virus initiates a cascade of biological calamities inside the victim that eventually liquefy the internal organs.

After praising the Ebola virus for its efficiency at killing, Pianka paused, leaned over the lectern, looked at us and carefully said, “We've got airborne 90 percent mortality in humans. Killing humans. Think about that.”

With his slide of human skulls towering on the screen behind him, Professor Pianka was deadly serious. The audience that had been applauding some of his statements now sat silent.

After a dramatic pause, Pianka returned to politics and environmentalism. But he revisited his call for mass death when he reflected on the oil situation.

“And the fossil fuels are running out,” he said, “so I think we may have to cut back to two billion, which would be about one-third as many people.” So the oil crisis alone may require eliminating two-third's of the world's population.

How soon must the mass dying begin if Earth is to be saved? Apparently fairly soon, for Pianka suggested he might be around when the killer disease goes to work. He was born in 1939, and his lengthy obituary appears on his web site.

When Pianka finished his remarks, the audience applauded. It wasn't merely a smattering of polite clapping that audiences diplomatically reserve for poor or boring speakers. It was a loud, vigorous and enthusiastic applause.

Then came the question and answer session, in which Professor Pianka stated that other diseases are also efficient killers.

The audience laughed when he said, “You know, the bird flu's good, too.” They laughed again when he proposed, with a discernable note of glee in his voice that, “We need to sterilize everybody on the Earth.”

After noting that the audience did not represent the general population, a questioner asked, "What kind of reception have you received as you have presented these ideas to other audiences that are not representative of us?"

Pianka responded to more questions by condemning politicians in general and Al Gore by name, because they do not address the population problem and "...because they deceive the public in every way they can to stay in power."

He spoke glowingly of the police state in China that enforces their one-child policy. He said, "Smarter people have fewer kids." He said those who don't have a conscience about the Earth will inherit the Earth, "...because those who care make fewer babies and those that didn't care made more babies." He said we will evolve as uncaring people, and "I think IQs are falling for the same reason, too."

With this, the questioning was over. Immediately almost every scientist, professor and college student present stood to their feet and vigorously applauded the man who had enthusiastically endorsed the elimination of 90 percent of the human population. Some even cheered. Dozens then mobbed the professor at the lectern to extend greetings and ask questions. It was necessary to wait a while before I could get close enough to take some photographs (Fig. 1).

I was assigned to judge a paper in a grad student competition after the speech. On the way, three professors dismissed Pianka as a crank. While waiting to enter the competition room, a group of a dozen Lamar University students expressed outrage over the Pianka speech.

Yet five hours later, the distinguished leaders of the Texas Academy of Science presented Pianka with a plaque in recognition of his being named 2006 Distinguished Texas Scientist. When the banquet hall filled with more than 400 people responded with enthusiastic applause, I walked out in protest.

Recently I exchanged a number of e-mails with Pianka. I pointed out to him that one might infer his death wish was really aimed at Africans, for Ebola is found only in Central Africa. He replied that Ebola does not discriminate, kills everyone and could spread to Europe and the the Americas by a single infected airplane passenger.

In his last e-mail, Pianka wrote that I completely fail to understand his arguments. So I did a check and found verification of my interpretation of his remarks on his own web site. In a student evaluation of a 2004 course he taught, one of Professor Pianka's students wrote, "Though I agree that convervation [sic] biology is of utmost importance to the world, I do not think that preaching that 90% of the human population should die of ebola [sic] is the most effective means of encouraging conservation awareness." (Go here and scroll down to just before the Fall 2005 evaluation section near the end.)

Yet the majority of his student reviews were favorable, with one even saying, “ I worship Dr. Pianka.”

The 45-minute lecture before the Texas Academy of Science converted a university biology senior into a Pianka disciple, who then published a blog that seriously supports Pianka's mass death wish.

Let me now remove my reporter's hat for a moment and tell you what I think. We live in dangerous times. The national security of many countries is at risk. Science has become tainted by highly publicized cases of misconduct and fraud.

Must now we worry that a Pianka-worshipping former student might someday become a professional biologist or physician with access to the most deadly strains of viruses and bacteria? I believe that airborne Ebola is unlikely to threaten the world outside of Central Africa. But scientists have regenerated the 1918 Spanish flu virus that killed 50 million people. There is concern that small pox might someday return. And what other terrible plagues are waiting out there in the natural world to cross the species barrier and to which scientists will one day have access?

