We Are What We Eat

THE DANGERS OF GENETIC ENGINEERING
AND WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT

One of the beautiful basics of Rainbow is respect. While not practiced
by all, there is a prevailing energy of respect in this impromptu village
in the woods. By simply addressing one another as "brother" and "sister",
we imply that each of us is sacred. And that each of us is connected.
This is an article about respect. And about food. About the
connections between food, self-respect, and Earth-respect. After all,
everything we are is built from the food and water we take in, which comes
from Earth. Literally, we are Earth, and when she is in trouble, so are we. We all know that the present industrial culture - the quick-fix, think in the short term way of living and growing food - presents numerous problems. Yet many conscious people seem to not be aware of the dangers of genetically altering our food supply. (And trees, and insects, and animals, and . . .) Sorry to be negative, but the reality is that this "technology" is nowhere near as benign as we've been led to believe. It has tremendous potential for mass devastation. Globally and locally. Within our own bodies. This is a heavy topic, but something we all need to know about. And creative activists have a knack for managing to have fun while tackling the world's harshest problems. I'll tell you later about the 30 foot corn in front of Food Emporium.
Genetic alteration, a.k.a. GE (genetic engineering),is a process of inserting genes from a Foreign Species into another species, or deactivating an "undesirable" gene. The term "GMO" means genetically modified organism. There are so many reasons why this is unethical, unwise, and carries multiple hazards for human, animal, and environmental health. I don't have space to cover everything you need to know. I encourage you to look at the websites I've listed. Unless you never eat, your friends and family don't eat, and you don't care much for animals or the natural world. Then it would be best to pass this article on to someone else.
I am not a scientist. What I want to get across is that you don't need
to be a scientist or farmer to clearly understand why GMOs have, well, got
to go. What you do need is basic common sense, and an ability to look
beyond short term "benefits" at the Big Picture.
Let's just dip our toes into simple science. Inside every cell are
strings of DNA, which are like "blueprints" containing all the information
needed for the structure and function of an organism. Genes are the
individual messages that make up this blueprint, each gene coding for a
particular characteristic. This "dry" description is helpful for
understanding, but, as Luke Anderson notes in "Genetic Engineering, Food,
and Our Environment", this is much more intricate and living than a
blueprint for a machine. Genes are complex and interconnected.
It's common knowledge among scientists, at least those who look beyond short term profits, that DNA CANNOT BE PREDICTED!!
That right there should be enough to convince any thinking person to
not only avoid putting this stuff into their bodies, but to devote at least
a few hours a month towards ending this nightmare.
Of course, there's much more that can be said. Here's the tip of the iceberg:
Human Health: You may have heard that GE technology has not been adequately tested for long term health effects. This is true, as FDA approvals are based mainly on "safety" data from the companies who profit from GE. But there's more to say than just "not enough tests". While far from enough, there HAVE been tests. Some of the findings include: Unfortunate rats were fed GE potatoes, resulting in damage to their immune systems and internal organs, as well as stomach lesions. The damage was most likely from the "viral promoter", which is spliced into nearly all GE foods and crops. The researcher, Dr. Arpad Pusztai, had his funding, and his position, taken away after he spoke to the media. (www.organicconsumers.org / search - Dr. Pusztai) Regulatory agencies do not require the thorough tests Dr. Pusztai was conducting. Another study involving human subjects found that genetically altered DNA transferred to the bacteria in the gut after just one meal of GE soy. And, the study was designed to be bias towards negative findings. Dr. Mae Wan Ho, who performed this study, is calling for a worldwide moratorium on GE foods. (www.i-sis.org and search - genetic engineering). A food is a living organism, with genes working together in Nature's choreography. Splicing genes is not only dangerous, it is frighteningly unpredictable.
Another concern for human health is increased risk of cancer. This had been clearly proven in the case of rBGH, a GE growth hormone given to cows. It significantly raised the levels of growth hormones that are linked to cancer, yet the FDA, with the help of Monsanto's lawyers, still requires rBGH free milk cartons to state that "no significant difference" has been found between treated and untreated milk. As far as cancer risks from other GE foods, that is more difficult to prove, however, a simple explanation of cancer is cells which mutate until they're out of control. This doesn't happen during a long weekend. This takes awhile. Just like it took awhile for lead, DDT, and asbestos to harm enough people in obvious enough ways. Exactly what triggers cancer can be difficult to pinpoint. I rely on the basic medical facts that cancer is caused by toxins / mutations, as well as a weakened immunity. GMOs are unpredictable, and have been linked to toxic poisoning and immune system damage. Some GE foods contain bacterial pesticides in every cell. Anyone who doesn't get their information from the companies who sell this stuff can figure out that GMOs may become invitations for cancer, and who knows what else.
Also, GMOs can lead to new allergies, or trigger allergic reactions in people who aren't aware of what they're eating. Are you allergic to petunias? How would you know? You probably have eaten some petunia genes, because they're in most soybeans which are not organic. Petunias sound pretty and benign compared to some "foods" currently being experimented with (like scorpion cabbage, fish strawberries and tomatoes, tobacco or rat lettuce, virus raspberries and grapes, chicken potatoes, etc.) Really. The issue is that these are either substances foreign to the body, or genetic codes which are foreign, unnatural, and untested for long term safety.
Monsanto's Roundup Ready soybeans have been genetically altered to
"tolerate" massive amounts of the toxic herbicide Roundup. It kills everything in sight except the soybean. When the soybean reaches your body, these chemicals have not magically disappeared. One does not have to be a brain surgeon to realize that weeds will soon develop resistance to Roundup, which is made by Monsanto as well. What a coincidence. Resistant weeds are already popping up - see articles at www.thecampaign.org for more info. A word on soy - it's not just tofu or Soy Milk, but also soy, corm and canola, some of which are genetically altered, are in many foods, like veggie burgers, humus, vegan "chicken" salads, etc. Read labels and communicate with manufacturers.
While we're on the subject of health, it is important to mention that to be truly respectful of your body and the Earth, you should try your hardest to avoid foods grown with toxic chemicals, artificial ingredients, and hydrogenated oils - more similar to plastic than to food. Real bad, but I don't have room to give more detail. Organic foods are free of chemical pesticides, and are free of genetically altered ingredients. OR, as free as possible. Organic corn may have traces of GMOs because corn pollen drifts for miles. Even wheat, which is not GE (yet!) has been shown to have traces of GE corn. Another reason to fight genetic engineering. But in organics, as of now, the contamination is minimal. Unfortunately, organic is more expensive, because it costs more to grow food with care, and the government gives subsidies to huge chemical farms. Some people are really short on cash, and struggle with affording food as it is. Hopefully, you'll be able to prioritize, even if it means eating less, or substituting some foods you like for simpler, cheaper options, like grains, beans, and veggies. You may be surprised that an appetizer of understanding and respect for self and Earth can make a simple, cheap organic dinner much less "boring" than most people think!
If it's really not feasible to go totally organic, be aware of the foods that currently contain GMO's and at least avoid them. Soy, corn, canola, and to a lesser extent papaya and squash, are the foods currently genetically messed with. If they're not organic, there's a big chance they're GE. Remember to read labels and talk to stores / manufacturers. Cotton is not a food, but for some twisted reason, cottonseed oil is an ingredient in many processed foods. This has no place in your body, GE or not. As far as buying cotton, GE is one reason to look for organic, or second hand, cotton products. It's also sprayed with obscene amounts of chemicals. See www.organicconsumers.org - (clothes for a change) for info on why cotton is the planet's most toxic crop.
And don't forget that the hormone rBGH, is something you should stay away from. It's particularly hazardous for pregnant women and children, but everyone who is taking doses of this proven-to-be-carcinogenic-whopper-of-a-growth-hormone via meat and milk is either sadly uninformed, or making really strange decisions.
If you choose to eat animal and dairy products, paying more for organic
means not ingesting antibiotics and powerful GE growth hormones unfit for
human consumption, and not supporting factory farms which are like animal concentration camps.
www.factoryfarming.org
www.farmedanddangerous.org

