I really, sincerely, don't want to fight...but, this quote bothers me:

"The discoverer of  DDT 's usefulness as an insecticide received a Nobel
prize in 1948. Now we know better. Perhaps GM crops will be as big a benefit
as DDT was or as big a mistake.  Right now the only mistake is to hurry."

I certainly think the person who discovered DDT deserved a Nobel Prize.  How
many millions of people were saved from death from Yellow Fever and Malaria?
I have heard it said that no human ever died from DDT, despite the fact that
persons' bodies were regularly sprayed with the stuff (to kill parasites).

However, DDT was terribly misused and this led to environmental tragedies,
from which we are just now recovering.  DDT had to be banned in the US and
most if not all developed countries, but it was a political decision, not a
sound scientific decision.  For many years thereafter it continued to be
used in less-developed countries to save human lives, and I just hope it was
used in manners safe to the environment.

I agree that there is no reason to "hurry" in the use of GM crops, but I
also think that the decisions of whether or not to use these crops should be
in the hands of the scientists and, perhaps, the public health authorities.
IMHO, the use of GM crops should not become a political issue.

Obviously, there are those who disagree with me because they distrust the
scientists and/or think that the public health authorities are ineffective,
or for some other reason.  I choose to agree with those who term these part
of the "environmental left".


Lloyd
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Lloyd Spear Owner, Ross Rounds, Inc.  The finest in comb honey production.
Visit our web site at http://www.rossrounds.com.