There was a time when the topics of GMO foods, Monsanto, the harm caused by Roundup and other crucial issues never even came close to seeing the light of day in the mainstream media.
For example, despite the proven success of the worldwide March Against Monsanto in drawing millions of people in hundreds of cities across the world, a 2014 protest in Ann Arbor, Michigan I attended received zero coverage from the state and local media, and neither did its sister march in the much larger city of Detroit nearby.
In 2013, however, the march finally did receive some actual coverage on a popular local news site — but it only happened because the main organizer of the protest, Kristen Jones, was actually arrested on a shocking charge of “using a megaphone (recap and video here).”
Controversy and conflict are what sells, but when things are as one-sided as they have been in the case of The People vs. Monsanto and GMOs in general, well, the mainstream media tends to ignore things, until “official” bodies begin ruling in favor of and validating the beliefs of the people, that is.
The recent study that Monsanto’s Roundup is a “probable” carcinogen by the World Health Organization coupled Chipotle’s decision to go GMO-free along with many other events are just some of the fruits of a grassroots protest movement that’s spreading like wildfire.
And now, thankfully, we’re finally getting a taste of some real, dedicated and hard-hitting news coverage and debates about these issues on mainstream television for the first time ever, including live debates on the topic of GMOs that actually get to the heart of the real issues.
Activist Takes on Pro-GMO Potato Scientist
Detroit, Michigan is hardly the poster child for the organic movement, but it has seen plenty of positive action in recent years thanks to a growing number of urban organic farmers and start-up stores and restaurants.
In Detroit, the Fox News station aka Fox 2 is well known for its hotly-contested live debate show ‘Let It Rip,’ and recently a debate was held on live TV between Jones, the MAM activist, Dr. Dave Douches, Director of the Michigan State University Potato Genetics Program, and Debra Levantrosser of the Shimmy Shack vegan food truck in Detroit.
It is well worth noting that while Jones is not paid for her activist activities and volunteers and organizes with No GMO For Michigan, Douches represents a university that has long partnered with Monsanto; Michigan State was actually given $3 million by Monsanto to study the ongoing problem of corn rootworms which have been ravaging GMO corn and become resistant to the company’s chemicals (the deal runs through 2016). Levantrosser runs her food truck and prefers not to eat GMOs but says she can’t afford to go completely non-GMO for the time in her business due to cost issues.
Watch the debate unfold in the video and let us know who you think was the winner in the comments below:
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About Nick Meyer
