Anti-GMO proponents, today, are the flat-earthers of yesteryear; they worry about falling off the edge.
“Sure you might get a variety of seed that has some beneficial traits, but no one ever took the
time to say, ‘well sure there are some beneficial traits but are they any side effects?’ These
techniques are allowed in organic production.
Or is there more to it? Are they simply enemies of humanity?
The Friends of the Earth and others who oppose such advances want you to die because they believe humans
are a plague on the Earth.
These 21’st cenrury luddies like with the back to nature freakos wont be happy until were all returned to a primative pagan way of living making the anual sacrifice of children and virgins to their sun and moon gods and godesses or for those solar and lunar eclypes that scared the bejayes out of the pagans
Well said as was Lance’s comment about them being enemies of humanity.
The core group of these people believe there are 6 billion too many people on earth. By and large, these are the same people that push and believe in the AGW fraud.
So, why exactly are you against having a label on a supermarket food item or product indicating whether it is or contain a GMO? If you’re OK with GMOs, great, you’d know you’re getting what you want; if you’re not OK with GMOs, great, you’d know not to buy it (there’s probably an organic/”natural” option, at 2-3x the price, nearby).
I assume you support country-of-origin labels. Why isn’t GMO labelling similarly about giving consumers the information they want so that they can make their own choices?
Well, fool, if you read the linked articles, you’d know why.
Non GMO/Organic raw food sales are projected at 30% of the market and may exceed 50% in 10 years. The suppliers will service this demand. If it turns out to the inferior pigshit slop you speculate, the markets will reflect that.
The market share for organic and Non-GMO food came from less than 1% in the 80s to 30% (about $300 billion)today – so this is not some hippie-fuled flame out trend. Certainly there will be scammers in the larger commercial markets but the oversight of Organic labeling and production standards is increasing with the market share and scammers are being busted routinely – most of the organics fraud involves prepared/packaged foods.
Personally I have doubts with anything labeled “organic” unless I know the source – fortunately we have lots of family-owned small local producers who sell directly to the public at farmers markets who I buy from so I don’t have to rely on the integrity of supermarket produce. The Beef and dairy I get from these producers is noticeably superior to supermarket fare.
I googled “crazy things radical environmentalists say” and got a laundry list of whacko comments. How about this one? “Everything we have developed over the last 100 years should be destroyed. — Pentti Linkola
The people who see humans as a plague are hypocrites. They never do themselves in for the good of the earth. Too bad really.
I did. The arguments are rather weak.
“One reason for Popoff’s opposition to the bill is that he said it might give consumers the impression there was something ‘wrong’ or harmful with GMOs, thus deterring sales.”
So free markets should reign and consumers should have the right to make their own choices, yet consumers can’t be trusted to interpret for themselves certain information about a product and so shouldn’t be allowed to have access to that information at all? Weak. Consumers can make up their own minds, and even if they avoid certain consumer products out of irrational fear, that’s their choice to make.
“Popoff said he would be okay with GMO labeling if mutant breeding – the process by which seeds are exposed to chemicals or radiation to produce desirable new traits – was also labeled…”Why would you demand labeling for GMOs, when you don’t care about labeling on chemical and nuclear mutagenesis? I guess if we started labeling all those things, of course they’d be no room left on the label, but sure, if we’re going to down that road then we’ve got to label everything.””
So either label everything, or nothing at all — those are the only two options on the table? Because there’s no point in trying to be a MORE informed consumer unless you can be a COMPLETELY informed consumer? Weak. More information is always better. Right now, surveys indicate that consumers want information on GMOs. If down the road, consumers demand labels for mutant breeding, then give them that too.
“Another point Popoff raised in opposition to GMO labeling was that it would greatly hinder scientific and agricultural advances in an area that was still in its ‘elementary phase’, as he said major biotech companies would see GM crops as ‘too much of a headache’.”
So right now, GM crops are still worth pursuing as long as the North American market doesn’t require labelling, but will suddenly become “too much of a headache” if US and Canadian consumers were to be allowed to know if the food they’re buying contains GMO ingredients? Weak. Those same biotech companies are still quite profitable in Europe, China, Brazil, Russia, and all the other countries where GMO labelling is required. Popoff provides no empirical evidence showing that biotechs would abandon GMO product development if labelling is required in North America. It’s a scare tactic. Profit is still profit — as long as there’s money to be made, industry will continue to pursue it.
So I ask again, gordinkneehill: why the opposition to GMO labelling?
The lies of Racheal Carson and Paul Ehrllich as well as Al Gore casting many lives in africa becuase of the ban on DDT the entire enviroemntal movment is based upon lies and junk science
http://www.geneticliteracyproject.org
“So I ask again, gordinkneehill: why the opposition to GMO labelling?”
Because the proponents of it are all commie assholes?
This is not an attempt to “better educate the consumer”. It’s a calculated move to hamstring the industry with a regulatory burden.
How many lead smelters are there in the USA?
Better to be thought a fool…..
so basically yer argument is the same as the “concensus” argument for AGW.
A lotta folk in India believe cows is sacred…..
