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Sunday, August 11, 2013

GMO: Life- Saving Botanical Vaccines

Stay, Stray, Play and Feast is taking a break from traveling and feasting to post a personal standpoint about GMO's aside from anti-GMO advocates violent stand.

This was written by my then 12 year old daughter 2 to 3 years ago at the Village Montessori School when she was in first year high school.

GMO: Life- Saving Botanical Vaccines
by
Nicole P. Caceres

The Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) forum that we attended at the Naga Science High School was an exercise of futility. It wasn’t a forum at all as the speakers were all against GMO. I cannot believe that it was even held in (supposed to be) a Science High School but the lecturers invited by the organizers were far from being scientific. They were more of religious zealots.

GMO is not a new thing.

Human beings were the first beneficiaries of the genetically modified organisms that continue to save millions of lives. Scientist cultured deadly microorganisms, and genetically attenuated their virulence and pathogenicity, inoculated them to people to protect them from various diseases.

Measles, pneumonia, typhoid fever, hepatitis, tuberculosis and even certain types of cancer, to name a few- have been eradicated in advanced countries like United States due to strict implementation of their immunization programs.

During the GMO forum, I have noticed that the people who are against genetically modified organisms are being too closed-minded. They based their fears on unproven theories, hearsays and testimonials rather than scientific researches’ conclusions and outcome.

The most ludicrous part of the supposed to be scientific session is that the anti- GMO’s are even using biblical verses to justify their lunacy. Using God as a reason is unacceptable in any scientific endeavour. I would rather go to church if I need a spiritual shot in my arm- but the organizer actually bastardized what is supposed to be a scientific session with so many personal outbursts of emotions.

To justify their contradictions to GMO’s, they cited that a number “innocent creatures”, (that’s how they call them), are going to die because it would interfere with the natural cycle of life.

Let us talk in a more scientific way. It is but natural for Mycobactrum Tuberculosis (the bug that causes TB) to live in someone’s lung. It is a part of their natural cycle or they will petrify and die. It is also of human nature that no one would what their lungs to be the host for the said bacteria. I would not want any TB bacteria in my lungs even if I am a part of their life cycle. I would gladly donate them to the anti- GMO advocates. Would they be happy to host the bacteria until they spit blood after their lungs are eaten by the disease? Even veterinarians give anti- TB shots to cattles. Who would want to eat TB infected beef? If GMO vaccines were not invented, everyone would be eating naturally diseased meat.

If I were a corn and there’s someone offering me protection from bugs- I would want one for myself. Oh, if only corns could talk, every corn in the world would be demanding to become a genetically modified corn.

I also found it silly when they said that GMO is not the answer to decreasing poverty rate. They may be partly right- since the cause of poverty is multi- factorial. GMO is not the answer to poverty but it would help alleviate hunger. The climate change nowadays, brings large amount of rain causing flash floods and sometimes prolonged draught on summer. Extreme changes in temperature and weather brings pestilence.

Who would not want to have flood resistant GMO rice that would assure farmers of bountiful harvest even after a devastating typhoon? Or pest- resistant crops that could resist extreme heat and drought?

The anti- GMO advocates also contended that it has negative effects to humans that consume them. That’s highly speculative and according to my Dad (who is a doctor) he has not heard of any medical condition related to people that consumed GMO in any medical books or any medical literatures. Such condition only exists as a paranoia to some people and they need to be seen by a psychiatrist.

GMOs could make plants, flood and pest- resistant and even sunlight resistant. They would also serve as a protection to the strong ultra-violet lights. They could serve as plant- protective sunblocks. GMOs are botanical vaccines that make plants and animals resistant to disease. Plants with strong resistance to pests and sunlight bear fruits and vegetables with longer shelf life and stay fresh longer.

The contention that some bugs would evolve into stronger and more dangerous creatures- well, I thought these people that have been citing the bible do not believe in evolution. Evolution is a natural thing. Remember, Adam and Eve evolve from Lucy. With or without GMO’s everything in the universe will evolve in response to climactic and environmental changes.

Some species are bound to be extinct even without the GMOs. Imagine humans co- existing with the dinosaurs if they did not get extinct? GMO’s were not invented then so I don’t think they’re responsible for specie evolution and extinction.

Citing biblical verses in a scientific forum is a big NO.

Based from what I learned from our Science and a Religion classes, it was mentioned that Religion and Science do not go hand-in-hand because they conflict with each other. Bible is a book of faith. It was not written as a scientific paper so we should not seek scientific answers from the bible.

While we ask people to respect the bible and the bible believers, isn’t it fair that we respect science and scientists as well?

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