Folks who aren't ready to become vegan should be aware that there are more humane and healthy sources of animal products, as well as the importance of eating wild, sustainable fish. Peaceful Pastures, in Tennessee, ships red meat and poultry anywhere in the U.S. www.peacefulpastures.com. I've also heard good things about Bell & Evans chicken farm in the Northeast. The sad reality is that even the organic label doesn't carry much assurance anymore, especially with chickens and eggs. Please, Family, limit your animal consumption, and try your hardest to find out the conditions the animals were raised on. There's simply not enough room on the planet to feed and raise enough animals in humane conditions to support a daily meat habit for billions of people. Any pizza vendors reading this? I wish I had more info on how to find ethical cheese in bulk, but hopefully I've inspired you to research that on your own. Or e-mail me at sacredearth@care2.com and I'll find out what I can for you. Many cities have farmers' markets, where the ethics and practices of the farmers carry more weight than the organic label. At larger stores, you're better off looking for the certification than guessing. This may be hard to find in some areas. It's important to talk to the local stores. The more people who do that, the more likely they will be to offer organic, and, perhaps, to phase out genetically engineered ingredients.
Returning to GE from that important tangent. . .
As is clear in the "Cathedral of Nature", we have more than personal
health to be concerned about. Another dip into common sense science: All life is interconnected. Since DNA can't be fully predicted, and there
haven't been satisfactory long term safety tests, it's important to understand that once genetically altered species are out in nature they cannot be recalled like a faulty car seat. Evolution has been going on for billions of years. Genetic alteration, which is seconds old compared to the life of Earth, is monkey-wrenching the entire evolutionary process. The monarch butterfly has become a poster child for anti-GMO campaigns, because it provides an excellent example of the interconnectedness of life. Corn pollen can drift for miles. Monarch caterpillars have been dying after eating plants dusted with GE corn pollen. The ones who survive grow much smaller and have
smaller appetites. But don't worry, GE corn is safe. The companies who
make it say so.
Genetically altered INSECTS (to provide vaccinations without consent),
TREES (to exhale pesticides, tolerate massive spraying, and produce more "efficient" materials so this wasteful society can keep consuming without thinking), FISH and ANIMALS (!!) are currently being experimented with! Please see websites for more comprehensive info on this!!!
The FDA may be close, very close, to approving the release of GE SALMON. www.stopgefish.org and www.gefish.org
Besides the obvious ethical abomination, there have not been adequate tests for the health of people who eat these fish, some of who have been born with deformed heads. GE salmon are engineered to grow faster, have a mating advantage, and not follow their natural migratory paths. Perdue scientists calculated that if 60 transgenic fish were released into a population of 60,000 wild fish, the natural salmon would become extinct within 40 generations. Part of this ripple effect would be serious disruption to river life, and to bears, who've depended upon salmon's annual migrations for thousands of years.
"The scariest thing is a world without nature", says Howard Brandstein, Director of NYC's Sixth St Community Center, and SOS Food activist. "Whether that could actually happen is a question, but try to imagine a world with nothing but GE salmon and no natural salmon, and then extend that to other species, or to all species." That sounds far fetched. About as far fetched as the thought of strawberries with fish genes, or cloned sheep, would have sounded 50 years ago. I agree with Howard that we need to take this seriously NOW, while we still have nature to preserve!
And then there's the spiritual way of looking at it. To put it simply, these companies are playing God and trying to own, to patent, Life itself. Many of us at Rainbow feel a strong connection to Earth. Perhaps the reasons go deeper than the aesthetics of trees, flowers, and mountains. Perhaps a long time ago we were all part of the same being. A pond-scum-like-early-evolutionary-mush. And our DNA does have memory. Perhaps when we eat (whole foods, not Twinkies), our bodies have a "cellular family reunion" with the cells of the food. It doesn't just go from spoon to stomach to toilet. There's countless chemical reactions in between, as the food becomes, literally, part of us. So in addition to monkey wrenching our health, our genetic makeup (and that of future generations), GMOs may affect our very spirituality. We, or our children, may gradually loose the connection we have to Earth, our food, and each other.
That one's a bit harder to "prove", but I have a feeling there's enough folks at Rainbow who can understand that point. But if it didn't particularly resonate with you, there's more than enough common sense reasons to avoid eating GMOs.
Educating others about this issue is critical. Especially owners of
