Unjustified Causes Part Two: GMO’s
In this part two of my series on spurious causes I address the campaign against genetically modified organisms. The GMO’s most people are concerned about are in foods. Despite an overwhelming body of research confirming that GMO’s are safe, there is a huge movement opposing their use in foods. The illustration at left is an example of truths and falsehoods mixed together.
This brings me back to a common theme underlying many causes: fear. I would like to think most fearmongers are Republicans; they have Karl Rove and Dick Cheney. In these three popular campaigns, however, many of the adherents are mostly liberal in their thinking. It just illustrates that I am the only truly rational person around.
So, here we go on applying my advanced reasoning powers to examining how the international agribusiness conspiracy is systematically poisoning the world population, producing hordes of mutants ready to run amok killing the innocent. Oh, wait, I have seen too many zombie movies.
I think Anti-GMO activists have also seen too many Zombie movies as well. There are no studies showing any adverse effects on humans or livestock from GMO’s. In the U.S., most of the corn, and soybeans produced are GMO varieties. No ill effects.
The opponents cite studies that have been refuted or make claims with no scientific basis. They are also concerned that there may be problems from GMO’s in the future. Well, folks, we are in the future. These products have been around for more than 20 years in many cases. No zombies yet.
The health food industry has jumped on the no GMO bandwagon in a big way. They accuse big agribusiness of dangerous practices for profit, but they sell No-GMO products with big markups and scared people who have bought into the hype into paying inflated prices.
The justified fear of adverse health effects from pesticides and herbicides in the diet and drinking water has spilled over into the GMO movement. The anti-pesticide movement has strong scientific support. The anti-GMO movement has none, but the fear spills over.
Marketers are exploiting the fear by putting organic foods and No-GMO foods In the same category. Who loses? The Whole Foods customer. The customer is subjected to the classic propaganda technique of the half-truth. Pesticide residue bad, true; GMO’s bad, false. The association is what sticks in people’s minds, scientific fact notwithstanding. This technique is one the Nazi’s used to justify killing Jews. Good people were taken in. Good people are beIng taken in today for profit, not genocide
