I am taking a moment for reflection, appreciation and a bit of complaining.
Ryan and Colson are at Wet and Wild today with friends, having a fantastic time I am sure. Due to a cranked back, I didn’t go (that is not the complaint). I stayed home, enjoying the quiet after I went to the Durham Farmers Market, where I bought fabulous, sustainable food and hobnobbed with my doc, and after a long hike at the state park with my dog. Temperatures were in the upper 60s and a breeze was blowing out of the north. It was perfect.
I came home, enjoyed the quiet, cleaned up a bit, turned on a chick flick, and spaced out for 1.5 hours, which I never do. There are 4 more glorious hours of quiet before me. Now I would love to take a nap, and I will give that a try. But I have this curse. The other day someone asked me what I do, and I told them I make trouble. It is such a curse. I have been that way my whole life. My friend Patti calls troublemakers like us “the fair police.” Talk about chasing windmills, but I keep doing it.
What is troubling me? After my nap, if I take one, I have to tackle the crap lobbed at me by the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences regarding their pro-GMO Biotech Day. The condescending person with whom I have been corresponding has told me he is too busy to continue our conversation and he considers the matter closed. I will be posting that conversation in a day or so. He is naïve if he thinks I am going away. What pisses me off is that a citizen shouldn’t have to work so hard to get a government employee to do his job in an honest and forthright manner. I was that government employee, and my opposition consistently complimented me on my thoroughness, availability, truthfulness, and follow-through. That was my job no matter what side of the issue a citizen was on. What the heck is up with this Museum guy? So, I will be sacrificing my beautiful, quiet day to hold him and the Museum him accountable and try and stop Biotech and GMO producers from taking over the Museum of Natural Science.
Next came an email from the Institute for Responsible Technology regarding Proposition 37, California’s GMO Food Labeling Initiative. The heavy hitting GMO food producers, including those that have funded the NC Museum’s new research wing, are pouring the money into California to defeat GMO labeling. What are those bullies afraid of if their food product is so great? The originator of the California GMO labeling movement is calling on citizens from around the country to phone bank for California, and I can do some. I don’t want to. I just want a quiet life, but I am a shit stirrer, as Ryan says. If I and others don’t take a few minutes a day to fight the corporate giants who want to control our food supply, then…fill in the story with your own less than positive outcomes.
Really, do I want to spend the rest of my weekend mounting a campaign against GMO corporate control of a Natural Sciences Museum, which is a fantastic natural science resource, and then actively join in the California fight until the election? No. Will I? Yes to the first question and most likely to the second. I am as busy as anyone and stretched thin, but what the heck - I will add one more thing. That is my whine. I just want some peace and quiet and I keep picking fights with bullies. Clearly I have a problem.
If you want to help the California GMO Labeling Initiative pass, please contact the Institute for Responsible Technology as discussed below:
Dear Laura,
The Institute for Responsible Technology's Food Policy Fund is doing everything we can to help California pass Proposition 37 - an initiative requiring the labeling of genetically engineered food. Our Executive Director, Jeffrey Smith is speaking at various venues and educating communities around the state. But it is going to take all of us, the entire country, to beat the powerful biotech industry that wants to keep Americans in the dark about knowing what is in their food. That is why we feel compelled to share the following message.
Pamm Larry - the Grandmother from Chico who started this effort is now asking for your help. Please sign up to help get this initiative passed in California so we can move on to labeling GMOs throughout the entire country. Here is Pamm’s message:
Hello USA!!!
I'm
writing an urgent appeal to all who care about labeling GMOs in our great country.
After years of feeling hopeless about the state of GMO labeling in this
country, I had what Jeffrey calls "an epiphany." On the morning
of January 20, 2011, it came to me in a flash of inspiration that it was my job
from that day until November 6, 2012 to do everything I could to get a
proposition to label GMOS on the ballot in California. I had no money, no
experience and no hope. I just started.
Since that day, we have grown beyond my wildest dreams. We have leaders
all over the state working in their communities to educate and get out the
vote. We have professionals on board to guide us. We have much in
place to be successful AND we are entering the most difficult phase of this
campaign.
What happens here will affect the whole country. Seven states that
I know of are watching us and are poised to do initiatives or legislative
efforts once we win. Our opposition is firing up it's weapons-
They have contributed over $25 million. Last week, Monsanto added almost
$5M more. We believe they are putting that money in there because they
are afraid of the polls so are starting their advertising campaign early.
We are running out of time.
We will never have the money they have. But they don't have what we do: YOU!
If you care about labeling GMOs now is the time to help out. We need your help making phone calls. If you can help do that for us, it frees up the folks here on the ground to make eye contact. More information about this will be provided after you sign up!
This
is the battle of our lives. The entire country needs to come together to
win.
Please help us
by signing up to volunteer here
I know that when we unite we can make great change. Please join us!!
Sincerely,
Pamm
Larry
Initial Instigator and Chief Rabble Rouser
And the Institute for Responsible
Technology Food Policy Fund
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