Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/

["Shea Tisdale" <shea AT sheatisdale.com>]

Jeremy Portzer wrote:

> Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 2004 4:54 PM
> To: 'Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/'
> Subject: [internetworkers] Genetically modified foods - (was
> fahrenheit911,at a theater near you!)
> 
> On Tue, 2004-06-22 at 15:35, Shea Tisdale wrote:
> > But I can't resist all their ads and their chemically engineered,
> > bio-engineered, genetically modified food stuffs they sell!
> >
> 
> Your comment of course was sarcastic.  But it brings up a point that I
> have -- why is there a common assumption (at least among
> leftists/liberals) that "bio-engineered" or "genetically modified" foods
> are such a horrible thing.  

The actual truth is that probably 95% of the foods we eat are genetically
modified.  They have been for hundreds of years through importation,
selective breading, and hybridization.  These forms of genetic manipulation
haven't been regarded as "bad" as has the more direct genetic manipulation
now in the news.

> After all, they allow for a number of things
> that help the environment, supposedly a liberal cause.  For example,
> crops that are modified to resist Roundup herbicide ("Roundup Ready"
> soybeans and corn from Monsanto) reduce the use of other herbicides that
> can cause plant damage downstream.  Or, crops modified to bring higher
> yields reduce the need for fertilizers that can cause algae blooms and
> fish kills.  Such crops contain no difference whatsoever in the end
> product, and as such are perfectly safe for human and animal
> consumption.

I would like to see some of the data before I truly jump on that bandwagon,
but generally I agree with you.  I guess my hope would be that we use as
little chemical treatment as possible, whether it is in the form of
fertilizer, herbicide, or pesticide.  And that we develop processes that
eliminate the need for herbicides and therefore the need for genetically
modifying plants to be resistant to them.

> 
> Sure, like any new technology, genetically engineered foods need to be
> evaluated carefully, weighing costs and benefits.  I'm not arguing for
> an end-run around the scientific method.  But when the scientific method
> is applied, we should pay attention to it!
>