The American Spectator

Is it too cynical of me to speculate that an environmental type — a closet Earth-Firster, perhaps — would view DDT’s perpetual ban as an acceptable and effective means of population control in certain highly populated areas of the world? For such willful ignorance to continue over the decades, over mounting evidence of non-science, there has to be a hidden agenda, such as the protection of the tropical forests in which many of these populations live.

p>As a sage once put it, “To err is human; to persist in error is diabolical.” br> — Jeffrey S. Erickson br> Davidson, North Carolina /p> p> I spent many years overseas in the Marine Corps and the use of DDT was used by everyone to control mosquitoes. Every night we would spray the inside of our tents and later when we had Quonset Huts these also were sprayed. Even after breathing all that DDT and being 90 years old I can say that the DDT didn’t have any ill effects on my health. The best thing it did do was to reduce malaria and dengue fever to where it was nonexistent. To that I am thankful for. br> — unsigned /p>

The farmers in Central Illinois will tell you the songbirds nearly disappeared in the '50s and '60s and have returned since the ban of DDT. Is this an urban legend?

p>I agree there has been a lot of silliness brought forth in the name of science, and am ready to accept the Sirkins’ premise on DDT, but I know people who are adamant on the detrimental effects of the chemical DDT. br> — Judy Beumler br> Louisville, Kentucky