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October 17, 2001
RAGE Against The Truth
The Environmental Protection Agency has declared that genetically improved corn "is not a threat to human health or the environment." But corn registrations will be extended by the agency for another seven years. That's good news for consumers: The European Union praised genetically improved foods last week, saying "the use of more precise technology and the greater regulatory scrutiny probably make them even safer than conventional plants and foods."
But it's bad news for professional anti-genetic improvement activists, who need to find something to do if they want to stay in business. That's why groups like Northeast RAGE will descend on supermarkets on October 30 to vandalize merchandise by slapping labels on any product they don’t like. They call it a peaceful action, but harassment seems to be the goal: "Visit the store in advance and spend half an hour or more becoming familiar with the layout. Draw yourself a rough sketch of this store layout and then walk up and down the aisle noting where the foods are which have genetically engineered ingredients… If your intention is to communicate with a lot of shoppers then weekends, midday or an evening might be the best time to label."
Is it just a coincidence that October 30 is Mischief Night?
The Environmental Protection Agency has declared that genetically improved corn "is not a threat to human health or the environment." But corn registrations will be extended by the agency for another seven years. That's good news for consumers: The European Union praised genetically improved foods last week, saying "the use of more precise technology and the greater regulatory scrutiny probably make them even safer than conventional plants and foods."
But it's bad news for professional anti-genetic improvement activists, who need to find something to do if they want to stay in business. That's why groups like Northeast RAGE will descend on supermarkets on October 30 to vandalize merchandise by slapping labels on any product they don’t like. They call it a peaceful action, but harassment seems to be the goal: "Visit the store in advance and spend half an hour or more becoming familiar with the layout. Draw yourself a rough sketch of this store layout and then walk up and down the aisle noting where the foods are which have genetically engineered ingredients… If your intention is to communicate with a lot of shoppers then weekends, midday or an evening might be the best time to label."
Is it just a coincidence that October 30 is Mischief Night?
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