1.5 billion Muzzies believe stoning rape victims is equitable…..
Didja know that about 3 million americans were rotated through Viet Nam….it is believed that about 800,000 still survive…..yet 3.5 million claimed to be Viet Nam vets in the 2010 census……
Beliefs and faith don’t make it so…….nor the number of particular fools….
Lots and lots of health issues with “organic” foods, non whatsoever, not even one proven case of GMO being detrimental to our health.
So why do so many double their food costs buying organic ??
Simply because:
– A small but determined segment of the population wants to rule everyone else.
– A small but sly segment of the population are natural born Con-Artists. From jokers to Bernie Madoffs.
– A large part of the population is OK with others making their decisions for them.
– Trends and fads are a powerful mindset. I do not think this can be over emphasized. Individual ones may run their course and die but the phenomena keeps reoccuring because new generations have not learned the lessons of the past firsthand.
– Something that is impossible to prove or disprove, at least initially, is prime material for a scam.
– A huge portion of the population simply wants to believe in something. A belief, any belief, seems to settle things in their minds and make them feel good and content in their comfort zone.
– The media can often convince society to belive in something that is sketchy or even outright false. Spin is a major tool for journalist and especially for editors. Hype for hype’s sake is ok with them as long as it sells headlines. The scarier the better if it helps promote the media’s agenda – control over the people.
– A person’s mind has a degree of innate interests that may be apparent at a very young age. As a person ages those innate interests drive a persons curiosity and they want to learn more and more about the subject matter of their interests. The more they learn about their interests the more interested they become even to the point it becomes an on going loop and escalates. In many cases the interests can become an obsession. The obsession itself may not be a problem to the person or others however if the obsession is so all encompassing in the persons life to the point it interferes with other rational thoughts then it can be a problem. Addictions, hangups and irrational beliefs may be the result.
– Hollywood is a major player when it comes to control through fear. Fictional movies that are portrayed as a documentary have become an effective tool.
– Politicians, Universities and NGOs are always on the lookout for the next “calamity” so that gov’t funding may be forthcoming to “solve” these
problems. Never let a disaster, a concern or a calamity go to waste – aka a chance to impose regulations, restrictions and new job positions in the civil service..
– Con-Artists are always hoping for some new scammy idea, product or theory that can be profitably sold to the unsuspecting.
– Centuries ago, religions probably started out as very moral and worthy endeavors. Respect your neighbor, do not steal, have hope and faith. But then along came the con-artists with ‘come to our place of business(church) and you will go to heaven when you die’ (Try and disprove THAT!) Fear of death and the end of the world are effective in convincing people to become subserviant. Promises of salvation made by Priests, Kings, Politicians, Elites and Idols play on the natural tendancy of people to be hopeful. Obey via the collection plate, taxes and imposed price increases.
– Mankind is always striving to do things better – the reason he/she is at the top of the animal kingdom. Every new generation is keen on doing things better than the previous one so by default, many “new” ideas are readily adopted first but may have to be subsequently junked when/if they are discredited. Problem is, a lot of innocent people may get hurt because this process can take years, half a lifetime even. This would not be the case if the Media had even a smidgen of integrity.
– A population that is fearful is easy to rule over. Make them fearful of anything whether real, perceived or invented.
– Very few people are familiar with the Laws Of Thermodynamics, the concept of the Conservation Of Energy, genetic makeup and a whole host of fundamentals in this world and so we, on a regular and never ending basis, are blessed with the latest and greatest perpetual motion machine or magical “cure”. This would not be a problem at all if the media would simply give just a fraction of the airtime to those with the worthy track record and knowlege instead of alloting most of it to the scamers and out of their league flakes.
– Con-artists are very smart people, so smart that they are often able to convince us of something flakey by playing on our morals and good intentions without us realizing that what they are proposing has no merit and is based on falsehoods, conjecture or outright lies. Often times it is not what they are telling us that is the problem, it is what they are NOT telling us.
– When challenged, con-artists always, always! refuse to discuss/debate and instead deflect, defer or move on to their next scam when they realize they have been outed. This tactic always works again and again because most people have short memories.
– In an attempt to defended an undefenceable position scammers often resort to ad hominem attacks. The media will, if it suits their own agenda, allow the ad hominem attacks to become the greater talking point.
– The media can and does promote it’s own agenda by the use of favorable and unfavorable labels such as ‘Leading Scientist’ vs ‘Denier’, ‘Skeptic’. Conotations greatly affect the viewer’s/reader’s take on a subject.
– Many poor decisions are made not because of the misuse of the basics such as history, mathematics, scientific facts or track record but because the decision making process was hyjacked by hangups, adictions or simply ‘wanting to beleive’. Wanting to believe in a poor descision also allows a person to remain in their comfort zone even though it could be very detrimental to do so.
– Just because a person is very adept and capable in a particular field is no indication that they are at all worthy in another field. Professors and intellectuals are often given undue attention. Major policy decisions and economy changing directives are often made by those who do not have a clue in that particular field. Political connections and vested interests often carry the day if it suits the agenda of the Ruling Class.