restaurants and stores, and food manufacturers. And there's not a lot of time. I don't mean to sound "doomsday" like, but this technology is progressing astoundingly rapidly, and once it's out in nature, it can't be taken back. There's no "do over". And the GE salmon may be on the market any day. There's also some creepy connections between the companies who profit from genetic alteration and the agencies we "trust" to uphold the safety of our food and the welfare of the environment. You may encounter arguments about the benefits of GMOs, such as the idea that they will help end world hunger. Many scientists who engineer this stuff do have good intentions. The problem is, their projections are short sighted. Almost anyone who is in favor of this not fully understood technology has gotten their information, directly or indirectly, from the companies that profit from this. Many delegates from African countries have actually spoken up against using their poverty stricken image as an advertising campaign for GMOs. Messing with genes destroys bio-diversity, which is vital to poor farmers. And it doesn't address the root causes of hunger: industry, poverty and obnoxiously inflated debt repayments.
The initial promises of GE technology seemed encouraging for the poor and for farmers, but the results have been nearly devastating. Farmers have actually traveled from the US and Canada to Great Britain, telling farmers "don't let out nightmare become yours". Farmers have been sued because GE pollen drifted onto their fields. Please see websites for more info.
THE GOOD NEWS (Finally!): Many people will be receptive to learning
about the food they eat and the world they live in. True self respect incorporates awareness of what we put into our bodies. And this is an issue where we, the little people, also known as "consumers", have tremendous power, if we focus and organize. IF WE REFUSE TO BUY THIS STUFF, AND IF WE CONVINCE STORES AND RESTAURANTS TO PHASE OUT GMOs, we can make a BIG DIFFERENCE!!!! Already, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and Wild Oats have agreed to phase out genetically altered ingredients from their brands. Due to Consumer Pressure.
I do some volunteer work with SOS Food, a group of wonderfully dedicated people in NYC trying to raise awareness of this critical issue. Our most memorable event was at the Union Square Food Emporium. With the help of a 30 foot blow up corn parked in front of their store for 3 days, we were trying to convince Food Emporium to phase out all GE foods. Dressed up as fish strawberries and other interesting "foods", we gave out info to curious pedestrians, and got signatures on petitions and postcards. See below for Food Emporium's contact info. www.sosfood.org Similar campaigns are going on across the country. www.organicconsumers.org / www.nerage.org In NYC, we're targeting Food Emporium first because their parent company in Europe has banned GMOs. And it seems like we have a chance of convincing them how important this is, from a public relations, as well as ethical, standpoint. After all, supermarket CEO's eat too. Congressional representatives also eat, and some of them are receptive to this issue. Legislation may come up soon about mandatory labeling of GE foods, and it is important to communicate to those folks in Washington. We don't have to love them or trust them, but the truth is, lobbying and letter writing campaigns do work. Labeling is not enough - this should be banned altogether, but labeling is a step in the right direction.
One more thing - there's got to be some rainbow kitchen folks reading
this. I know you guys work really hard on a barely existent budget, and I'm
not saying you're terrible if you don't offer 100% organic. But PLEASE keep
in mind which foods are GMO, and try, if you can, to offer more organic
foods. If you order from any suppliers in bulk, whether for Rainbow or
other events, communicating this to them can send a strong message. The
logistics of forests without refrigerators keep Gatherings mostly vegan, but
for pizza and grilled cheese makers, or for parking lot vendors, please please understand how important it is to offer hormone-free (and torture-free) food. If your budget is real tight, it may be a good idea to post a sign informing people that you're up on the food health connection, you want to look out for the Family and serve good food, but it's expensive. Inform people why this is important for everyone, and ask for whatever you can afford donations, specifically to cover the higher costs of organic soy, corn, canola, and ethical animal products.
The encouraging thing here is that it seems to take something drastic
to really wake people up. This may be part of our evolution at this intense
time. Not to splice genes of who knows what together in the quest to own
life, but to raise awareness, to let our survival instinct reunite us, to
dialogue about this, to make huge changes for the common good.
There's so much more to be said on this issue, and so much that can be
done as well. GE wheat may be next, and farmers are already voicing opposition. The Bush administration is pressuring Europe to accept GE foods. There's many websites all over the world to organize against this, and changes are happening. If you'd like to learn more, or sign on line petitions, please see:
www.centerforfoodsafety.org
www.organicconsumers.org
www.thecampaign.org
www.sosfood.org

