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Originally posted by tw
To think that a chemical that resists certain insects would automatically poison humans is rediculous. If true, then we would be dead long ago from the hybrids of oranges and apples - not to mention the protective chemicals sprayed on their skins.
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We think that the chemical is harmless, but to think we know how it will affect the ecosystem is folly. We don't know everything. That's why DDT was a problem. DDT wasn't harmful to humans if I recall, but when insects ate it, and birds ate the insects, their eggshells became weak and bird populations plummetted. Nobody knew DDT would have an impact on the strength of eggshells. Nobody would have studied the chemical that far along the food chain.
Hybrids are much more likely to happen in nature. GM puts the genes of flounder into tomatoes, the genes of frogs into lettuce. I'm not one of the wackos who points to that and says we've got mutant vegetables. GM is capable of some wonderful things, including solving a lot of malnutrition.
The whole thing comes down to, who do you trust?
Monsanto (that agent orange producing drug war profiteer I mentioned in another thread) GM's the potato with this Bacillus thuringiensis. It's a natural pesticide and even used in organic farming, but you know, when you use it on a farm, you wash it off or you wait the days or weeks for it to break down before harvest. There are federal laws about how these things are to be used by humans, including when to apply and when to harvest, etc. but no laws about how a potato is to use it.
Now the insects will develop a resistance to it so in five years it won't be a useful pesticide for organic farmers. Not a concern for Monsanto of course!
But do you trust Monsanto? Are they one of those companies you like, or one that you hate?
Tell you what, if you had two potatoes in front of you, one of which was GM and the other which wasn't, which one would you eat?