Toxic Texan, Krazy Kraut And Total Tony Poem by Herbert Nehrlich

Alarming research shows
that baby boys born
to mothers exposed to
phthalates had
smaller penises
and wanted to play with
tea sets and dolls.
Other signs were actual
feminisation
of the genitals.

Phthalates, which are
in widespread use
to make plastics more pliable,
were found in
nearly 90% of babies tested.

Chemicals used as
flame retardants,
found in half the
blood samples in the study,
are believed to have
similar properties as
a (banned) group of
chemicals known as
PCBs (polychlorobiphenyls) .

Yet a major effort is
underway to help expand
the market for these
new chemicals.
Gender Benders, they are called.
Sperm count is down,
genital malformations,
breasts in boys,
global increase in
cancer incidence,
which shows most
beautifully
in France,
where a 63 % jump
has occurred
in just twenty years.

Yes, you say, how tragic.
Your indignation shows,
strongly before breakfast
and has faded into
indifference by lunch.
Profits for chemical giants,
wealth for all,
don't be a communist.

There can be few
greater betrayals than
for a Government
to sacrifice the health of
babies and small children
to boost the profits of
foreign firms.

How is it then, that the world
stands idly by, while
a letter, jointly signed
by Schroeder, Bush,
Chirak and Blair
is sent to the
European Parliament,
expressing grave concern
over the continued
monitoring of
over 100,000 chemicals,
currently in use.

Perhaps it is futile,
since we have little knowledge
of what the properties
of these poisons really are.

If they manage to enlist
the help of great Johnny,
Howard that is, Prime Minister
of Down Under,
they could ask him to add
a fitting Postscript:
She'll be right, mate.'

I am indebted to information
provided by Zeus Information Service,
a brilliant organisation for the people,
for the facts and the nudge.
Some quotes are verbatim,
and the words of
Geoffrey Lean, Daily Mail 9-9-05