http://hv.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=0059lE

This is about the Monsanto exec being appointed to the EPA -- an employee of Monsanto has replied. I would appreciate any rebuttals you all can make to him. I have to mull it over before I jump in, and I need to be feeding the birds while I'm mulling. Thanks!

-- Anonymous, May 07, 2001

Answers

Joy, not sure if it helped any but I did post to that thread.

-- Anonymous, May 07, 2001

Joy, I looked at his response, and honestly couldn't think of anything constructive to say. His post basically says nothing, and he describes himself only as a former employee. Sorry.

-- Anonymous, May 07, 2001

Thanks for your response to him, Diane. I've added my own now too. It will be interesting to see if he responds. Thanks for giving it a look, David. I can't always think of something to say (can I convince anyone of that?), either.

-- Anonymous, May 07, 2001

dianne and joy.......you did good!!

-- Anonymous, May 07, 2001

Here's the link on the Washington Post article about Starlink gene showing up in nongmo seed corn Engineered corn shows up in seed

I prefer not to post on CS.Sorry I can't be of more help.

-- Anonymous, May 08, 2001

I checked it out too, very frightening! This s--t is in just about everything that's available in the grocery store and in my opinion most folks don't know much of anything about it and if they are aware that it exists they don't care enough to be bothered with it. My husband thinks I'm crazy.

Namaste,

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2001

Joy, I checked out that post and the responses from the above folks pretty much took care of it. You all covered it real well.

Some thing to think about.............When you look at this developement thru the eyes of those who don't think like us on this issue, it's kinda easy to see his point about "appointing someone familiar w/ the technology (I paraphrase here)". I know a lot of people who really don't see the danger posed by GMO technology, and really embrace it. These aren't stupid folks either. Highly educated types. I have a brother who is a big wig agronomist at a big university. He doesn't believe there is any danger posed by BioTech in general. He and I disagree on a regular basis to be sure, but he has data to back up what he says. I will be looking into some of the links so I have some too.

I guess my point is, Maybe these folks think they are doing the right thing, for the right reasons, based on the science and data available. I refer to the President here, Not Monsanto. Our veiw of things in general is not real widely accepted you know. People in this country are not educated about food in general. Most people don't have a clue where their food comes from and what is done in the growing and preparation.

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2001

John, its not only the general public that is not educated about food, it is also the physicians. I work for a large medical school and there is not one class on nutrition taught in the four years of medical school. So where do physicians get their information about nutrition that they tell their patients like it is gospel? Duh, lets see the dairy industry for one, drug companies, big self interest corporations (Monsanto!), no telling where all. I have to push a couple of physicians in my department away from my lunch bag and hide my herbs and stuff I keep at work. They make a bazillion dollars and mooch off me. Allopathic medicine is good for many things, but they are not gods and we have to educate ourselves to guide our own health.

Namaste,

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2001

John -

I have to concede your point. You are right, that even highly educated people truly and strongly believe in the benefits of GMOs etc etc. But being a product of both public schools and my mother's home teaching, I can look back and say a couple things about education.

First off... I don't know if this applies to all Universities, but it certainly STILL holds true at Northern Illinois University (Mom and I both went there, and my daughter will be soon, unfortunately...)

Schools are meant to teach one to follow instructions, and little else. Very few professors, teachers, curriculums are designed for free thinking when in the public arena. I was a biology major, headed for vet school. At that time, NIU was in the top 5 ranking for schools offering my major. Not only were science and free thinking about the last things on these folks' minds, but ethics was a distant last. Where else can you go to learn to practice surgery, not use any form of anesthetic, leave sponges in animals (who were 100% HEALTHY before the surgery) and not be called to task??? What professor in his right mind is told of such a thing and does nothing to see if its true? What kind of education is being given when the dean of the department confirms the allegations, but allows that student to keep his 'A' for the class? What kind of school is it that will defend dean, professor and student against legal charges???

Damn if I didn't fail biology (while getting A's in chem and physiology??!!) the following semester, effectively cancelling all hopes for a DVM. But, gosh... got a B in an English class, taught by a (East) Indian professor, when I consciously missed more than three quarters of the classes yet was required to miss no more than three individual classes......

Maybe this is just in IL Universities... A buddy from ISU in Champaign told a similar story before I ever got to college. But I don't think so. If it were, there would not be a case in court right now over a child who was beaten by a teacher because she circled, instead of underlining her answers.... True, a corporate punishment case, but because of the same thing... Following the stated instructions. (Don't remember where, but it was on CNN... yesterday??)

Highly educated doesn't mean a blasted thing sometimes.

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2001

Well, he finally posted a reply yesterday. Didn't address any of the concerns, and confirmed my thoughts that he was a big nothing (and a mainstream, conservative big nothing at that!)

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

You're right, David, but I may not be able to resist a rejoinder later today when I have "too much time on my hands", i.e., I'm taking a break!

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001