I have contacted Jimmy Carter before regarding his participation in the
opening of the "Monsanto Biotech Research Center" in St. Louis - and
received a handwritten note in reply from Carter himself - by going through
The Carter Center, Emory University, One Copenhill, Atlanta, GA 30307.
The web site for the Center is www.cartercenter.org
<http://www.cartercenter.org> and the e-mail address given at the web site
is carterweb@emory.edu <mailto:carterweb@emory.edu>
I sent him some of the sanet communications regarding Monsanto's global
agricultural dominance strategy and asked that he rethink his support for
Monsanto's efforts to "feed the world through biotechnology." His response
was that "he trusted the three Universities (U of MO, U of IL, and
Washington U.) and the Danforth Foundation" - who are "partners" with
Monsanto in the St. Louis center. I know also that Carter has worked
closely with Norman Borlaug - an avid supporter of "high-yield" farming as a
solution to the problem of world famine. I believe that Carter and Borloug
are both very thoughtful and competent individuals of high moral character.
They have simply lived through a time when it was generally accepted that
one could trust "science and scientists" to provide objective, unbiased
answers to questions and could trust public institutions, universities in
particular, to "be morally and ethically responsible." Unfortunately, I
fear that neither of those trusts is well founded today - particularly in
situations involving global corporate giants such as Monsanto.
I don't have Borloug's address, but I encourage everyone on sanet to write
to the Carter Center and express your opinion - pro or con - on this matter.
I am a small but regular financial contributor of the Carter Center and feel
that the Center's sources on information on this issue are far too narrow.
John Ikerd
-----Original Message-----
From: brike1@juno.com [mailto:brike1@juno.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 03, 1998 9:18 PM
To: sgroff@epix.net
Cc: sanet-mg@ces.ncsu.edu
Subject: Re: Who's Afraid of Genetic Engineering?
fellow-saneteers:
I find it frightening that a person who is widely respected
for his
humanitarian views around the world has taken this position
when there is
still such widespread uncertainty about the long-term
effects of
bio-engineered products on the natural environment including
indigenous
flora and fauna, potential effects on human health, and the
likely
ongoing consolidation of food and fiber production into the
hands of
increasingly few corporations that involved in genetic
engineering not to
improve the lot of humanity or to preserve endangered
species but to earn
money for their shareholders (as they are required to by
law).
Does anyone know where he has made this statement and how it
is possible
to send him mail (either US Postal Service address or
email)?
Thanks
Michael
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