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Agent Orange Ethical Issues

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Monsanto, new and old alike, have a moral obligation to society since it utilizes technology to enhance human lives. Essentially, it would have been in the best interest of the company to continuously protect society and the environment from the potentially harmful consequences of its products. According to ethic experts Hartline and Ferrell operating under the “Old Monsanto” regime, in 1970, the company introduced a chemical named Agent Orange to our military and it was drastically used as an asset in the Vietnam War (2014, p.309). In addition, Agent Orange was used to deforest thick Vietnamese jungles, assisting in United States advantage; however, Agent Orange contained dioxin, which is extremely hazardous and causes cancer (2014, p.310). Researchers confirmed that the Vietnamese food and crops were contaminated with dioxin, and …show more content…

Basically, the government had approved for the use of Agent Orange. New York Times reports that it took United States forty years to finally addressed the environmental effects of the long war (Fuller, 2012). Not to mention, the United States military had sprayed so much dioxin, the damages were large as New Jersey (2012), in terms of size and volume. The government was under scrutiny because they only addressed one site of the many affected by dioxin, and it took four decades to execute any type of cleanup and for them to take an ownership in the tragedy (2012). Dioxin most certainly affected the communities of Vietnam because it is highly poisonous. Agent Orange affected Vietnam for three generations (Black, 2015) post-environmental exposure. Farmers were unknowingly returning to barren fatal fields of corn, cassava, peanuts and rice patties (2015) in hopes of resuming harvest. For Monsanto to still be linked to such generational turmoil and accounted for so millions of deaths, they clearly have failed at fulfilling their moral obligation to

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Court records indicated that 226 plant workers became ill” (828). This quote from the doctors who observed the plant employees proves that Monsanto made chemicals not safe for human environments. By using this quote, the authors are able to uncover Monsanto’s past fabrication of harmful substances. It demonstrates how Monsanto was willing to create and sell chemicals that are known

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358 Words | 2 Pages

4. The Vietnam War saw the use of many controversial military tactics used by both the United States and their allies, as well as the Viet Cong and NVA. On the American side, one of the most prevalent and well known missions was Operation Ranch Hand, a decade long herbicidal warfare campaign that is still causing terrible birth defects to this day. The herbicides used in Agent Orange were contaminated with an even worse chemical, known as TCDD, which is a heavy carcinogen and teratogen. In the period that it was used, agricultural lands were sprayed with Agent Orange in an attempt to starve the enemy by destroying the main crop in the region, rice.

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In 2008 “Monsanto’s Harvest of Fear” was published in Vanity Fair. Penned by Donald L. Barlett and James B. Steele, this exposition presents acts by Monsanto that may be considered questionable. Acts such as possessing a “shadowy army of private investigators” and the production of “two of the most toxic substances ever known”. The company was established in 1901 as Monsanto Chemical Works.

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In the article entitled Monsanto's Harvest of Fear, Donald L. Barley and James B. Steele demonstrate that Monsanto already dominates the United States food chain with their genetically modified seeds. They are currently targeting milk production which is just as scary as the corporation's legal battles against the small farmers. This situation leads to a history of toxic infections or diseases. There were many disagreements between Gary Rinehart and a stranger about the innovative seeds. They were under surveillance and an investigator came in the picture.

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The three essays assigned this week had several common threads running through them. The strongest core theme is the rapid change in the food cycle in America and the vast changes that have taken place in the way by which we grow, produce, and process the food that average Americans eat. The food we eat now is drastically different from what our grandparents grew up eating and the three essays each examine that in a different way. Another theme is the loss of knowledge by the average consumer about where their food comes from, what it is composed of, and what, if any, danger it might pose to them. “Monsanto’s Harvest of Fear” by Donald L. Barlett and James B. Steele is a harsh look at the realities of food production in a country where large corporations, like Monsanto, have been allowed to exploit laws and loopholes to bend farmers and consumers to their

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Agent Orange was a various mixture of many chemicals combined together to expose the hidings of the Northern and Viet Cong Troops throughout the forest, also to exterminate those plants and herbs that they may use that are consumable and of use to the Vietnamese army. From the years of 1961 to 1972 many acres of Vietnam land were sprayed with Agent Orange, approximately over 19 millions gallons were used across 4.5 million acres. Alongside Agent Orange it was a war of attrition, back and forth trying to make one another weaker with simple plans as weakening them would strengthen and conquer the other. They waited one another out, the U.S. had plans of destroying their hidings spots and plants they’d use as a food source so they would be hungry and less prepared for combat. They were only invading troops, not knowing many strategies for engaging and weakening their biggest opportunity was with the agent orange to atleast get rid of some of their food supplies so they’ll be hungry and not be able to fight much or even perform

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1. What was French Indochina? The French Indochina was the French colonial regions of Southeast Asia. The French Indochina consists of Cochin China, Tonkin, Kwangchowan, Cambodia, and Laos during the time of the colonial era. Today this region is separated into the nations of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. “What was French Indochina?”