Throw the above into a pot and stir and voila !! Scams. Hoaxes. Beliefs. Wars. Ponzi Schemes. Impoverishment. Serfdom. Fads. Idols. Tyrants.
I think the saddest belief is that Political Parties fight it out with each other because they are trying to “help” the people. We believe our party is the ‘one’. There is a much bigger difference between the political parties and the rest of the population than there is between the political parties themselves. Just as, not too long ago, when Kings&Queens would send their subjects into battle with another country while the families of those Kings & Queens would inter marry and continue to live the lives of elites. With today’s Ruling Class the Kings&Queens have been replace by polticians, the elite and the United Nations. Fear and salvation imposed by religion has been replaced by the environmental movement through climate alarmism. The media’s role of intentional misinformation continues unabated since Gutenberg invented the printing press in 1450. Same sh!t different century.
“Because the proponents of it are all commie assholes?”
So you’re against it simply because people you don’t like are for it?
Well, at least you’re honest.
No, I’m not arguing for or against organic vs GM. It’s beside the point whether someone’s beliefs about the health benefits (or risks) of GM vs organic food are grounded in scientific fact, or intuition, or supernatural hocus-pocus, or anything else under the sun.
I’m arguing that consumers should have more, not less, information about the food products available to them — what they’re made of, where they’re made, etc. — so they can decide for themselves what to buy.
Nice rant, ron in kelowna. Sounds like you’re comfortable with GM food products.
Me too. Where possible, I also like to buy things that are made in Canada. Tell me, what compelling reason is there for why I can check the packaging of just about any food item in a supermarket and find out where it’s made, but not whether its ingredients are GM or not?
I cant afford this organic stuff its way more expensive then regularly grown food
But there are people who are a plague on the earth. They are called muslims.
For me one of the biggest items defining risks are known losses. When all of the national-level food recalls for leafy vegetables have been Organic products, that tells me that their methods are not as safe. Improper use of Organic growing has killed more than factory growing of GMO.
I liken organic food to the development of drugs. Tell me, kt, would you make willow-bark tea or take aspirin? Have you ever tasted willow-bark tea? (ecch – hard to get the taste out of your mouth.) The aspirin is the purified and artificially generated form. It’s been proven for a long time, that’s why we accept it as save. The only difference in my mind between effective drug development and the development of human saving foods with extra nutrients (Golden Rice, anyone?) is that the mindset in the general public has changed. Chicanery and frauds have lowered the public trust or belief in what science can do. “Silent Spring” was one of the best known, and CAGW is another that’s starting to unravel.
Eat what you want, proselytize all you want. But any time I find myself siding with the Luddites I take a step back and consider what I’m missing.
Have to agree with “KT”, label products correctly as to Country of origin AND if it’s a food product that’s been genetically modified, state that as well on the label.
GMO foods don’t bother me one bit, my chief complaint is buying a can of something that says,”imported by…” or “assembled in Canada”. I don’t give a sh** who imported something, nor do I care if it was assembled in Iceland or on Mars, I just want to know where it was grown or manufactured, as well as any other pertinent information, such as, “made by child labor” or whatever.
Maybe they could put more info on the label if they didn’t have to waste so much space repeating the info in French,though that might dull my diverse bilingual experience reading a soup can label.
and if you’re practising the Socratic method then well done, because I took your early posts to be a declaration of how you want to live, not trying to make us question why we think what we do (and whether we’re consistent about it).
Well said.
The anti-GMO crowd, who are spreading lie after lie about GMO food items, want labeling simply in order to further their agenda of denigrating GMO with misinformation.
Anti-GMO proponents, today, are the flat-earthers of yesteryear.
Spurwing @ 3:50, exactly. And the poor suckers pay for this. Sad really, when both Ag Canada and the USDA have shown that ppm of anything not good is about equal and varies from item to item with organic products often showing more ppm. A couple of years ago, what was it, about a dozen people died from salmonella poisoning from organic lettuce. But it seems the relentless advertising of the “flat earthers” seems to sink in because people, like chicken little, want to be scared. Meanwhile follow the money to the smirking organic producer.
There is already so much information on food labels that they’re difficult to read because of the print being too fine. What’s the next fad adding to labels after putting GMO on them?
The people who don’t want GMO food can compile a list of foods that cater to them and bring it to the supermarket. Don’t put the burden on the manufacturers making us all pay or add more regulations to our already over-regulated society.
The “may contain GMO” will become more common than the “may contain peanuts” labels.
Even the stuff that is grown in pig shit might have a GM component if the pig ate even ate 1 seed GM feed … or dairy if a cow did the same. Honey bees have a range of about 200 sq kms – really, how can anyone say with certainty that none of the bees got nectar from a GM plant?
The pluagues on earth is called ENVIROMENTALISM and LIBERALISM
Are you KT Bradford by any chance? Because you “reason” like she does.
Objections to GMO labeling are simple. Its a f-ing stupid idea being pushed by people who don’t have to pay for it, on a consumer base that doesn’t want it.