Staying on subject. What lessons can the Environmental Activist Community learn from the "E-Waste Tragedy?" Does Joseph "Hurricane" Benson belong in prison? If not, how the heck did he get there, and how do we keep from making the same kind of mistake again?
Turns out, the ancient Greeks had this nailed many centuries ago.In Orlando, at the E-Scrap 2014 Conference, I actually had a chance to speak to several people on all sides of the "Guidelines" issue. Most, including Jim Puckett, said of course Joe Benson does not belong in prison.
The person from StEP (Jaco) mostly defended the prison sentence for Benson. Jaco acknowledged the probability that 91% of Benson's sold good were actually reused, and acknowledged that most of the stuff filmed at the dump was "Post-Reuse", and generated by Ghanaians. Nevertheless Jaco made the case that "rules are rules". If the Guidelines "suggest proof of full functionality", that Benson should have known the consequences of his export activity, even if those Guidelines were based on eroneous (BAN.org) claims. Even if Benson knew they were being reused, and new he was bringing rejects back for free recycling in the UK, prison was warranted.
(Did you notice the term "Guidelines suggest proof is needed"? How about proving the suggestion is warranted?)
Throughout these conversations, we observe the "Appeal to Desperation".
SOMETHING MUST BE DONE.
X (GUIDELINE) IS SOMETHING.
THEREFORE, X MUST BE DONE.
This logical "appeal to desperation" has also been labeled the Politician's Fallacy, and often results in prohibitions, war on drugs, 10 foot fences to foil 9 foot ladders, and many "industry self regulation" standards. There is a lot of money in providing "Something".
Having studied this for a couple of decades, I'm basically hardening in my position. Even Mr. Puckett actually offered to sign the petition, and said of course Benson should be released.
