Seed Keepers

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <lflj@intrex.net>]

Elise Lutrick wrote:

> Look, lots of folks got tiffed because Mr. Whealy was booted from his
> job. He may or may not have behaved inappropriately and he may or may
> not have deserved it. 
It was obviously a hostile takeover spearheaded primarily by Goldman.
They're not fooling anyone. I take Whealy's letter seriously, as fact,
not exaggeration or coverup for anything regarding his role.
M&M Mars owns Deeds of Change. Why did they sell out. Who will next own
SSE and what role will Goldman play in that transaction.

I choose to support other organizations and seed/plant networks and will do 
business with
them because those that are left will probably not sell out. They believe in 
what they are
doing and feel that the public and their longtime supporters deserve some 
consideration.
They would be like the old traditional Chinese, one step back and two steps 
forward,
roll with the punches. Noone but conventional-ag-biotech will benefit from a 
takeover
and sellout of SSE.

> It seems as though in the eyes of most folks
> that this issue is immaterial, that regardless of the cause of the
> action, Mr. Whealy was above reproach no matter what may have
> precipitated the action. As a result, a veritable tidal wave of

That is correct.

> accusations have been flying from every quarter at everyone connected
> with the organization EXCEPT for Mr. Whealy. Not one of us knows the
> facts, but lots of potentially actionable libelous accusations are
> being openly flung about about every other person connected with the
> institution. I personally do not know who did what, but I am willing
> to bet based on the evidence that I have seen flow through this mess
> that eventually there are going to be lots of embarrassed folks. For
> myself, I choose the wait and see method. The proof is in the pudding,
> as the old saying goes. I am not going to accuse folks baselessly, and
> I am not going to blindly follow anyone in hero worship.

Suit yourself. I suppose you read Whealy's letters and flung them into the 
dustbin?
If you didn't take anything in them at all seriously then you're probably 
blowing smoke with
your rhetoric above. I am a SSE stakeholder only peripherally, as most people 
are, but I am a real
stakeholder in a local farmers market which underwent a hostile takeover 
attempt the same way and
by the same kind of people as SSE has had to deal with. As I said they don't 
fool me one bit and
the same probably appliies to many others. Its always about the big guys 
taking the little guys
space and dominating the marketplace. It doesnt always have to be that way. 
SSE was to serve a
level playing field in the marketplace, a resource the small and home farmers 
could always rely on,
as you imply below. If they change their mission or sell out that resource will be lost forever. Read Whealys letter 
where he talks about Goldman's clueless, cavalier suggestion about making changes at SSE and following other 
organization's models, Seeds of Change, for one, then consider their sellout to Mars.

The Who - Won't Get Fooled Again - Live 8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zydAs5bRW1U&feature=related

> I encourage everyone here to carefully investigate links produced here
> and elsewhere as evidence, including going to the root and parallel
> sites and thoroughtly researching accusations for yourselves before
> jumping to conclusions.

Anything to avoid taking Whealy's letters seriously.
What is your professional involvement in the field of agriculture?
> No, I do not work for SSE. I am interested in SSE because I have
> grandchildren whose lives may very well depend on what resides in the
> SSE seed vaults. 

Most everyone feels that way except that most are not confident that in 
present hands SSE will
fulfill that role.