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The reason those tomatoes in your grocery cart are so plump and those apples are so golden is due in part to biotechnology. But while science has improved certain qualities of the foods we eat, some experts are concerned about the possible health risks in these ‘new and improved’ foods. Should you be worried?
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A different POV
Dude seriously...
Again and again I find your comments on this subject just lacking any true information at all, just a bunch of bull.
If you would do your research you would learn the problem of world hunger isn't that there isn't enough food , its a distruption problem. Guess what most of these starving countries around the world grew their own food until companies like monsanto fcked all that up.
You know they actually have a gene called the terminator gene. The terminator gene makes sure the seeds from the crop you grow from their seeds won't germinate, means they aren't viable and you have to keep buying their seeds season after season. How exactly does that sound to you? Oh yea Monsanto, the biggest gmo food producer out there, now owns 75% of our worlds seed banks . These are untainted natural seeds and a giant gmo seed company now owns them. Hmmmm sound like reason for concern to you? Cause it sure does concern me. Oh yea a lot of our government officials are part of Monsanto. Secretary of treasuary, secretary of defense, and secretary of argiculture to name a few. Hmmmm sound like a conflict of interest to you? Cause it sure does to me.
Montanso is also going after these farmers who have their gmo plants on their land without knowledge and suing them, because these seeds are paitened. The farmers usually also settle cause they don't have the money to fight a giant company like Montanso. Guess what most of these farmers didn't even know it was in there fields, usually gets blown over from fields futher down by wind or by a seed truck driving by and a few fly off. Seriously how can we let living things be paitened. These raises a bigger issue for concern. Well if montanso owns that gene and an animal eats that plant with that gene, guess what Montanso now owns that animal. So that means if those genes we are eating ever get into our system guess what Montanso actually owns you then. Of course this is in conflict with the Constitution, but eventually we could see Montanso take this to the supreme court , just like they did with the issue of paitening living things and guess what the same supreme court decided to allow it. Now how in your right mind can you try and put a patient on living things.
Like I said before go do some research and become more informed on this subject before rambling on about how great gmos are and how they can save all the starving people. Let me guess you would be the same kind of person to come on here and tell us smoking cannabis should be illegal and will cause all kinds of health problems. Learn to do your own thinking and stop letting the government do it for ya.
- Darklegacy24
August 15, 2009 12:51PM
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I may not
know much about the food industry but you clearly don't know much about biotechnology.
Firstly, as this is a forum for intelligent debates, I would like to clear up one thing. When you say "paitened" and "patient" do you mean patented and patent?
Secondly, I am not the kind of person you think I am. I have commented in discussions saying cannabis should be completely legalized. I do not let the government think for me. But thank you for the advice .
Now. Yes the food industry is messed up. However, the food these companies produce is not nearly so bad as you think. I am a Biotechnology graduate student with a bachelor's in human anatomy and physiology and I have actually cloned and expressed genes myself. I know the process and I know the biology. I believe you are mistaken in you beliefs primarily that you think eating a gene may somehow cause you to imbibe and express the gene. This is not true. Eating food means you break it down and absorb the nutrients for energy but in no way does your genetic code change from the food you eat. In other words, Monsanto would have no claim over you. The genetic code that they patented would be broken down by the animals that ate their plants. This is not in conflict with the constitution .
In response to your other response to me, I would have to read the research article myself to believe anything about gmo 's causing physical harm by ingestion. Also, people can research themselves which foods have been altered or they can shop in the organic aisle at the grocery store. They don't need the information handed to them on a silver platter (or sticky label) to pick what to eat. Forcing them to be labeled is just another way of increasing costs for businesses and making it easier for people to stop thinking.
I have the right and intelligence to discuss this matter just as much as you do. You are lacking in the science aspect and I am lacking in the logistics aspect. Perhaps we can share information and both gain from it.
As for the terminator gene (which I am sure has a scientific name that neither of us knows) I absolutely believe in its likely existence because it would be logical for the company to be a business and try to make money . To me, that sounds like they are being a business, which I have no problem with. The part that members of government are affiliated with Monsanto does not surprise me but also reduces my faith in the US government even more. It definitely sounds like a conflict of interest.
