MR. METHUSELAH IS STILL ON HOLD

OPERATOR:   Good Morning.  Bureau of Non-Information.  May I help you?
METHUSELAH:  Good Morning.  Joe Methuselah here.  I’m calling to find out about GMOs.

OPERATOR:  GMOs?  Is that General Management . . . ?

METHUSELAH: Genetically Modified Organisms.  Can you tell me what they are and why the House doesn’t want to label them in food packaging?

OPERATOR:  I’m afraid I don’t have that information.

METHUSELAH: Would you refer me to someone who does?

OPERATOR: One moment, please, Mr. Methuselah.  I’ll see if I can find anybody to answer your questions.

(Hold music.  Interminable hold music.  No one comes back.  METHUSELAH waits.)

               There are many secretive scary things going on out there.  GMOs that have only been tested and deemed safe by their manufacturers without independent test labs.  Fracking fluid contents for natural gas drilling that the industry will not reveal, claiming the information as “proprietary information” or “trade secret.”  How much do lobby groups like the NRA or the big chemical combines contribute to political campaigns and to whom in Congress do they pay them? How much of the meat and produce we consume contains synthetic chemicals, growth hormones, and antibiotics?

               To lump all of these things into one paragraph is overwhelming and even a bit disingenuous, given the enormity of the questions.  But today’s rant is not so much about the answers to any or all of these as it is about the lack of transparency, real information.

               We are swamped with tons and tons and tons of trivial information online and in the media, but just what real information do we know? And perhaps more importantly, WHY are there bills before Congress to BAN labeling that would tell us what we are ingesting while every other civilized nation is protecting their citizens by giving them the knowledge to make an informed choice?

               Transparency, or lack thereof, is a huge issue in this age of information.  Regardless of your opinions on big business, capitalism, the environment, or public health, it is interesting how so many moves are made to restrict the knowledge required to make a considered decision.  It seems that the big folks want the public to be apathetic so that they can take self-serving profitable actions without having to justify their behavior to those who may be most affected by these actions.  Basically, Corporate America (and consequently Washington) is saying “Mind Your Own Business” to the American people, such that these industries are free to profitably mind their own.

               Without being overly paranoid, one would hope that not all behavior is scandalous and that many corporations have a sense of public responsibility.  This is not even a question of claiming one side of an issue is automatically tainted.  But why are they so afraid to label and let us judge for ourselves?  If they have nothing to hide, why not put it out there?  Why not have independent labs and contractors who check out claims without any one group holding the apron strings?  If they’ve nothing to hide and their behavior is above board, then let it all hang out!  Why, in a country where freedom of speech and information is supposed to be our most cherished privilege, are we prohibited from having full disclosure?

               This is a bi-partisan problem, although one party keeps asking for less government, smaller government, less oversight.    Well, if you don’t have objective inspectors, it probably is cheaper for the people in terms of tax dollars, and less inspection means industries must self-monitor (which is always good for a chuckle).  In short, the very industries who are being protected from inspection are getting away with murder.  It is no surprise that the Emergency Energy Bill that Dick Cheney drove through Congress as Vice President took the EPA out of the loop, saying it wasn’t necessary for environmental supervision of the natural gas industry.  After all, the main suppliers of the chemicals and the equipment used for hydraulic fracturing include Haliburton.  It is also interesting to note that top lawyers and officials in the FDA are in fact former lawyers from Monsanto and other chemical pesticide producers.  In short, there is an internally-generated smoke screen, and the smoke is being blown right up our . . . well, perhaps it would be better to say the wool is being pulled over our eyes—provided it is organically grown wool.

               The point here is not whether or not these companies are using environmentally safe and health conscious methods, nor is the question whether or not cartels should dictate what farmers can grow and who can take over whose land.  Those are important questions to consider separately, one by one.  The point here is that if there is nothing to hide, then why hide the information so that people can’t get a clear picture?  Some of the very people screaming loudest for transparency on Capitol Hill are the ones who are actively protecting the privacy of major industries.

               Apathy is Corporate America’s greatest ally, it’s most successful lobbyist.  If the people don’t ask questions, then Big Business can do whatever it wishes.  And clearly, lack of clear and proper labeling is key to keeping that apathy alive, well, and growing.

               When they refuse to tell us what’s in it, then that’s when we need to start asking questions, because assuredly our best interests are not in their hearts.

               Ask questions, people—before it becomes too late to ask.

               Mr.  Methuselah is still on hold.