One nation, Under Monsanto

Last week, Washington state got the clear unequivocal vote that constituents want GMOs labeled despite a $22 million campaign to keep people in the dark.  Last year, in California, Monsanto was so aggressively undermining the true vote, spending millions to rally against labeling out of the obvious fear that smart people do not want to buy GMOs. Aaah, the Monsanto fear of smart people rears its ugly head again.  To me, any informed voter would obviously want GMOs labeled and any informed consumer would not want to eat genetically modified food.  But, with Washington being the only state to take this measure, what will happen in the national arena?

I want a fight. Also, I avoid foods that do have GMOs and those that are likely to contain GMOs.  So the producers of the natural versions of soy, corn and the various other GMO heavy crops lose me as a consumer altogether when they can not prove their item is GMO free.  So, one would think some of the large producers of the good food would stand up here and happily label.  But does Monsanto have more than the whole crazy agribiofrankenfood industry in its pocket? Well, it might because we can plainly see brands that produce both GMO and non, brands that produce both organic and conventional and some of those brands are heavy Monsanto customers using Roundup and Roundup Ready crops, using BT corn in some of their fields.  So, can't all the small famers come together and reel this situation in a little? AND consumers, where the heck is your voice? Anyone who EATS, should want to know what they are eating. So, let's find our voice and get this situation to the national platform where congress can put an end to it.  Or maybe we should just change the Pledge of Allegiance to One nation, under Monsanto...

The facts and the fiction.  Are GMOs unhealthy?
1) They have led to the use of a shitload of herbicides, pesticides and fungicides that are proven toxins. A shitload in the billions of pounds.
2) Yes, actual science shows us they are unhealthy. Here are some studies ...there are many more.  http://www.responsibletechnology.org/gmo-dangers/government-studies  I think it is wise to add that common sense may be more important than these studies.  Parts of Europe, Japan and Australia have had a complete ban on GMOs purely because they have never been proven safe.  Europe  required significant testing before considering allowing the crops although imports for animal feed are widespread.  The few crops that have been approved by the EU  have then faced challenges from EU individual countries wanting to ban them. Why don't we the United States play it safe?  I am often questioned by people who seem suspicious of my stance. What is so bad about GMOs? Well, why is the onus on me to prove they are bad. Why would the assumption that they are good ever be derived from something involving gene blasting, toxic pesticides, the very fact of allowing the BT into every cell of the corn instead of spraying it outside, the Roundup being absorbed completely instead of killing the plant as it would do to the unaltered plant...if Monsanto had not invaded our government no one ever would have assumed the safety of the GMO. Aren't people a little suspicious of a company that sells both the seeds and the pesticides and the weed killer is the group purporting GMOs are safe? Do we see even a little conflict of interest here?
3) GMOs are reducing genetic diversity.  Right now plants are becoming Roundup resistant so agribiofrankenfood industries spray even more.  The superbugs resistant to BT corn are on the rise.  The plants can not adapt to changes as well including droughts and infestations.
4)GMO foods are less nutritious.  It seems they have fewer bioavailable vitamins and minerals.
5)The genetically modified properties are spreading to non-GMO crops because of proximity and cross pollination.  BT corn with the toxin right in every bite is toxic to animals like monarch butterflies whose favorite plants have gotten he BT toxin through unintentional spread.
6)GMOs are a big part of the food industries that make our country fat and sick.  Processed soy, corn syrup, cotton, canola, sugar beets, papaya, rice and the list keeps getting longer. 

But hey, what's a little unwanted unexpected DNA in your food? or a little surprise pesticide built right in (yay, new bacteria in our already unhealthy guts) ...Hmm...