It’s time to face some unpleasant facts. No matter how much we try to kid ourselves
with rah-rah, cheer-up messages, we’re not winning the war against GMOs—we’re
losing it. With the passage of the DARK
Act and the imminent passage of the TPP, we are left more powerless than ever. The belief that GMO advocates are
“pro-science” and anti-GMO people are “anti-science” is being ever more
strongly reinforced by the mass media.
The truth is obvious. Traditional
channels of protest and trying to spread information just aren’t working any
more.
That is why we have launched the first of a series
of targeted actions. A target can be
anything—a pesticide, a person or organization that supports GMOs, a
demographic at risk from GMOs (pregnant women, nursing mothers, over-65s…), an
industry involved with GMOs in any way…There is literally no limit on the form
a target can take, consequently there is no limit on the form a targeted action
can take. But all such actions must have
specific goals that are realistically achievable within a period of weeks or
months, rather than years, decades, or never.
Our first targets are the agriculture departments of
American universities. Our goals are to prevent them from discriminating in any
way against faculty members who take anti-GMO positions, obtain restitution for
those already discriminated against, and wherever possible force changes in the
policies of such departments to reduce or preferably remove policies that favor
GMOs at the expense of other farming methods.
We have already begun action at the University of
Hawaii (see the blogsite smokinggmogun.blogspot.com for information and
continuing updates). We will initiate
new actions at universities nationwide and even internationally. Many agriculture departments have been taken
over by GMO advocates. That’s one of the factors, and a big one, that has
supported their Big Lie—that they have science on their side—so if we can
reduce or eliminate their influence in academia, we will have shifted the whole
balance of power.
Through a series of targeted actions we simultaneously
do several things. One, our opponents
have crafted very sophisticated means to nullify traditional forms of activism;
targeted actions, by using innovative techniques to attack a variety of
unexpected targets in unexpected ways, can overcome the elaborate defenses they
have built against traditional forms of activism. Two, we make news, and thus force a reluctant
media to take notice of us, opening the way for further education of the
public. Three, such actions provide
plentiful opportunities for sympathizers to convert themselves into activists by doing; doing, rather than merely
reading and reacting, provides the individual with a sense of accomplishment
and reinforces commitment, even if the task done might seem easy and
trivial—supplying the organizers of an action with some scrap of needed
information, for instance, or joining hundreds or thousands of others in a
concerted action on social media. Four,
through a synergy of all these factors, we can gradually build a critical mass
of dedicated activists that will be too strong for even governments to resist…
IF, and ONLY if, you are ready to help us.
HOW YOU CAN HELP IN TARGETED ACTIONS
It’s
impossible to foresee all the ways that might arise, but here are some:
1)
Let us know the form(s) taken and extent of the influence exercised by Monsanto
and other seed-&-pesticide corporations (Syngenta, Dow, BASF,
Dupont-Pioneer etc.—henceforth SAPCs) in your university (or any other with
which you are familiar).
2)
Let us know of any cases of discrimination or victimization (including but not
limited to firing, suspension, demotion, denial of tenure or promotion, verbal
or physical harassment, hostile work environment, suppression of scientific
evidence, curtailment of free speech rights…) affecting faculty in your university
(or others) as a consequence of their opposing or criticizing the activities of
SAPCs or any practices associated with SAPCs.
3)
Volunteer to organize and lead an action against SAPC influence in your
university similar (but not necessarily identical to) the action currently in
progress at the University of Hawaii, or provide us with the names and email
addresses of any persons who you believe might be willing and able to organize and
lead such an action.
4)
Should such an action begin in your university, support it in any way you can.
We
will gladly offer help and advice to anyone who contemplates such an
action. You can contact us at the email
address given top right of the screen at
smokinggmogun.blogspot.com
or as a comment on the latest post in that blog. All comments must be moderated before
publication, so your letter will never be published but will be removed
immediately from the site and stored in absolute privacy. All communications
will be answered as quickly as possible.
We
look forward to hearing from you.