Jefferey Jaxen – When paradigms shift, tyrants fall, or corporations lose their market, it is often not as a result of some spectacular event, but rather through a single, humanizing display. We have just witnessed such an event during the interview of high-profile GMO advocate Patrick Moore. This viral video has exploded in popularity giving yet another sign, along with recoiling public dollars, that genetically modified organisms are unwanted. Moore does a near perfect job in less than two minutes of showing the world the unempathetic, hypocritical face of the biotech/GMO industry once stripped of all spin, lies, and deception.

The fall of the big tobacco companies, which operated in strikingly identical ways as the biotech/GMO industry today, was crushed in seconds by one publicly televised statement in 1994, “I believe nicotine is not addictive.” This can now be compared to Moore’s recent statement of “I do not believe that glyphosate (in Argentina) is causing increases in cancer.” For whatever reason, Moore foolishly continues to boast about glyphosate’s (a 2B carcinogen) harmless nature by offering to drink some. “I’d be happy to actually,” was Moore’s reply to French investigative journalist and filmmaker Paul Moreira’s offer to pour him a glass. It was at this stage of the interview that Moore’s credibility and integrity went down the drain fast, along with what little was left of biotech/GMO public trust, faith, and confidence.

Real Debate

What was missed by many viewers of this interview was the true power that real questions and real journalism can wield. As Moore begins physical escape from his interview gone wrong, he snaps, “Interview me about golden rice. That’s what I’m talking about!” This is another window into the controlled debate that the entire premise of the GMO public relations approach is predicated upon. In a world of make believe, there is no room for reality or simple facts. Similar controlled debates recently took place at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas in which Katherine Paul, Associate Director of the Organic Consumers Association (OCA), an organization dedicated to protecting organic standards, was officially censored by being  removed by the biotech-dominated and run “Southbites: Feed Your Mind” debate.

Maui Leads the Way

The recent classification of the GMO herbicide ingredient glyphosate as a 2B carcinogen by the World Health Organization now designates it in a class directly alongside the sexually transmitted, cancer-causing human papillomavirus (HPV), as well as the Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV.) Logic would dictate that, if these “possible carcinogens” traded places, having a public being inoculated with the live, full strength HPV and HIV virus every day would not be ethical in the eyes of medicine, human rights, and society. So what’s with the continuous glyphosate exposure now that this information is public? Simply halting pesticides would have little to no downside to the public and as Maui has recently shown us, it’s not very difficult to do. In late 2014, the precedent was set by the people of Maui when they passed a ballot measure temporarily blocking Monsanto and Dow from continuing their toxic GMO and pesticide, open-air experiments. With GMO labelling laws proposed in 30 states to date, it seems like the move to label cancer causing environmental toxins is the right step – though maybe not one that reaches far enough.

There has never been a better time for citizen journalists and independent thinkers to press this debate. If nothing else, Patrick Moore’s bumbling shows the world that small stones can topple genetically modified giants and that the biotech emperor officially has no clothes.

References

Patrick Moore’s Viral Video
Bio-Tech Bans Anti-GMO Group From SXSW
Big Tobacco’s Big Tobacco Moment

Jefferey Jaxen is an independant journalist, writer, and researcher. Focusing on personal empowerment and alternative health, his work reveals a sharp eye to capture the moment in these rapidly changing times. You can find his latest research, information, and personal writings here: www.jeffereyjaxen.com https://www.facebook.com/jefferey.jaxen.1 https://twitter.com/JeffereyJaxen

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