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Ethical Dilemma: Discovered by Unarmed Combatants During Operation Red Wing, a reconnaissance mission partaken by a group of U.S. Navy Seal Team 10, Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy and his team were spotted by three civilians. LT Murphy was immediately asked the most discomforting question of a young Leader’s career, “what do we do?” Considering the question in accordance with similar events and laws concerning the Law of Warfare, I often ask myself what I would do if I was behind enemy lines and my positioned was uncovered by unarmed civilians. I would allow the civilians to go free and immediately attempt to return to my operational outpost because killing innocent people is against the law, unethical, and counterproductive to the overall goal within the Global War on Terrorism.

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It was used to damage forest area, the leaves, and crops where Vietcong troops were hiding. Agent Orange made it easier for United States troops to see what was going on. In the end, “Many would blame Agent Orange for cancers suffered by Vietnamese civilians and American veterans” (Danzer 945). Since Agent Orange contains dioxin, a deadly chemical, it caused many severe health problems worldwide. “They included cancers, birth defects, rashes, and severe psychological and neurological problems” (“Agent Orange 1”).

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Agent Orange is a dioxin, defoliant, and a mix of herbicides that have affected many people for the past 4 generations. During the Vietnam War the US military decided to spray this dioxin in the jungles of Vietnam and the Korean demilitarized zone to remove trees and dense tropical foliage that provided enemy cover. From the Vietnam War until now, many lives have been ruined and harmed due to Agent Orange and the people who have been exposed to this chemical have either had kids with birth defects or have obtained a disease or sickness as they age and through scientific research it was found that Agent Orange was the cause of these occurrences. Due to the many horrific damages from Agent Orange the US Congress had created the Agent Orange act of 1991 in order to help those who are eligible, receive certain benefits. Today I 'm going to be telling you several reasons why the Agent Orange Act of 1991 should be renewed for the next 5 years.

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According to WorldAtlas.com, the use of these chemicals in the Vietnam War created the second worst chemical warfare event in history, second only to an event in 600 BCE. In an article stating the top 10 worst chemical warfare events in history World Atlas justifies the Vietnam War being the second worst with, “Agent Orange itself breaks down within a week, as a result producing a compound called dioxin. Dioxin lingers in some conditions for up to 100 years and is estimated by the Vietnamese government to have caused up to 400,000 deaths, and 1.5 million birth defects.” The backlash to the use of these chemicals was huge, and the U.S. government was the main target for supporting the production and use of these disliked weapons. After they were exposed for using these chemicals, even more people opposed the war and the US’ decisions.

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It had a massive environmental impact along with a huge impact on families there. Due to the persistence of the chemical dioxin, the Vietnamese living in the sprayed areas continue to inhale it and ingest it in their food. ¬According to BBC News, “there is still talk of evacuating contaminated areas a quarter of a century after the spraying stopped.” But, in 2007 President Bush pledged $3 million to help fix the contaminated

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New regulations, an enforced code of ethics and striving to be more socially responsible has led Monsanto to enhance their relationships with stakeholders. Monsanto wrote a pledge to inform all of their

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A corporatist markets off what they know would put them in financial ruin if people found out the truth behind what they claim is bettering the world. Once gathering enough positive claims, they proceed anyway. This is the quintessence of GMO marketing. Now, as the newest generation, millennials are likely to have been fed these genetically modified foods growing up, but have the technology to research and make their own intelligent and informed decision on whether these foods should be continued to be produced and distributed throughout the world. It is not being overly suspicious to not believe a corporation such as Monsanto, the leading agrochemical company, when with minimal research they publicize that GMOs are safe to consume.

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769 Words | 4 Pages

Monsanto’s low levels of charitable giving and history of ethical lapses do not help the company’s case that it is seeking to improve the lives of the people of the world. However, Monsanto

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