Scientists and doctors are constantly told that they must not involve themselves in politics or international affairs because that may have a diversionary or corrupting influence on their professional work and commitments. The proposition has some validity in respect of politics in the narrow sense of party-related activity. But there are some issues of broad or universal significance, on which all citizens with a conscience are called upon to take a position. Racism, apartheid, female infanticide and kidney transplantation from gullible or destitute donors belong to this category. They are ethically totally unacceptable and represent an unmitigated evil, whose very existence should be impermissible in a minimally decent society or one which aspires to a barely civilised status.