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Peace's Wheaten Garland by Alex Jack
"As peace should still her wheaten garland wear. . ."
‹Shakespeare, Hamlet
(Sunday, March 23, 2003 -- CropChoice guest commentary) -- As the war in Iraq began, the future of the United Nations not only stood in
jeopardy, but wheat (the traditional staff of life and emblem of peace on the
UN flag) also hung in the balance. Over the winter, as the world was
preoccupied with the buildup of American military forces in the Persian Gulf
and the debate in the Security Council intensified, Monsanto applied to the
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for approval of genetically modified
(GM) wheat.
As the foundation of the U.S. Food Guide Pyramid ("eat 6 to 11 servings of
whole grains daily"), the decline of natural wheat, rice, and other
essential foods represents the greatest possible threat to American security
and planetary health and peace. The twin towers of the natural world, wheat
and rice, have stood tall for countless generations, unifying the spiraling
energies of heaven and earth and nourishing our ancestors, grandparents, and
children. Grain fields constitute the largest sanctuary for biodiversity of
any crops in the world, sheltering hundreds of species of birds, mammals,
reptiles, and tiny insects.
New biotech grains will inevitably contaminate the natural food supply,
stretching back to ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, and other
civilizations. Medical and scientific studies of similar GM crops,
pesticides, and estrogen-disrupting chemicals suggest that Monsanto's
Roundup Ready wheat could potentially lead to a higher risk of allergies and other disorders. The effects on migrating birds,
butterflies, and other wildlife have prompted the Sierra Club to make
conserving natural wheat a top priority.
The effects on personal and family health, as well as the environment and
global consciousness, will be incalculable. New biotech wheat will
inevitably contaminate the conventional and organic food supply and lead to
the end of natural bread, noodles, pasta, spaghetti, lasagna, pizza, pies,
cakes, cookies, bagels, seitan, beer, soy sauce, and other products made
from wheat.
If Monsanto prevails in its campaign to introduce Roundup Ready Wheat, the
rapid expansion of GM food and drugs would be virtually guaranteed, and
organic farming would be imperiled. Biotech terrorism must be rejected. We
call upon all Americans to voice their support for "amber waves of grain"
and sustainable measures to protect our country's priceless natural beauty.
Alex Jack is president of Amberwaves. He can be reached at:
305 Brooker Hill Road
Amberwaves is a network of individuals, families, and communities devoted to
preserving wheat, rice, and other essential foods from the threat of genetic
engineering and keeping the planet beautiful. Amberwaves is a project of
Planetary Health, Inc., a nonprofit educational organization. Its most
recent publication, "Sex, Lies, and GMOs: The Connection Between Sexual
Decline, Violence, and Genetically Modified Foods" is available for $7.50
postpaid.
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