Why I'm Still Not Quilting - Busy Fighting Monsanto

This is what I was doing on Saturday. I was protesting Monsanto and GMOs. (Here's a short blurb about the Saskatoon March). On March 25, over 2 million people in over 50 countries and in about 450 cities rallied to protest Monsanto. Read about it here or google "March Against Monsanto" for tons of hits. Listen to Sandra Finley (who sits on our University of Saskatchewan Senate as a member at large) talk about how our University is being influenced by corporations including Monsanto, limiting the autonomy universities should have. See some of the "March against Monsanto" photos that flooded in from around the world

This is something I believe strongly in. Since having cancer, I have become much more aware of toxins in my food and environment ... a lot of things I wish I had better understood long ago.

At the very least, I think proper testing should have been done before releasing GMOs into our food chain. Recent studies (not funded by Monsanto) are alarming. Monsanto's position is that it's not their job to make sure their products are safe, it's the responsibility of government institutions who are largely bought and paid for by Monsanto. 

Interesting that on one hand Monsanto declares their seeds so unique that they can be patented and, on the other hand, so much the same as natural seeds that they don't need to be tested. REALLY??!! That makes no logical sense.

If you wonder what all the commotion is about and why millions from around the world joined in a global rally to march AGAINST Monsanto and all it represents, I invite you to take some time and view the full length documentary "The World According to Monsanto". Also enlightening is the half hour "Food Inc - Monsanto". I challenge anyone to watch these and not be changed.

If you're unconvinced about the level of corruption, there are many examples but here's one that indicates the level of power they have over the national media ... . It's the story of two investigative news reporters who were eventually fired after not succumbing to threats and bribes regarding the news story they prepared about Monsanto. The story they were telling is really important for people to know. Canadian scientists play into the story, too.

With the clutch Monsanto has on our governments, it's up to citizens to effect change. The best thing we can do is speak up and to demand, at the very least, labeling of foods that contain GMO's. Monsanto has put billions into fighting the labeling of GMO products. In many countries, labeling is mandatory while several other countries have banned GMO's altogether. My feeling is that if GMOs are so good for us, Monsanto would take pride in mandatory GMO labeling. Right? Instead of investing money in fighting mandatory labeling, they would put that money toward testing that would prove the safety of GMOs.  Some of the science supporting my concerns can be found here.

If you want to quietly protest Monsanto, do so by avoiding products that include GMOs. This is admittedly hard to do because it's pretty much everywhere. Here's a list of companies to boycott.  There's even an app (BUYCOTT) to help you find and avoid GMOs. Protest by growing your own vegetables and herbs, making sure to use heirloom seeds. Ask your grocers and your restaurant owners if there are GMOs in the foods they're selling you. Buy organic when you can. Educate your children, your parents, your brothers and sisters, friends and neighbours.

I'm not saying I have this whole "avoiding GMO's thing" mastered - it takes a lot of time, effort and energy that I don't entirely have. I'm just saying I'm really concerned and feel it's important that I join the masses around the world about this issue. I'm trying with baby steps and hopefully those baby steps will become bigger steps. It would sure help a lot if GMO products were, at least, labeled. You can find some generally good advice about how to avoid GMOs here. The Non-GMO Project website takes a lot of the guess work out of what is and isn't a GMO product. It verifies products and lists others that are in the verification process. It has lots of other useful information, too.

If you're interested in some other news stories about Monsanto around the world:

• Hungary Destroys All Monsanto GMO Corn Fields
• Monsanto Sued by India for Biopiracy
• Peru Bans GMOs / Monsanto for 10 years
• Countries Ban GMOs / Monsanto after French scientists show dangers of GMOs
• John Stewart's take on the recently passed passed (US) "Monsanto Protection Act"
• The New York Times reports on how increasingly difficult it is for producers to find non-GMO ingredients for their food products in light of the increasing consumer demand for GMO-free foods. 

I like this slideshow of images from the many marches set to Bon Jovi's "It's My Life". I find it motivating, as if Monsanto itself isn't motivation enough.