Sites specifically about GE FISH: www.GEFISH.ORG (Download forms for restaurants / stores to sign pledging they won't sell GE fish - money talks)

Have a few minutes a week to do some phone calls / letter writing?
Food Emporium / A&P CEO Christian Haub (201) 573-9700
A&P Christian Haub, CEO
2 Paragon Dr. Montvale, NJ 07645

Humus - a food purchased by many conscious eaters, and those companies may be particularly receptive to what we have to say. Most humus contains canola, corn, or soy oil. - Wakim's Foods (215) 785-3420 218R Rt 13 Bristol, PA 19007
Abraham's : (732) 229-5799

**If you would like to be part of a nationwide campaign to communicate with a few food companies a week, please e-mail sacredearth@care2.com and you'll receive weekly brief e-mails with company contact info. It was a similar campaign which convinced Whole Foods to phase out GE.**

Sources: Anderson, Luke. Genetic Engineering, Food, and Our Environment.
Chelsea Green Publishing Co., White River Junction, VT. 1999 and 2000
The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods. Revised and Expanded
Take Action Packet. 2001
Mothers for Natural Law of the Natural Law Party. Safe Food News -
Genetically Engineered Foods - Are They Safe
Living Earth - Publication of the Soil Association, England
Organic Consumers Association

- By Ellen Osuna
Sacredearth@care2.com

WE LOVE YOU!

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