Has Bill Gates earned his fortune? Arguably yes, as if any of us tried to protest him by no longer using his products, well, many of us would be out of jobs. Does the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation do outstanding charitable works to give back? Absolutely. I do not have a problem with either of these facts.
However, if we were to work on a three-strikes-you're-out system, it is clear why Bill Gates is on my *poop* list.
Strike 1: Bill Gates funds Monsanto's attempt at global eradication of real food (GMO seeds worldwide).
In 2010, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation purchased half a million shares (valued at more than $23M) of Monsanto stock. Additionally, the foundation has given at least $265M in grant commitments to Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA; a nice name for bringing GMOs to Africa) and another $50M for research to develop vitamin and protein-enriched seeds and GM wheat.
All this despite EVIDENCE THAT GMO CROPS CAUSE ORGAN DISRUPTION AND OBESITY IN NUMEROUS SPECIES AND DOES NOT INCREASE CROP YIELDS as touted by GMO supporters.
- 10-year study on rats, mice, pigs and salmon
- 19 mammal study showing kidney, liver dysfunction from GMO crops
- 20-year GMO crop study shows crop yields not significantly higher than traditional seeds
Strike 2: Bill Gates funds the eradication of mosquitoes.
I don't even know if I need to expound on this one, but I will. Yes, Bill Gates thinks the solution to malaria and Dengue fever is dysgenics. Essentially, he funded the design of a mosquito whose offspring will be sterile in hopes that these mosquitoes will eventually reduce or eliminate the mosquito population altogether. The first release of these mosquitoes was a controlled release in the Cayman Islands in 2009. A recent news release claims the mosquito population in the Cayman Islands has been reduced by 80%. Right now, there is a fight in Florida over the proposed deployment of these GE mosquitoes in the state. How in a world where endangered species are protected can one think that species elimination is a worthwhile endeavor?
http://www.kplctv.com/story/19277484/genetically-modified-mosquitoes-to-fight-disease
Strike 3: Bill Gates funds milk alteration research.
So, I'm not a scientist but the long and short of it is an $8.3M grant from the foundation will study the effects of lipid supplements the foundation has been researching on a child's gut and immune system. The thought is, if the supplements improve the immune system and more hopefully, prevent malnutrition, then these supplements can be added to the milk, either through processed products like yogurt and cheese or possibly by means of a genetically-engineered mammal. If you think I'm dreaming this up, this is already being done at Texas A&M GE goats designed to carry malaria vaccines in their milk. http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/A-amp-M-goats-modified-to-carry-malaria-vaccine-3378385.php
What I don't understand is why are we spending all this money to engineer something that already exists?? Children who drink raw milk are shown to have stronger immune systems than those who drink processed (pasteurized) milk.
http://foodfreedomgroup.com/2012/05/09/raw-milk-promotes-health/
I say that money would be better spent protecting REAL FOOD like raw milk and creating systems where this amazing nutrient powerhouse can be produced in mass without hormones, antibiotics and GMO feed.
WHAT CAN WE DO??
So, Bill Gates is trying to take away my pure fruits/vegetable and my raw milk. He also thinks it is ok to get rid of populations of insects/animals that he doesn't think serve a purpose. But what else would you expect from yet another organization that surrounds itself with corrupt Big Agri bigwigs, particularly of the Monsanto kind? It is no mistake that like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation funding our farm bill serves the interests of the same groups whose executives populate Congress and the White House.
I'm not sure we have the power to effectively fight such strong forces, but we have to try - to lift our voices together and demand the right to choose what we eat - to grow it ourselves with whatever inputs we choose - to provide it to our neighbors who want these products. To not be forced to eat what Monsanto, oops! I mean, the government, decides we should. You can also join the fight to get these foods labeled so that even if you don't eat food from the traditional grocery store, consumers can be provided the basic information to choose what they will and will not feed their family. And, if you are in Florida, fight fight fight to preserve your natural insect population.
Sidenote:
If you are a big salmon-eater like we are, here is an unfortunate report on USDA funding of GM salmon (because the House and FDA would not fund such nonsense). So sad.
http://naturalsociety.com/genetically-modified-salmon-approval-pushed-by-usda/
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