Meanwhile, I still can't get out of my mind the pleasant spring day in Texas when a few hundred scientists of the Texas Academy of Science gave a standing ovation for a speaker who they heard advocate for the slow and torturous death of over five billion human beings.

Forrest M. Mims III is Chairman of the Environmental Science Section of the Texas Academy of Science, and the editor of The Citizen Scientist. He and his science are featured online at www.forrestmims.org and www.sunandsky.org. The views expressed herein are his own and do not represent the official views of the Texas Academy of Science or the Society for Amateur Scientists.

ah yes...and so the new nazis appear...of course he is in the 10%, he must be to lead the new vorld order!!! yes mein furher!!! /end sarc

he loves the world so much he doesnt want mankind to dirty it...imagine this guys mind ...and tell me the same poison that existed in 1930's germany is not alive and well in the ecology movements..

more dr strangelove then dr doom..

You said -- "Sounds like this was an assclown instead of a scientific convention. I wonder if all the people clapping for this pinhead realized he wants 9 out 10 of them dead...." My guess is that he would give them an *exception* and that they *know this*. Therefore, they're talking about all these other people (the 90%) as if they are all "bacteria".

Somewhere in hell, Hitler is smiling.

Vhen Herr Docktor says, “We ist der Master Race!” Ve "Heil!" Ve "Heil!" right in Herr Docktor's face . . . .

And the science community wonders why it has such a poor public image.

You said -- "I question the designation "Top Scientist". This is just some schmoe with a bid for notoriety."

Of course, I was merely indicating what was given in that article and seemingly the opinions of "other top scientists" too. It appears to be their opinion.

Now..., to minimize his credentials and say he's just a "nut case" actually diminishes the seriousness of this particular situation. It's like saying about the guy who is sitting on the bus, talking to an empty seat -- "Well, he's a nut case and I can ignore him."

The problem is (here) is that he's apparently not a nut case. He's credentialed; he's teaching hundreds and thousands of students (giving them the same philosophy); he's recognized by other so-called "top scientists".

Therefore, I think calling him a nutcase does a disservice to the real problem here. What we're seeing here is the *actual fruit* of the idea of "Evolution" and it's ultimate outcome, when people are really "serious" about this anti-God philosophy.

"Evolution" is a false and deceptive and destructive philosophy and needs to be fought against and -- in its place -- we need to put in the true philosophy of the Bible, in that God created mankind as told in Genesis (not as in the "evolutionary theory" which gives lizards equal moral footing with man).

We see the end results (of thinking -- and eventually *action*) of really believing the "evolutionary theory" and being "anti-God" and anti-Bible.

So, no -- I don't think he's a "nutcase" -- but rather someone who is following his "evolutionary theories" to their *true conclusions*.

The problem here -- is -- that the Evolutionary theory is absolutely false -- and he's willing to gather a following of people committed to killing off 90% of the humans on the planet -- because of this theory of "science".

Regards,
Star Traveler

You said -- "This is not new! However they always say someone else should be eliminated and not themselves. If these left-wing anti-humans want to eliminate the human race they should start with ????? The world would be better off without anti-humans."

Well, it's not new -- the philosophy that comes from being anti-God and against what the truth of Scriptures say. In the first chapter of Romans, it tells about those deceived in their own deceptions.

However, at the present time..., those kinds of people seem to be gaining ground and may very well *act* upon their anti-God and "pro-evolutionary theories" -- to the point of releasing (accidently) some of these active organisms to kill off the human race. Perhaps some scientists have already done that and that's why we have some of these strange and virulent diseases. Perhaps we'll be seeing more of them from these kinds of scientists.

Regards,
Star Traveler

You said -- "Isn't he the chairman of the Voluntary Human Extinction Society, with 3000 worldwide members and shrinking annually?"

I had not heard of them, so I looked it up and briefly scanned some information.

Now..., let me tell you that Western Society has already agreed to the proposition. We're already "minimally breeding" ourselves out of existence. AND, the Muslims are there, breeding themselves into *takeover* of the whole world.

Therefore, what I see happening is simply that these guys (of that particular group) are simply helping the Muslims more quickly institute Sharia law in all the countries that they become majorities in.

It seems that the Western World is intent on committing suicide. They're doing a good job of it.

