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[SANET-MG] the GM taliban
The article below was posted on Agbioview. It demonstrates the typical mentality of Gm public relations people in corporations and academe. They picture themselves a the "religious police" going around whipping and beating people who disagree with them. Today whipping as was practiced in Afghanistan, tomorrow, beheading will be promoted!
Anti-biotech Crowd Takes Behind Woodshed Whipping
- Harry Cline, Western Farm Press, Nov 16, 2004
http://westernfarmpress.com/news/11-16-04-column-anti-biotech-whipping/
The huge victories in defeating county anti-biotech initiatives in 3
of 4 California counties in the general election was a
behind-the-woodshed whipping.
There is no other way to describe the wide margins of victory in
defeating anti-biotech initiatives in Butte and San Luis Obispo
counties. Humboldt County's rejection was also a victory, even though
the anti-GE crowd there admitted at the last minute that approving a
law that would call for arresting dairymen who grow
herbicide-resistant corn was not a good idea. They asked voters to
reject the initiative. Nevertheless, 28 percent of the voters
supported the ban. Humboldt's anti-biotechers have said they w
come back with a non-flawed initiative. After Nov. 2, that likely
would be a flawed effort.
The anti-biotech radicals had the momentum early on, swaggering from
their "big" victory last spring in Mendocino. Farmers and ranchers in
Butte and San Luis Obispo were playing catch-up from the start of the
campaign.
However, agricultural grassroots efforts came together quickly to
counter many of the distortions spewed from the anti-GE groups.
Biotech ban opponents also pointed out that many of the so-called
locals supporting biotech bans were non-Californians supported by the
Minnesota-based Organic Consumers Association and liberals from the
San Francisco Bay area. Outsiders.
Experts like former Greenpeace co-founder Patrick Moore were brought
in to scientifically and rationally refute many the anti-biotech
crowd's phony facts. Scientists from the California State University
system as well as individuals from UC also refuted the so-called
anti-biotech experts brought into California to bolster the
anti-biotech effort.
The general public listened to the farmers and ranchers and their
experts. The margins of victory say farmers and ranchers are more
believable than outside radicals preaching fear to line their pockets
with money.
As big as the victory was, you can bet the radical anti-biotech crowd
will not disappear. However, the Nov. 2 election says they can be
handled. Not all of the 40 percent who voted to ban genetically
modified crops in Butte and San Luis Obispo are radicals. There are
still concerns about ag biotech, and ag leaders at least in Butte,
San Luis Obispo and Humboldt realize they cannot rest with this one
victory.
It must be heartening to those who worked so hard on the campaigns
that they earned the trust of a majority of their urban neighbors.
Farmers and ranchers realize they must continue to connect with
California's urban population on issues important to the production
of food and fiber. They did it this time, and they can do it again.
For anti-biotech outsiders who have taken pleasure in California's
weather and hospitality for the past few months, enjoy the winters in
Minnesota, Canada and San Francisco. And watch what you eat, it may
contain dreaded biotech genes.
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