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Re: Moratorium Called on Genetically Modified Foods
At 10:38 PM 8/1/96 +0100, Oz wrote:
>In article <jtoth-2807961502470001@wash15.fairfield.com>, Joe Toth
><jtoth@fairfield.com> writes
>>Dr John Hagelin's Natural Law Party is calling for a total moratorium on
>>the release of genetically modified
>>organisms.
>
>I take it that you are aware that, as a genetic modification of your
>parents, that you are a genetic modification too?
>
>Of course you may well, and probably do, contain in your genetic makeup
>bits of virus and bacteria inherited from the present to right back to
>the dawn of life.
>
>And your mitochondria are almost certainly bacterial organells which
>divide independently and are thus only inherited from your mother.
>
>And that is before we start considering genetic mutations. Anre you
>aware, for example, that 15% of haemophilia cases are due to mutations?
>
>Wheat and maize are natural genetic mutations. In fact, have you the
>faintest idea what you are talking about?
>
>-------------------------------
>'Oz "When I knew little, all was certain. The more I learnt,
> the less sure I was. Is this the uncertainty principle?"
>
Your right I don't have the faintest idea what I'm talking about but that
never stop me before. : >
Traditional breeding methods are designed to select preexisting genetic
traits from the gene pool of a
species or closely related species. No new information is actually
created in these processes. Instead, genes
already existing in the gene pool of a species and its close,
reproductively compatible relatives are merely
brought together within the same individual. In contrast, genetic
engineering alters the information content of
the gene pool of a species. This is accomplished either by adding to
the gene pool new genes, often derived
from a widely divergent species, or by altering the information content
of genes already in the gene pool.
Example human gene in a pig.
I don't know what goes on in your family but usually the human gene does not
find its way into a pig naturally no matter how many years you give them.
Its just not natural. And if fact it is against the law for man to go to a
pig or sheep just for that reason. Also one of those pigs may squeal on
you. All kidding aside if you don't think there is a difference between
genetic engeneering and Traditional breeding methods I can understand but a
lot of folks see a big difference and only ask that these folks label their
work so we can have a choice and better watch what manifest. Natural
genetic mutations have a great difference between man made. The man made
mutations are made by man so we have someone to point too all the more
reason for labeling.
The organic food industry has succeeded in developing and implementing world
wide systems that allow them to keep products with characteristics no more
obvious than those of genetically engineered foods separate from foods
produced by other methods. Thus a model exists for implementing such
measures with generically engineered foods.
Sals@rain.org
also an organic farmers web page at
http://www.rain.org/~sals/my.html