To address the comments I expect to receive from this post, the reason I have no problem with Monsanto being and acting like a business is because businesses give people jobs . Bigger businesses give people more jobs. The more money they make, the more they can spend in salaries. This whole anti-business idea is ruining our economy and the fact that most people don't understand the simple concept of the more money a company makes the more it has to dish out is frankly, shocking. It makes me want to club baby seals.
- sunshiner424
August 16, 2009 5:42PM
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I dont want fishgenes in my strawberry's
I am for promoting free choice in what we eat and drink ( food , medicine etc) and therefore for promoting mandatory labelling of GMO food/drink and medicine:
My opinion on gentech foods? I am really not sure. But as long as I am not sure, and uninformed by companies producing and selling GMO foods and medicine by lack of labelling, I am solely eating organic foods.
- Saxiony
August 19, 2009 12:25PM
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With all due respect sir,
You have your free choices and can choose to buy whatever food you like.
You are promoting forceful spending on food labels for companies simply because you don't want to have to research it yourself. You preach free choice and then fight for taking it away. Think about all the affects that would occur by creating laws forcing companies to make food labels. The information you want is already available to you; why do you wish increased spending and increased cost?
- sunshiner424
August 19, 2009 1:58PM
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Is my strawberry a fish (II) ?
Hi sunshine,
There are neglectable costs involved with mandatory labelling GMO foods.
Simply because labelling other ingredients is already mandatory (at least it is in Europe), and companies are already changing their labels every other term in order to charm their consumers to keep with their product (simple and obvious marketing technique that any selfrespecting company uses). So that would be a nice opportunity to type these two words into their list of ingredients already on the label: contains GMO's. No extra costs involved for companies.
It is simply a civil right to be able to choose what or what not to put into your body. It is a civil and fundamental (UN protected) human right. The choice can only be made if the choice is informed.
Or do you and biotech companies think the people are too dumb to decide?
If any burden is involved it should lie with producers of GMO foods since they are the ones gaining from them (which I think is great because I am all for Free trade and lots of jobs ).
Please read article 3 of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (can be found on UN website).
- Saxiony
August 20, 2009 9:01AM
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Your strawberry is a fish the same as you are a strawberry
True, packaging costs are relatively small. Perhaps they could afford it with just a cent price increase for their products. *shrug
As a libertarian, I am against creating useless laws. This law would be useless because I actually consider people smart enough to research what they are eating if they care. Like you. I think they are smart enough not only to decide what to eat but smart enough to find out for themselves.
The burden should be on the consumer because the consumer is responsible for their own body and what goes in it. The burden of thought and research is more a benefit than a burden anyway...
I have read the entire declaration and not only does article 3 have nothing to do with this debate, but the UN is wayyyy too socialist anyway. I do not accept all of those rights as rights but as I know there is nothing I can do about it... I will debate if asked.
As for your strawberry being a fish... taking one gene from one organism and placing it into another does not change the species of that organism. Also, many of your genes align with a strawberry's. So no, your strawberry is not a fish.
- sunshiner424
August 20, 2009 12:52PM
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As is Playboy Magazine the same as Donald Duck!
Ah, you and the gentech companies feel that the people and I are so very very smart that we should be sent on a puzzle tour and quizz exercise , where the objective is to find information that nobody wishes to give. That is so considerate and very caring (or consciencious and dignified). Thank you for appreciating our intellectual capacity and challenging it to it's core.
As to the UN Declaration. I agree that it is a little utopian, starting with article one which reads:
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. I dont see dignity and conscience everywhere I look. And the way people are acting towards on another.... well....
Did you know that companies have the fundamental same rights as people whereas they are not endowed with conscience, dignity, etc.... Funny hey?
Strawberries the same as fish?
I think that a great many people would disagree. For instance some vegetarians (who dont like meat DNA in their veggies) or a few muslims and jews (who don't like pig and bug genes in their foods), various christians (who like to eat real fish on fridays) would disagree. And then there is me and some people with me, who would simply prefer to not have fishgenes in their strawberry's. I won't bother you with why. It is not relevant to my promotional activities of securing free choice in what we eat for everyone.
The simple fact that we are made up from the same components doesnt make us the same. That's like saying Donald Duck is the same as Playboy Magzine. Or Mine Kamff the same as The Bible... They are very very very diffrent.
- Saxiony
August 20, 2009 1:46PM
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