Big Island *takes first step* in banning GMO's

[oink]

I didn't realize so many people on the BI, outside of Puna, were so nuts. I would think the Mayor, if he has any statewide ambitions, would block such efforts.

Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.

[james weatherford]

Pete,

Have you listened to what those people have to say?

[PaulW]

James, have you listened? Have you picked up on anything that is not true?

[Richard Ha]

http://www.bigislandchronicle.com/2013/1.../#comments

Mahalo TomK, Chunkster, Opihikao and others for supporting farmers. I'll let the other farmers know of your support.

Link above is to a piece I wrote about farmers plight. I had to defend myself against Sen Ruderman and Professor James.

[Kelena]

I can't imagine a better way to inhibit or destroy island agriculture than this bill. Oh wait -- yes I can. You could take the law into your own hands and go into a farmer's field and cut down his papayas because they are resistant to disease and you are afraid that disease resistance will spread. But even that method of destroying island agriculture would require you to go field-by-field in the dead of night, wreaking havoc individually. It would also require that you repeatedly break the law. So perhaps this bill is a more efficient way of guaranteeing we get our papayas from South America, or macadamia nuts from elsewhere and our coffee from Columbia. You could take a hatchet to those fields, but that clearly would be labor-intensive.

I simply cannot believe that such irrational superstition has enabled a bill to advance so far. As for Senator Ruderman, I like to think he is a good man who is deluded on this issue and not one who thinks he can sell a few more non-GMO papayas. Sometimes the simplest answer is the most correct: He really believes that this bill is good for Hawaii Island.

It isn't.

[ericlp]

I'd like to see him cut down my GMO papaya or banana's growing in my yard. That's for my consumption and my neighbors as well as I can't eat it all. Maybe we should all get together to tell them how bad this bill is.

I'm nor for nor against GMO. But to me this sounds wrong.

[james weatherford]

quote:

---

Originally posted by PaulW

James, have you listened? Have you picked up on anything that is not true?

---

I have listened to large segments (while working).
Am considering what is said and would be interested in what credible people with a real name have to say about it.

[Greg]

Paul says: "Comparing GM technology to Thalidomide, that's classy."
_______________________________________________________________________

I feel qualified to make such comparisons. I was involved in Agent Orange spray operations in the past and feel strongly about Corporations that tout products as "Safe", without realizing the long term effects.

Now that was "classy"(well, profitable anyway).

[kalakoa]

Words mean different things depending on context.

Personal "safety" usually implies health/happiness, possibly some freedom/liberty.

Corporate "safety" refers to the health of the profit margin, and the happiness when senior management gets their bonuses.

[PaulW]

So you know the long term effects? Please, do tell. There have been years of studies.

I'm sorry you had anything to do with Agent Orange (I truly am) but I think that is irrelevant.