WHO AM I?
June
4, 1989 - CHINA - In the quintessential photo of the Tiananmen Square stand
off, one man stands in front of four heavily armored tanks and he is holding
two shopping bags. The tanks are real and symbolic of technologies and power
systems used by Communist Party elites in China for control of their World -
the earth, the economics, cultural and the rights life.
Tiananmen
Square, which incidentally means "Gate of Heavenly Peace", was the
site of June 1989 demonstrations with an estimated million participants.
Following the death of Mao Desung reforms were started. But, severe economic
pressures were biting. As reported in Wikipedia: "The protesters called
for government accountability, freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and the
restoration of workers' control over industry." The results of the June
1989 demonstration was repression.
June
4, 1989 - U.S.A - If there was a quintessential photo of the American
"Tiananmen Square" stand off, it would be one woman standing in front
of a series heavily armored Agro-industrial Corporate tanks holding two
shopping bags.
U.S.
Tank #1 - Technology, an Agro-industrial "gene gun - a
"Biolostics" (ballistic bombardment) "gun" which literally
shoots metallic particles coated with genetic material into soybeans (or
whatever plant). In this instance, biolostics was used to create a strain of
soybeans which became immunized against a type of herbicide.
U.S.
Tank #2 - Seizing public resources. In order to own their GMO modified soybean,
the Agro-industrial corporation had to patent the basic genomic stock and their
modified GMO version. While they were at it, and before anyone realized what
they were doing, corporate Agro-industry aggressively patented indigenous plant
genomes so that they own most species which formerly were saved and freely
shared for worldwide farming and gardening since the dawn of time.
The
U.S. economic, political and spiritual/cultural way of life is in many ways
like a weird, reverse mirror-image of China. China was beginning to ease
central control while our U.S. "free enterprise" corporate elite
seized economic control. China wanted their farmers to be creative. Our
corporations wanted the poorest farmers in the Third World to pay for seeds and
in doing so took away farmers' rights for self-determination. Our government
and courts support their action. This worldwide Agro-industrial giant now can
sue farmers in any country for using their own seeds which they saved.
Like
the demonstrators at Tinanaman Square, Americans have in their own way longed
for freedom of speech, freedom of the press and demand freedom of choice when
made possible. To U.S. Agro-corporate interests, freedom of speech does not
apply to them - they don't have to reveal "trade secrets".
WHY AM I HERE?
The timing of GMO research and product
development was nearly perfect as economic pressures in the 1980s devastated
thousands of U.S. family farms. There were suicides, murders and bankruptcies by
the score as banks and Agro-idustries gave no relief. U.S. farmers sought economic
refuge where ever they could find it including Agro-industrial
"systems" - like GMOs / herbicide combo - which reduced costs and
offered technological "guarantees".
At
the same time, consumers were not informed that these manipulated genetic
plants were now replacing "natural" plants in nearly all cattle feed
and food production. When offered a choice, consumers rejected GMO products
like rBST milk and said no to "Franken-foods" like the
"Flavr-Savr" tomato with incredibly unnatural shelf-life. Consumers
wanted food security and freedom to choose "true food", organic /
biodynamic. Since the 80s there has been a continuing worldwide battle over
organic standards and corporate control.
A
revolutionary "game changer" was introduced in the 80s by growers in
the Northeast of the United States who brought a new, non-technological social
form of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) from Europe. CSA shifts the
farmer's relationship from Agro-industrial dependency and mass-marketing to
"buying local" quality food.
WHAT DO I WANT?
We
in the U.S. can be grateful that we have achieved buy-local, CSAs, organic and
biodynamic certification as these increase our ability to have some small
control over at least a small portion of our food and food safety. But this is
still hotly contended by Agro-industry with its very deep pockets.
In
the 25 years since Tinanaman Square, China has evolved into a worldwide
economic superpower. In addition, their long sought-after social reforms have
begun to move toward greater freedom of speech and the press. Interestingly,
China and other countries in the far east are demanding higher quality food
products imported from U.S. suppliers. GMOs and other products have been
refused.
Perhaps
in some weird reverse way, China and the U.S. consumers may both be longing for
greater accountability from our power systems - Socialistic and Capitalistic.
In addition, we may both be demanding freedom of speech - such as labeling GMO
products - freedom of the press (in our case a press not controlled by
Agro-industrial related corporations.)
Free
speech, more personal freedom and reduced domination by repressive power systems - these are what the Chinese protested for and died for
at Tinanaman Square 25 years ago.
Will
we need to do the same?
Jean Yeager was the Managing Editor of the
journal Biodynamics in the early 1990s.
(c) Copyright 2014, Jean W. Yeager
All Rights Reserved
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