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Wake
Up!
You're Eating Frankenfood! Genetically modified organisms (GMO) can negatively impact human health and global ecology. As if humans have not altered their natural environment harmfully enough, some wish to further this harm with the widespread use of GMOs-- even in our food supply. Furthermore, most dangers from GMOs are unforseen until they occur. When I first read Jurassic Park several years ago, the complex scientific concepts seemed far off. I read a lot of popularized material about genetic technology, both where it was and where it would go. The director of the film, Steven Spielberg, said "It's not science fiction, it's science eventuality." Thankfully, we have not been able to clone dinosaurs mostly because the genetic material necessary has never been recovered in complete forms. However, other issues of genetic tampering that occur in the film do apply to GMO engineering at the present. The most striking correlation is that of GMO breeding. In Jurassic Park, the engineered dinosaurs are said not to be able to breed because of the way in which they were engineered-- all female. However, it turns out that the dinosaurs had genes implanted-- frog genes. The species of frog from which the genes were implanted had the ability to spontaneously change gender according to circumstance. Therefore, the dinosaurs were able to breed freely, thus causing more destruction to the humans in their environment. A similar issue was brought up in the bioengineering video. One bioengineering company suggested that they would make fertile fish, but recognized that a very minute percentage of fish would conceivably be able to reproduce. While recognizing this 'Jurassic Park' chaos theory unknown factor, the company's spokesman still urged 'production' of these GMO fish. Another unforseen hazard could occur from the genes used for modifying GMOs. While it may benefit humans to be able to add medicine, or insect repellent genes that would drive the act of pesticide spray to near extinction, the unforseen risks of allergens and other illnesses are too great. Genetic material in the organisms from which the genes were taking are not coded for proteins in the human body. In some cases, animal genes are implanted into animals-- clearly organisms that were never intended to harbor these genes. Allergens, specifically, are dangerous to people. Brazil nut protein was present in a genetically modified soybean. Many people have allergies to brazil nuts, but the nuts were not labeled. Labeling is a prime concern for those against GMOs. Scientists are unable to target allergens and other potentially dangerous genes, particularly in long term studies, if GMOs remain unlabeled. As of present, there is no way for a consumer to tell which foods they are potentially allergic to, and even less studies to back this up. Studies about effects of GMOs on (developing) reproductive systems are still inconclusive as well. Do some of these genes produce cancer? It is not known. Contamination of any deadly or injurious GMO is rapid and worldwide. The United States is one of the world's largest food suppliers; GMOs affect the world. However, American farmers see their financial stability and gains from using GMOs and European consumers do not. Anything dangerous would spread rapidly all over the world. In Jurassic Park, espionage, foolishness, and violence occur because of corporate patents on dinosaurs, which are genetically created and modified. At the present, similar legal battles are taking place. This furthers the power of the American corporation, seen often domestically and internationally as eager and greedy, both an asset and a weakness of American culture. Like many other corporate and governmental issues, most Americans are totally unaware of the danger and threat to themselves, governed by larger bodies but affecting their own bodies. Lastly and most importantly, GMOs disrupt the balance of species and the ecological impact. Already, humans have imposed a possibly irreversible presence on our environment by destroying species in the rainforest as a result of tree removal. Similarly, GMOs will continue this. If that one fertile GMO fish in a million escaped into the ocean, that is potentially enough to alter the entire future of the ocean. GMOs could sucessfully take over an environment due to their 'supergenes,' but would be unnatural. GMO opponents call GMO food "Frankenfood" for this very reason. Frankenfood is unnatural. Most unnatural things that humans have done to their environment have detrimentally affected it. As in Jurassic Park, there is no way to forsee every impact of our genetic creations and modifications until a harmful field test can prove deadly to ourselves, other creatures (like the monarch butterflies), and the environment. Many species could be potentially eliminated by a further upset in the balance of nature. Hopefully, if humans were to do this to their environment, they would not be the last. All writing is copyright its
author, 2002.
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