Was anybody ever taken in by Sea Monkeys? The mail-order product was heavily advertised in comic and novelty books and the illustrations showed ape-like creatures that could swim underwater. They were a “fraud” of course; the miniscule eggs and hatching mix would hatch to become shrimp; brine shrimp.
I suppose you could look at them and make a case that they were monkeys, but they were much closer to the delectable pink creatures you consume with cocktail sauce than our ape-like friends who gobble bananas.
Sea Monkeys are not without controversy. They were sent through the U.S. mail and I recall reading stories of mail fraud as sophisticated customers could not take a joke. Only very recently, the widow of the founder of the Sea Monkey company reported that she is engaged in litigation against another company who is attempting to steal the Sea Monkey name.
It is amazing what can – and cannot – be shipped through the mails. For example, you can ship packages of bees and baby ducks and chicks. You can’t ship drugs or poison, or weapons.
What about Anthrax?
Anthrax, are you kidding me? Mailing anthrax, the killer bacterial spores that made major headlines across America 9/11 and beyond? Yes, I am referring to that Anthrax.
Apparently, the U.S. Army has been playing by a different set of rules. In an article by Jim Miklaszewski for NBC News entitled: “Army Finds Another Batch of Live Anthrax,” that another batch of live anthrax was sent in the U.S. mail from the Dugway Proving Grounds in Utah. The sample was apparently from the same batch that was sent to Australia that apparently contained live anthrax spores.
According to the article (please note the italics are mine):
“Defense officials tell NBC News the anthrax spores had been irradiated to kill them in 2008. This does not necessarily mean the samples sent to the lab in Australia contained live anthrax spores, the officials say. They’ve been testing samples thought to have been inactivated ever since it turned out Dugway had sent potentially live spores to labs in nine states and an air base in South Korea.”
Reading in-between all of the double-speak, someone at the Dugway Proving Grounds potentially sent 10 samples of live anthrax through the mail, thinking that it was the anthrax that was irradiated and killed. The Army claims that no human error was involved. What further makes me scratch my head is this statement:
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is helping investigate the matter, says no member of the public is in danger and people who may have been exposed to the anthrax spores are taking antibiotics just to be safe.”
If I may read through the double speak again, the CDC appears to be saying that the samples that were sent through the mail, much like the Sea-Monkeys of yore, posed absolutely no danger to the public. However, the people who may have been exposed to the anthrax are now taking antibiotics “just to be safe.” Well, are they or aren’t they?
The Ethical Arguments
Given the extreme danger involved with the deadly anthrax toxin – whether believed to be irradiated or not – and given the public fear to this deadly bacteria, why was it mis-handled, and second, why was it mailed both domestically and abroad?
In addition, why did the Army say that no human error was involved? Were the samples handled and mailed by Sea-Monkeys?
Obviously, this is an extremely serious matter and I wonder if, since 9/11 we have not become complacent and our record keeping more lax.
Does the Army and the CDC have an ethical responsibility to the American people in the handling of live or irradiated materials such as anthrax? If no members of the public were ever in danger, why are those who may have been exposed now taking antibiotics?
And with all respect to the men and women of the USPS, I return mis-delivered mail about twice a month. What are the chances that this material could have been delivered to the wrong address? Was it impossible for such a foul-up to occur or was there the smallest chance, even a one-percent chance that a mistake could have been made?
These are questions I have not heard any agency, including the CDC seriously address. Given all of the massive waste we have seen associated with the military, why not spend money wisely on a type of courier service with a defined chain of possession?
Lastly, I am disturbed that the Army is “finding” live anthrax samples. I would not think one would have to find such materials but rather, be well aware of where each sample might be. I am frankly worried that so many unanswered questions remain about this issue given the terrible consequences.
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