Hey Monsanto, Did You Hear That?

By Dylan Charles

This past Saturday, May 25th, 2013, millions of people worldwide publicly protested against Monsanto, the corporation that has become the driving force and the figurehead behind the effort to monopolize control of food and to genetically modify staple crops to become dependent on toxic chemicals. This may have been the largest ever unified protest against a single company, which is a monumental achievement for the movement against GMO’s, against seed patents and for the labeling of foods and products made with genetically modified ingredients.

Protesting against Monsanto is an important and symbolic act, and does wonders to energize the movement for food and farm freedom. However, Monsanto is only part of a larger problem plaguing the world today. In these times we are witnessing a worldwide assault against food sovereignty from many angles that goes far beyond the effects of a single corporation. Additionally, public awareness of this cause is still remarkably under realized, as the most people seem content to consume anything packaged and placed on a store shelf.

To wrap our heads around the magnitude of the problem we are facing when confronting the seed giants, here’s a list of things working against those of us who wish to see an end to the domination of our food and seed supply by companies that are willing to pollute, poison, lie and manipulate to gain control over something we ALL need every single day. Food.

• Monsanto is one of many – There are many other seed and chemical corporations working to bastardize our food supply and create dependence on chemicals for growing food. Dow, Pioneer, BASF, and Syngenta are just a few. Additionally, there are the grocers and supply chains who choose to bring genetically modified to consumers.
• Government complicity and collusion – Our present form of government encourages the union of business and law-making. From a revolving-door policy of government appointments that puts major players from these corporations into the highest offices of governmental regulatory agencies, to the treasonous act of allowing corporations to write policy and legislation, government itself stands as the biggest culprit in the war against our right to natural, unadulterated, and un-patented foods. This has recently become overwhelmingly evident with the passage of the Monsanto protection act.
• Media complicity – Once again, the mainline media, sponsored in part by the companies listed above, remains almost completely absent on this issue. Save for the coverage by Russia Today, a handful of local journalists and the growing independent media, there was nary a mention of this worldwide protest, and it certainly did not get the coverage that this issue warrants. It is clear that true journalism has died and the public has no voice amongst the big players in national media.
• A social climate of avarice – Monsanto stock value has risen 40% in the last year alone, proving that Monsanto’s plan to reap enormous profit by sacrificing public health is working rather well. Assuming that their main motive for developing GMO’s while attempting to restrict the public’s access to information about GMO’s is purely money related, Monsanto seems to have discovered the right formula for success, even in the face of widespread public opposition to genetically modified foods and their inherent dangers to human health and the environment. Most people, not just the corporate board of Monsanto, still consider the bottom line to be of greater importance even their own health and are willing to ignore overwhelming evidence that GM foods wreak havoc on human health. Most people willingly discard the long term potential dangers of this in order to reap short term financial gain. This speaks doubly of our willingness to remain blind to the truth, and our capacity to be duped by the lie of money and profit.
• An atmosphere of apathy, denial, and ignorance – Let’s face it, many people still, even when informed, continue to ignore the dangers of consuming genetically modified foods and foods heavily doused with pesticides and herbicides. This is very important to the battle against Monsanto because without a concerned and informed citizenry, the majority will find it more convenient to eat whatever is on front of them and take no action to stop this. It takes awareness, care and a sense of self-preservation to attempt to avoid harmful foods, and the general public is simply not yet conscious enough about their personal health and well-being to give a hoot about participating in a David vs. Goliath struggle against very powerful companies and colluding governments.
• An atmosphere of resentment toward protest – The American propaganda machine has succeeded in demonizing dissent and ridiculing protest, so much so, that protest as a form of realizing political change has all but been neutered. For example, the largest worldwide protest that ever occurred was in 2003 against the building invasion of Iraq. The media largely ignored it and the end result has been 10+ years of conflict and destruction in Iraq and the complete decimation of the global anti-war movement. The powers that be now know all too well that street protest as a form of political action is useless, and therefore, any attempt to persuade or derail an entity like Monsanto by taking to the streets and waving signs is considered a joke the power brokers in our society.

A hard look at reality tells us that this behemoth is not going to fall without a major, fundamental shift in how people look at the world around them, and how they view their own personal health. That time may very well come before too long, but it is likely to be a result of some catastrophic and catalyzing event, like a staged world food shortage, and not the result of a public demonstration of anger toward the people who are most involved in bastardizing our health and controlling our food. This is quickly becoming a very real battle of survival for ordinary people.

Until such a shift does occur, it is paramount that activists and informed citizens move this struggle into their daily lives and make regular commitments to avoid GMO’s, inform others, and develop personal food sovereignty by becoming more attached to local and personalized food systems.

Activist Post contributing author Daisy Luther shares some simple insight into how the individual can personalize this struggle:

Print off some labels and put them in the grocery store. Organize your own pickets and hand out flyers in front of the grocery store, letting people know what they’re buying. Go to farmers markets and support your local growers. Sow the seeds of revolution by growing as much of your own food as possible. Most of all, vote with your wallet and don’t buy ANYTHING that puts money into the pockets of companies that support GMOs or that fought against California’s Proposition 37, which would have called for the labeling of GMOs.

So, Monsanto, did you hear that?

People en masse are waking up and taking action and the movement against seed patents and GM food is growing. In addition to seeing more protests over your unethical actions you can expect a growing number of people to subvert your model of food production by taking on the responsibility of growing their own food and supporting local organic growers. You can expect more farmers to wake up and abandon your products as the true effects of using your modified seed become apparent. You can expect a growing movement of boycott against your products, and the food manufacturers and retailers who support you and sell your unnatural GM foods. You can expect a more resilient effort to stop you dead in your tracks.

We know the score. We know the endgame. We know the danger you represent to our children and future. We know it won’t be easy, but we also know that acquiescence to your plan is not an option that we are willing to entertain.

Dylan Charles is a student and teacher of Shaolin Kung Fu, Tai Chi and Qi Gong, a practitioner of Yoga and Taoist esoteric arts, and an activist and idealist passionately engaged in the struggle for a more sustainable and just world for future generations. He is the editor of WakingTimes.com, the proprietor of OffgridOutpost.com, a grateful father and a man who seeks to enlighten others with the power of inspiring information and action. His remarkable journey of self-transformation is a testament to the power of the will and the persistence of the human spirit. He may be contacted at wakingtimes@gmail.com.