I appreciate your criticism and humor. In fact, I even kind of agree.
However, I think you have considerably misrepresented the opinions expressed
>
>1) The United States government is evil.
No one believes that the U.S. g5overnment is evil. It does, however,
assiduously represent the interests of a few large corporations (controlled
by ever fewer people) and does so *at the expense of* the interests of small
businesses, family farmers, average citizens, you, the environment and just
about everybody else. If we don't criticize this situation then it will
never change.
>2) Fidel Castro is first and foremost a humanitarian.
I believe Castro received some rather severe criticism on this list (?) just
a few days ago. The question asked was how well are people eating in Cuba?
>3) World petroleum reserves will be depleted very soon.
In fact easy oil will be pretty much gone within one generation. The
predictions of the anti-environmentalists of "increasing reserves" involve
taping oil shale and other sources that will be considerably more expensive.
The fact is the age of cheap gasoline and plastic bags will soon come to
end. Petroleum is far to valuable a resource to be burning it up in our
cars and tractors. This is one of the things future generations will not
forgive us.
>4) World destruction (via global warming, rampant consumption, etc.)
>is imminent..
Let's hope not. It would be miopic, however, not to recognize that that
severe damage to the sustainability of life and especially to our quality of
life is a real possibility and that we should very definitely be addressing
some rather serious environmental and social problems, many of which are
caused by current agricultural and food production practices.
>5) Persons working for ag companies (Monsanto) can be neatly
>compartmentalized into one of two categories--evil or having "sold
>out" their values.
I don't know what, or whether, people who work for Monsanto think about
what they do.. Unfortunately a rather strong case, starting at least with
PCBs, can be made that Monsanto has, and continues to, irresponsably seek
profits at the expense of human health and the environment and has no qualms
about lying to the public about what is does to protect those profits.
Monsanto's concept of corporate ethics is something that ought to be
discussed more.
>
>Review of your posts has stirred vague and unsettling memories. I
>recall as a child, a country boy from Mississippi, being scared
>breathless by reports that world petroleum reserves would be
>exhausted "momentarily" ("What will we do?", I thought). Now,
>many, many years later, I hear the same reports (although I
>understand that, this time, it's really, really, really true).
>
>The overall tone of your list strikes me as that of a group of people
>who are extremely dissatisfied with their environment, their country,
>other humans, and their "lot in life". I sincerely wish for each of
>you peace in resolving these conflicts.
I rather enjoy my life, helping farmers kick the agrochemical habit and
connecting them up with consumers who like to buy healthy food directly from
the families that are producing it. The only conflicts arise when people
like Monsanto want to force feed us genetically altered, Roundup=drenched
soy beans and such for their own profit. Any help you could give in
resolving this "conflict" would be greatly appreciated.
>As an affirmed "evil scientist", my next post shall be to unsubscribe
>from this list. However, feel free to flail away at me directly via
>my e-mail address. Again, peace.
I am sorry you are unsubscribing. I know it's hard to keep up but the list
is much more interesting when people with different views thoughtfully
address the issues raised. I hope you will join us from time to time.
Regards,
Ronald Nigh
Dana Association
Mexico
danamex@mail.internet.com.mx
Tel & FAX: 529/678-7215