[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re: BBC NEWS | Africa | Famine-hit Zambia rejects GM food aid
on 10/29/02 4:02 PM, Jack_Earley@RL.GOV at Jack_Earley@RL.GOV wrote:
> Let's see. As I recall, there are about 1.2M orphans in Zambia due to AIDS.
> So risky activities are okay if they're known to result in injury, but GM
> food is not okay, because they think it might somehow result in injury.
> Somethin' wrong with this picture.
>
> Jack Earley
> Radiological Engineer
Right. GM sounds just like RP (rad protection). IAEA, ICRP, etc.
Criminal. (as opposed to "foolish applications of risk aversion and a
perverted sense of applying the 'precautionary principle' ")
As Stewart says: "Once again, politics and fear trumps science and common
sense." Although maybe add "profits trumps..."
Thanks Jack, Stewart.
Regards, Jim
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Stewart Farber [mailto:farbersa@optonline.net]
> Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 1:35 PM
> To: Radsafe
> Subject: BBC NEWS | Africa | Famine-hit Zambia rejects GM food aid
>
>
> Radsafe:
> For those interested in foolish applications of risk aversion and a
> perverted sense of applying the
> "precautionary principle" to a fear of genetically modified foods [similar
> to radiophobia among many],
> see the link below to Zambia refusing food aid to help millions of its
> citizens facing starvation. As Alf
> once quipped:
> "Dogma, dogma, dog manure"
>
> Once again, politics and fear trumps science and common sense.
>
> Stewart Farber, MS Public Health
>
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2371675.stm
>
> From the BBC Story:
> Tuesday, 29 October, 2002, 12:36 GMT
> Famine-hit Zambia rejects GM food aid
>
>
> Some 14 million are at risk of famine across the region
>
> The Zambian Government has finally decided not to accept a donation of
> genetically- modified food for
> nearly three million of its people facing famine.
>
> The decision was taken after the Zambian Government despatched a team of
> scientists around the world to
> study the potential effects of importing GM crops.
>
> The food aid was initially offered by the international community to Zambia
> and five other Southern
> African countries, but President Levy Mwanawasa referred to the food as
> "poison".
>
> "In view of the current scientific uncertainty surrounding the issue...
> government has decided to base
> its decision not to accept GM foods in Zambia on the precautionary
> principle," Agriculture Minister
> Mundia Sikatana said.
>
>
> ************************************************************************
> You are currently subscribed to the Radsafe mailing list. To unsubscribe,
> send an e-mail to Majordomo@list.vanderbilt.edu Put the text "unsubscribe
> radsafe" (no quote marks) in the body of the e-mail, with no subject line.
> You can view the Radsafe archives at http://www.vanderbilt.edu/radsafe/
> ************************************************************************
> You are currently subscribed to the Radsafe mailing list. To unsubscribe,
> send an e-mail to Majordomo@list.vanderbilt.edu Put the text "unsubscribe
> radsafe" (no quote marks) in the body of the e-mail, with no subject line.
> You can view the Radsafe archives at http://www.vanderbilt.edu/radsafe/
>
************************************************************************
You are currently subscribed to the Radsafe mailing list. To unsubscribe,
send an e-mail to Majordomo@list.vanderbilt.edu Put the text "unsubscribe
radsafe" (no quote marks) in the body of the e-mail, with no subject line.
You can view the Radsafe archives at http://www.vanderbilt.edu/radsafe/