Why Aren't Our Children Safe?

There's arsenic in our rice. Not just traces - measurable amounts of arsenic. It's in fruit juice, too.
And the FDA says it needs to do more studies before establishing any regulation about how much arsenic is okay.
"Feed your children a varied menu," advises an FDA official on the evening news.
Why thank you. That takes care of it. Why was I worried?
Are you outraged?
Join Anna Hackman. Demand action.

Monsanto Knows What's Good For You

 Another black eye for the president.  First, he signed the NDAA - authorizing sweeping changes that expand his powers and move us one step closer to a police state.  Now he's appointed the fox to watch over the hen house - making Monsanto-boy Michael Taylor an advisor on food safety for the FDA.  Couldn't you just die laughing?

 Family farmers are about to go to court, suing Monsanto for contaminating their organic crops with GMO seeds. FoodDemocracyNow.org writes:  "In the past two decades, Monsanto’s seed monopoly has grown so powerful that they control the genetics of nearly 90% of five major commodity crops including corn, soybeans, cotton, canola and sugar beets.

 

In many cases farmers are forced to stop growing certain crops to avoid genetic contamination and potential lawsuits. Between 1997 and 2010, Monsanto admits to filing 144 lawsuits against America’s family farmers, while settling another 700 out of court for undisclosed amounts. Due to these aggressive lawsuits, Monsanto has created an atmosphere of fear in rural America and driven dozens of farmers into bankruptcy."

And our president has appointed Michael Taylor, a Monsanto-VP, to advise on food safety.

Did I miss something?  Didn't Monsanto make floor cleaners?  Now they're a massive chemical company.  And we want their advice on food safety?

Monsanto Man to Advise on Food Safety

Michael Taylor - Monsanto's Man in the FDA

Angry yet?  Start yelling.

write to the White House

If you're not speaking out, you're not paying attention

Today's story is a farm bill hammered out in secrecy and planned to be slipped into another bill and voted on without debate.  That, as I recall, is not how policy is supposed to be made in a democracy.  You can read here.
DesMoines Register

The question, to me, is whether I'm willing to take responsibility for knowing what's going on, for educating myself, and for doing something about it.  Emails to legislators work.  Social media helps spread information.  And unless I'm willing to make the effort to be aware and then spread the word, I have no right to complain.

It's hard work.  We can't possibly know all that's going on but we can pay attention to what other people reveal.  Then comes the harder work - getting educated.  Knowing the pros and cons and learning the questions to ask.  And next step is to start talking.  Bring up whatever concerns we encounter - whether they're the environmental risks of hydraulic fracturing, the unhealthy impact of mass production and chemicals on our food supply, the inextricable ties between policy makers and big business, the failure of our educational system and the destruction of the middle class. 

It's good work.  It's essential work.