Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Food Fight!

"You are forthright and fearless," a former love interest told me in an email years ago, and he was definitely right! Throughout my life, I've carried a reputation that I'm bold, daring, and perhaps a bit crazy due to my perceived fearlessness, but I have to tell you that right now I'm really scared.

When I was at Berry College, one of my first papers for Rhetoric & Writing was about the genetic modification of food. To be honest, I didn't want to write the paper, not just because I didn't like writing papers (most of the battle) but because I just didn't care. We were supposed to argue for or against the genetic modification of food, and I was going to choose the pro side until I started researching and found that I absolutely could not argue in favor. One thing I learned in my research was that allergens are derived from proteins of the food source, which is why people can be allergic to all different kinds of foods. I concluded that there is a greater, very dangerous risk for averse reactions when GMO foods are consumed just by the allergen issue alone. I grew up with a father who was allergic to several different meats, so I learned to be very sensitive to food allergies at a young age. This idea that GMO's could make matters worse was a problem that hit home for me, literally. All of a sudden, I started to care. That was about 10 years ago.

I'm not an expert in anything, but I do have a voice where I share my concern. It's no surprise to me that there are so many seemingly new flavors of food intolerances, food allergies, and other issues (like cancer, for example) regarding the way our bodies process what we eat since so much of our food supply has been either genetically modified or stripped of all of its nutritional value - and why? To save a buck? To "feed the world"? Well, guess what - the rest of the world doesn't want this food or the seeds from which they grow! [Read here, here, and here, for starters.]  They don't want to be obese like Americans (I know I don't have to go into statistics here.) and they don't want frankenfoods because they know they're dangerous. We are the malnourished and the infirm, and we've done this to ourselves by allowing it to happen. It's time we make it right.

I don't know if it's true, but I've been told that Monsanto, the main company associated with biotech foods, has an agenda to reduce the human race by a large percentage. (I'm paraphrasing here.) My non-conspiracy theorist brain says, "Whateverrrrr. People don't really want to do that! That's just ridiculous, and quite a big statement." On the flipside, I see what they're doing, and by their clearly evil and stealthy plans, I wonder... Maybe it is true. Genocide through your utensils. Clever, Monsanto. (Where the hell is Batman?!)

But wait! There's more! As Monsanto spoon-feeds the human race its deliciously genetically modified frankenveggies, they become power hungry as well! They employ child labor and maintain rigid control over seed supplies, pushing Indian farmers to suicide. Meanwhile, as they destroy people's lives all over the world (as evidenced above but please feel free to use your own research skills), they are also outlawed legally protected in the United Sta- EXCUSE ME, WHAT?! That only makes sense if we were living in the Twilight Zone, and I gotta tell ya, it sure feels like it right now. But yes, they are protected in the good ol' U. S. of A. because they've got friends in very, very high places, but hopefully, we can change that. Your dollar is your vote, and this Saturday there is a worldwide March Against Monsanto, and I encourage everyone to participate in your local marches. This is so important, and I really hope you will stand with me in solidarity for the future of our food.

So, I might be scared but I'm not scared in the sense that I'm going to hide myself and wish it would all go away. (You should know me better than that!) I'm scared enough to act boldly and proudly in support of natural, healthy food sources - the way it was intended by Nature (freakin' duh.) - grown by happy, healthy (Well, that's their choice, but roll with me.) farmers. That's the future I see.

This has been a very Angry Sugar post. :)

Monsanto, don't fuck with a fat girl's food supply. You're going down.