Dear Representative Levin:
Thank you for your response to my email in support of H.R. 1699, the “Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know Act.” I do not necessarily agree with all that you wrote but you gave me some things to consider.
The thing is, sixty countries have already banned GMO's, especially seeds. Most, if not all, of these crops are designed to be resistant to RoundUp, the herbicide Monsanto created and sells to control weeds in the fields. There is a picture circulating that shows people spraying a field with RoundUp and they are in hazard suits with gas masks. If something is that dangerous to work with, do we really want it sprayed on our crops?
An 80 acre field was found to be growing genetically altered wheat. It was sprayed with roundup to clear the field but could not be killed. How it got there is unclear since this wheat has not been approved. I have my doubts about how healthy herbicide resistant crops can be for the human body. I WOULD, however, like to have the opportunity to make the decision for myself.. Labeling would give us that choice.
It is somewhat patronizing to say that labeling would be confusing. Personally I read nutrition labels all the time and do not find them confusing in the least. People would have the choice to read labels of GE foods or not. Those of us who do not want to eat those food products should be given the facts about whether they are genetically modified or not.
If Big Ag (read Monsanto) is so afraid consumers would run away from GE food products, that says something about their own doubts about their safety and healthfulness. Personally I do not trust any company who created things like DDT and Agent Orange. Millions of dollars in campaign contributions aside, Congress should not trust them either. Given Monsanto's checkered past, I would think the most prudent move would be to approve labeling.
Friday, July 5, 2013
A Place At The Table
A
few evenings ago I had the opportunity to attend a screening of the
film, "A Place At The Table", starring Jeff Bridges. It was a very
thought provoking and emotional film about hunger in America. I highly
recommend it as a way to elicit conversation and discussion about the
very real crisis. There are many facts about hunger in the film,
elucidated by various experts but the experiences of a number of people
(primarily of single mothers!) were what stuck out to me. Much is said
about hunger in this country but we do not often stop to think about the
individuals who are affected. Numbers and statistics are dry and it is
tempting to focus on them rather than people because, as this film
points out, people are harder to ignore; they are harder to forget.
It is impossible for me to forget the little girl who lived in squalor and went to school hungry most days. The devastating effect hunger has on children was most disturbingly demonstrated by her situation. She could not concentrate or focus on school work when her stomach was growling. For me, this situation hit all too close to home. As I watched Rosie, I saw myself as a child.
When I was in first grade, one of the teachers who knew my father (she had been his teacher as well) took me aside and talked to me about breakfast and then talked to my parents. I was always being sent to the corner because I was tired and couldn't concentrate. I never made the connection between that and not having eaten in the morning. This film became very personal. I remember my family had government issued canned peanut butter and also cheese. I never paid much attention, I guess I figured everyone had the same.
Hungry children are nothing new in the country but the epidemic certainly is, at least since the 1960's when president after president issued wars on hunger. The school lunch program and, later, the school breakfast program cut childhood hunger drastically. What changed? Why are 1:6 children in this country suffering from food insecurity? Watch the film and you will find out.
To discover more about the issue you can visit: http://www.takepart.com/place-at-the-table/film.
It is impossible for me to forget the little girl who lived in squalor and went to school hungry most days. The devastating effect hunger has on children was most disturbingly demonstrated by her situation. She could not concentrate or focus on school work when her stomach was growling. For me, this situation hit all too close to home. As I watched Rosie, I saw myself as a child.
When I was in first grade, one of the teachers who knew my father (she had been his teacher as well) took me aside and talked to me about breakfast and then talked to my parents. I was always being sent to the corner because I was tired and couldn't concentrate. I never made the connection between that and not having eaten in the morning. This film became very personal. I remember my family had government issued canned peanut butter and also cheese. I never paid much attention, I guess I figured everyone had the same.
Hungry children are nothing new in the country but the epidemic certainly is, at least since the 1960's when president after president issued wars on hunger. The school lunch program and, later, the school breakfast program cut childhood hunger drastically. What changed? Why are 1:6 children in this country suffering from food insecurity? Watch the film and you will find out.
To discover more about the issue you can visit: http://www.takepart.com/place-at-the-table/film.
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