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Why Prop 37 is Important

Proposition 37 is voter-mandated proposal in California to label products that contain Genetically Modified Organisms. If you are still unclear about exactly what GMOs are, and why they are bad, let’s have an explanation.

GMOs should really be called transgenic organisms. Humans have been modifying plants and changing their genetics since the beginning of agriculture. We do this by choosing seeds from the healthiest, best producing plants and growing them. But this is not remotely what corporations like Monsanto and Syngenta are doing. These corporations take genes from two organisms that would never naturally reproduce together (because the equipment would not even match up) and combines them together into one Frankenplant (or Frankenanimal).

When these plants get eaten by another living being, those combo genes enter that system. In the case of livestock, they don’t generally live long enough to show the damage that these combo genes cause, and if they did, I’m sure the owners of the CAFOs would do all they could to hide it. But there are enough studies that show that GMOs are dangerous for scientists to have spoken out against them.

The most recent study, done in France, was a two year study, in which both male female rats were fed GMO corn, and GMO corn sprayed with Roundup, Monsanto’s signature herbicide. The female rats developed mammary tumors most often, but also tumors and dysfunctions of the pituitary gland. The male rats died of kidney and liver tumors. Yes, there is some controversyover this study, which is inevitable.

What GMOs do to our planet is worthy of an entire post. But here is a link… In the Field

It is often said that as California goes, so goes the nation, and many corporations have already poured millions of dollars into a campaign to defeat prop 37. Attempts at labeling laws was were made this year in both New Hampshire and CT. In New Hampshire, corporations threatened to sue the state and the legislature backed down. In Connecticut, the legislation had a 97% approval rating from all representatives, and it was halted by the governor in a closed door session. The CT attempt will be made again next year no matter what happens elsewhere. The US is one of the few countries in the first world that has no GMO labeling laws. Even China has such laws. GMOs are dangerous to all life on our planet. Consumer knowledge is the first step to shutting them down.

The election for POTUS is highly polarized. Mitt Romney has not stated a position on GMOs, but I can’t imagine that he would stand against them. President Obama has already come out in support of GMOs, and while he promised labeling during his campaign, he has not followed through, and has appointed GMO friendly, Tom Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture. The safety and quality of our food should be a non partisan issue. As our food goes, so goes the planet.

S**t GMO companies say

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Selina Rifkin, L.M.T., M.S. is a graduate of Temple University and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. In 1998 she graduated from the Downeast School of Massage in Maine. She has published articles in Massage Therapy Journal, been a health columnist, and published The Referral Guide for Complementary Care, a book that describes 25 different healing modalities. In 2006 she completed her Masters program in Nutrition with a focus on traditional foods, and the work of Weston A. Price.
Currently she is the Executive Assistant to the Director of Cherry Hill Seminary, the first Pagan seminary to offer Master’s degrees.

Comments

  • Natalie Reed
    Natalie Reed Monday, 24 September 2012

    Thank you for speaking out on this important issue. Even if one believes that GMO's are harmless, at least labeling allows one to make that choice. Knowledge is power - yes on Prop 37!

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