Prof's overpopulation remedy ignites furor (HIV not killing fast enough)

Prof's overpopulation remedy ignites furor


April 5, 2006

BY LIZ AUSTIN. Copyright by the Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas -- Talk radio and blogs are taking aim at a University of Texas biology professor because of a published report suggesting he advocates death for most of the human population as a means of saving the Earth.

However, Eric Pianka says his remarks about his beliefs were taken out of context, that he was just raising a warning that deadly disease epidemics are a threat if population growth isn't contained.

''What we really need to do is start thinking about controlling our population before it's too late,'' he said Monday. ''It's already too late, but we're not even thinking about it. We're just mindlessly rushing ahead breeding our brains out.''

Pianka, who has gotten vitriolic e-mails and even a death threat, said he believes the Earth would be better off if there were fewer people using up natural resources and destroying habitats.

The furor began when the Gazette-Enterprise of Seguin, Texas, reported Sunday on two speeches Pianka made last month to groups of scientists and students about vanishing animal habitats and the exploding human population.

That report was circulated widely and posted on the Drudge Report, then quickly became talk radio fodder.

The Gazette-Enterprise quoted Pianka as saying disease ''will control the scourge of humanity. We're looking forward to a huge collapse.''

It said he weighed the killing power of various diseases such as bird flu and HIV, but decided neither would yield the needed results.

''HIV is too slow. It's no good,'' he said.

Pianka said that doesn't mean he wants most humans to die.

However, Forrest Mims, chairman of the Texas Academy of Science's environmental science section, told the Associated Press that there was no mistaking Pianka's disdain for humans and desire for their elimination in the speech he heard.