For what it may be worth, this is part of the Information War on your health and wellness. This war has been declared
by Big Pharma and Big Pharms (Farms) as "they" have found out that shudder, gasp! the Proletariat can READ and UNDERSTAND
Food Labels and Seed Labels...and that simply cannot happen! Again, he who has the information controls
the minds, biochemistry, even the souls of the (unfortunate) who cannot think their way out! Most if not all of these
proposed laws are submitted by those congressmen who have sold their souls to the "company store" (Big Pharma).
(ks)
Inge's Added comment: When laws
such as those described below are conceived, let alone enacted, one would think that there would be a "mass uprising" from
within the consuming public. Instead, there is hardly a whisper, and barely a shrug of the shoulder. There is
no doubt that the new generation of policies, regulations, and laws emanating from the Siamese twins of Government-and-Corporations
has become the single greatest threat to the health and well-being of citizens and the environment. The only
consideration seems to be the construction of "a wall of legalism" to guarantee that nothing will be allowed to threaten
THEIR ability to rape the resources and to "milk" the public in perpetuity.
There are still people
who live under the illusion that we live in a "democracy" and that the grassroots citizens exercise control over their governance
(after all, they are allowed to mark an X on a piece of paper every few years - or on an electronic machine).
They still believe that their inherent right and freedom to voice their opinions, and to expose the TRUTH, is somehow
"protected". Well, think again!. When you examine the laws that are being passed throughout North America, especially
since 9-11, it is obvious that "criticizing the BIG BOYS" (government or corporation)- regardless of how relevant and
accurate, is rapidly becoming a FELONY. (They call it a form of 'terrorism'- and a threat to 'national security'!)
In the social structure that these BIG BROTHERS are engineering FROM ABOVE, the solid, upright citizen who treasures and tries
to defends honesty, integrity, life, environment, and community is being targeted as "the criminal" - while at the same time,
the REAL CRIMINALS operate with impunity, protected by the travesty/sham call 'the law'.
But then, why should
we be surprised that the fox is killing the chickens when we continue to allow ourselves to be confined into chicken coups,
and elect the foxes to guard all the gates.
Inge Hanle ------------------
Interestingly
most are not aware that the British parliament is banned from questioning their monetary system and the Australians a banned
from challenging water Fluoridation! Then they actually banned the collection of rain water* in Bolivia! Now in Iraq it is
illegal to use and save plant seeds - only terminator seeds are allowed.This is so blatant given that the terminator seeds are not even needed instead they actually have some very serious health damaging effects and are high in cost! So this
should not come as surprise as this news is simply the extension of the ongoing overt plundering and will continue until challenged...
And it can be stopped as in the water example below!
Chris Gupta http://tinyurl.com/n6qa7 ------------------- *"In Bolivia, where the government was forced to sell the public water system to the multinational
Bechtel due to World Bank pressure, the experience was even more disastrous. Not only were water prices doubled, local residents
were even forced to buy permits to gather rain water on their own property. Water became more expensive than food. Public
anger, culminating in the famous protests at Cochabamba, forced the government to backtrack and revoke the privatization law."
Extracted from: Water – The New Battleground CG ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corporate Agribusiness Wants
to Restrict Your Free Speech
RURAL ROUTES/Margot Ford McMillen Ag Lobbyists Target Activists
Ask
someone who's studied industrialized agriculture and they'll tell you it's bad because large monocultures and confined animals
pollute the air and water. Then they'll tell you the food that comes from industry is tasty but unhealthy.
They'll tell you it's cheap because it's subsidized by the government with so many subsidies that the big companies ought
to give it away.
Then they'll tell you the big guys hog the resources and put farmers out of business rather than
helping rural economies. They'll cite the studies that say that rural counties with small farms have less spousal abuse,
more kids in school, more churchgoers and more engaged parents. And, finally, they'll tell you that the big
players manipulate the democracy.
Manipulate democracy? How's that work?
Right now, in a state
house near you, a few amoral lobbyists and politicians are working their black magic. They are few because they've bought
out or squeezed out all the smaller companies. And they are powerful.
In Iowa, lawmakers are pushing for a bill
to label and punish peoplewho complain about factory farms in their neighborhood. The so-called "chronic
complainers" may be researchers or they may be citizens trying to protect their families and their real estate investments,
but under this law if you complain three times about industrialized agriculture, you are labeled and you have no right to
be heard.
In 13 states, there are already laws against disparagement of agriculture.
In the words of South Dakota's version, this includes "dissemination ... of any information ... that an agricultural
food product is not safe for consumption ... or that generally accepted agricultural and management practices make ... food
products unsafe ..."
That was the law that Oprah fought in Texas when she was prosecuted for saying she'd
not eat another hamburger. She won the battle, by the way, but the war is still on.
In Missouri and Illinois
and many other states, lawmakers are pushing a law forbidding photography or dissemination of photographs taken inside
an agricultural research or production facility. Violation would result in a misdemeanor citation. One of
the only groups brave enough to stand up to this particular travesty is the animal welfare coalition, who want to be able
to take and disseminate pictures of the outrageous abuse they find in puppy mills.
But, besides protecting puppy mill
operators, passage of these laws jeopardizes the rights of employees, researchers and scientists to protect the public or
to even carry out their work. If, for example, an employee, researcher or scientist presents results of an experiment
at a national meeting, that researcher will (in the language of the bill) "knowingly distribute records, data, material, equipment
or animals" or "photographic, video or electronic image ..." and can be prosecuted.
Furthermore, one section
of the bill forbids scientists and researchers from raising, soliciting, collecting, donating or providing material support.
In other words, research scientists in Missouri and funders who "provide material support" will be
at risk of breaking the law if they pay for research.
And if the scientists, researchers and employees
somehow manage to raise the money and distribute their findings in spite of this bill, major discoveries will go unpromoted
because journalists are at risk if they possess "records, data, material, equipment ... or any photographic, video or electronic
image ."
But the most appalling part of this bill is the impact on consumers. Make
no mistake about it. When we speak of "agricultural research and production facilities" we are talking about farms and ranches.
And that means we are talking about food security.
This bill would prevent employees
from collecting evidence if the food system is at risk. It would prevent employees from collecting evidence if there
was, for example, a die-off caused by avian flu that might be transmitted to humans. This year we are reminded that
the idea of a pandemic, which seemed very far off a few years ago, is very near with the news about H5N1 moving from Asia
and into Europe. The major victims of this flu so far have been birds and the humans that work in close proximity to
them, but scientists tell us that the flu could quickly migrate to pass human to human. This would be a tragedy and
SB615 would keep the news from the public unnecessarily.
In fact, it is a puzzle how this bill
would serve the public good, if passed. It could cause large problems to public health, safety and homeland
security.
Is there a similar bill proposed for your state? Find out, and call your lawmakers to let them know
where you stand.
Protectionist laws have a long tradition in our nation, and much of the tax code is skewed to help
these industrial giants. The only way to fight is by learning as much as you can, and supporting independent producers.
There are a growing number of independents in every state. Find out who they are, and fill your freezer with their good
products.
Margot Ford McMillen farms and teaches English at a college in Fulton, Mo. Email Margotfulton@aol.com.
