[Sca-cooks] NOT OT: genetically engineereed foods

[Stefan li Rous]

  Magdalena replied mostly to Phlip with:
> Finally, last I checked, this is the United States of America.  Here, 
> we
> have a right to make decisions, as long as they don't hurt anybody 
> else,
> based on our ethical, religious or intellectual beliefs.  You have 
> every
> right to feel that we're wrong, you even have a right to tell us you
> think we're wrong
Agreed. Or at least it should be. Part of the problem is deciding 
whether someone is really hurt by another's choice and if they are if 
it is significant enough. See the controversy over the current marriage 
laws or the sodemy ones for instance.
> (though you were exceptionally rude in your delivery,
> that was your perogative,)
Agreed. Although I'm also willing to believe that the way it came 
across to many (most?) of us, was not what Phlip really intended.
> but you don't have a right to stop us from
> making those decisions.  By failing to label GMO foods, you're 
> stripping
> us of that right.
Are they though? One, is that really a right? And Two, if it does which 
is more important, the intellectual property/patent rights of the plant 
developer? or yours? There is a recent case saying that the coding for 
the DVD movies is not covered by the first amendment. The actual makeup 
of a food might well fall into this same category. Three, is having the 
info on the label a right? Or just having it available on a website 
sufficient? What if that website or label is in Russian?

Lastly, nothing keeps folks who do not use modified foods in their 
product from putting a label on the food to indicate that. This will 
limit the choices to you, and probably raise the price of these items, 
but it is an alternative. Similar concerns have been there about 
organic foods for some time and demand has created a market for them. 
If cross-pollination/contamination is a problem then I'm sure there are 
technical solutions to the problem. If folks are willing to pay the 
extra money required to research and implement them.
> The FDA required every ingredient to be listed so
> people can make other kinds of food decisions.
Not exactly. I believe it only covers processed foods. I don't see a 
label giving me the carbohydrate or sugar amounts on the grapes or 
tomatoes in the produce department. And it would certainly be better 
for me if the breads baked in the local grocery would have this 
information on their labels. Which they don't. Aren't these fresh 
fruits and vegetables one of your concerns on the artifical genetic 
changing?

> Why are they balking about accomodating this right?
Again, I'm not sure it is a right. The "right" to have an ingredient 
list is fairly recent and the "right" to have a nutrient/composition 
breakdown is even newer. I can think of a number of reasons they might 
balk. Some insidious. Some not.

I happen to agree very much with what Corwyn said:
> There's not one person on this list I wouldn't welcome in my home with
> open arms, or go out of my way to help....
I think there are others here who feel the same way. Let's try to keep 
this in mind with our comments and in our interpretation of what we 
think others are saying. Even if it is difficult sometimes.
Stefan
--------
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
    Mark S. Harris           Austin, Texas          
StefanliRous at austin.rr.com
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****