From David on Wed, July 14, 2010

This is a good exposé on the state of the food industry in our modern world.  Indeed, many people seem to be feeding their insatiable appetites, while completely naive to the fact that as much as 1/3 of greenhouse gas emissions come from the food system.  How could something so rudimentary as eating, yet be so it complicated? 

Although this presents a veritable arguement, we must go beyond the reasoning that is presented here.  Corporations would not have nearly as much power over agricultural, food production, distribution, marketing and so on, if it wasn’t also for their overwhelming lobby and associations with corrupt politicians, public relations, apathetic consumers and the attitude of business and politics-as-usual. 

Of course, providing for education, caring and love in the world would also make a huge difference.  It’s not just about teaching people to care, but encouraging them in a way that makes them want to care, because they feel there is value and love in their life that makes it all worthwhile.

In addition to the need for organically grown and non genetically modified organisms, what must also be addressed is the integrity and confluence of our natural ecosystems; that is, from the land, to the rivers, to the bays and gulfs and off to our oceans. 

Currently, corporations and governments are evading accountability and trading on the “right” to pollute our environment and jeopardize our health.  But, the run-off of toxic waste, the spread of environmental degradation and the growth of contagions, etc. knows no boundaries.  It has been said that we must become conscious of our food ways, from “farm to fork.”  But, in actuality, it is bigger than that; because, these problems are now effecting our natural environment, which we often take for granted.  It runs from the ivestock ranches and slaughtering factories, to the toxic planting fields, to the polluted and congested rivers, through our cities and on to our oceans where we get seafood. Wherever and however we get our food, across the land, on the water or in the air… it makes it’s way to our table for breakfast, lunch and dinner.. or even at snack time.

From Phil Faris on Fri, July 16, 2010

I question this type of journalistic activism.

I totally support, however, the Slow Food principles and the urgent need to “turn” global civilization towards the values and the sustainable technologies and the culutral manifestations promoted by your organization.

But I see a threat to that civilization from the politicization of science and I am concerned as I see sincere individuals coopted by those who are exploiting even outstanding programs such as Slow Food.

I am a retired Mideast intelligence analyst and have spent a lot of time monitoring propaganda (from all sides). Contrary to popular imagery, intel analysts at the desk level are only concerned with truth. (Although I’m sure I can’t convince anyone of that.) But my experience has developed my sensitivity to the way truth can be manipulated until it becomes worse than a lie; it becomes an attack on freedom.

Tragically, this video (which contains a huge amount of truth) also reveals sincere and innocent scientists and social workers who have been manipulated by a movement. The “movement” flatters and praises them and promotes their programs—all the while coopting them for nefarious ends.

Nevertheless, the immediate goals of your program and resources are excellent and deserve full support. We need ag scientists and engineers and managers with character and integrity to get the training and acquire the experience they will need to enter the corporate ag industry and pull it back from the many precipices it seems to fall over today. We also need small businesses to successfully compete against the over-centralization of what should be a local and sustainable industry. And we need politicians to outlaw the criminally negligent and harmful “shortcuts” that tempt too many small and large businessmen today.

I’m only suggesting that your efforts are hindered by too close association with propaganda funded by highly politicized organizations. When an organization loses credibility, it just plain loses.

In intel circles we rate sources by whether or not they knowingly and intentionally pass on propaganda and issue deceptive statements. A single deliberate distortion can totally destroy a source’s credibility. There is no such thing as “good enough”.