Regards,
Star Traveler

Just quoting a small section of Carlin -- "Besides, there is nothing wrong with the planet. Nothing wrong with the planet. The planet is fine. The PEOPLE are f***ed."

Well..., in generaly, he's spouting off the same kind of stuff that this scientist is. So, what we see -- is in different areas of our society (from scientist to comedian and all in-between) -- we've got this same anti-God, anti-Biblical and anti-human philosophy being integrated into everything that we do. This is nothing but a Satanic deception on a very grand scale.

The Bible calls these people all fools.

From what God says in the Bible is that yes, people are the problem and that's why the whole "creation" was put into bondage and decay -- because of sin that is inherent in mankind (from the beginning -- in Genesis). And what the Bible gives is not a solution that we must kill off 90% of society to solve the problem -- No! The solution that God gives us -- is simply that we admit our sin and accept what God's Son, Jesus Christ has done in providing for our *invidual* salvation -- out of this terrible mess that we and the world is in (which involves all of "creation" too).

And, at the chosen time (according to God's plan) -- Jesus Christ will come back and set things straight. God says that mankind will not be the one to set things straight. However, the answer is not "kill mankind" (because God has acted in order to *save it*). The answer is simply -- Jesus Christ and following Him.

However, from Carlin to Pianka -- their answer is not Jesus Christ -- but the deception of Satan which is nothing more than *destruction* of humans. That's the goal of Satan -- destruction.

Regards,
Star Traveler

You said -- "What's really interesting about psychotics like Pianka is that they undoubtedly think of themselves as being among the lucky 10% who will survive."

Undoubtedly, he (or others like him) would like to work on perfecting that killing rate -- and then -- also develop a serum for protecting those who *deserve* to be the remaining ones.

So, he's probably thinking of protecting himself and others like him.

However, I would like to say something about that term (and other terms like it) -- "psychotics".

That kind of terminology sort of dismisses the seriousness of the whole matter. I think these people are serious and -- apart from those kinds of deviant theories -- if you or I were to talk to him, we would probably think he was no different than anyone else that lives in our own neighborhoods.

The problem here -- is that he's got a *theory* that *stems directly from Evolutionary Theory* -- in that we deserve no more right to live than a bacteria. If he's *serious* about that theory -- he *has to* come to this conclusion. It's not "psychotic" -- it's simply an outgrowth of an *anti-God" and "anti-Biblical" theory. This is simply the *results* of that.

When the world *abandons* the truth of God -- this is what you get. It's not "psychotic" -- it's no more than being committed to the philosophy that Satan would have mankind believe -- "evolution" -- instead of being created by God. That's the real problem -- not a "psychosis".

Regards,
Star Traveler

You said -- "At some point in time some of them are going to get together and try out their "ideas". "

I do believe this is what will happen. It will be the results of them (and others like them) believing in the anti-God and anti-Biblical ideas (like Evolution) -- which then means that we *really* have *no basis* to be any better than bacteria (like that scientist says). He's right -- if Evolution is true. There is no basis for our higher moral standing -- at all. (Of course, against that, I believe what God has said -- from Genesis to Revelation).

Now, in Revelation -- we see the *results* of what these guys are saying now. How come there are so many diseases and so many people being killed by famines and diseases (not to say anything about the wars indicated)?

Well, it very well can be (and probably will be) that these scientists are contributing to elminating the human race. As far as I know, they may have already engaged in it and we are seeing these results now.

What we see in the book of Revelation will be happening and these diseases which will be killing millions upon millions of people may very well be from some of these kinds of scientists.

Regards,
Star Traveler

That kind of terminology sort of dismisses the seriousness of the whole matter.

Not at all. I take this guy very seriously.

While I agree with your larger point (that he has cast off conventional morality), I still say that he's "psychotic" in the dictionary sense of the term: "fundamental mental derangement (as schizophrenia) characterized by defective or lost contact with reality."

Psychotics can be very high-functioning, as this fellow obviously is, and they can also be very charismatic -- as this fellow obviously is. That's why they're so dangerous.

Evolution is as factually based as any scientific doctrine there is. It is based, in part, upon the survival of the fittest, not general random destruction of human life like this schmoe is suggesting.

Here's a tip, if non-scientists haven't heard of him before, he's not a "top Scientist". He's one among many trying to make a name for himself.

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