I have a guest commentary in today's
issue of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, which they titled “Outsider funding
of anti-GMO efforts in Hawaii not really about 'home rule.'”
Since it's behind a paywall, I'm
posting it here:
As international anti-GMO activist
Vandana Shiva led a rally at the Jan. 21 opening of the state Legislature, I reflected on how much had changed since I first
encountered her on Kauai, two years ago.
Shiva had come to Kauai for one
purpose: to exhort us to throw out the biotech seed companies that
farmed the abandoned sugar fields. She was accompanied by Andrew
Kimbrell of the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Food Safety (CFS),
and the two of them riveted a crowd that was large for our rural
island.
I left energized, reassured in the
correctness of my own long-standing aversion to pesticides, biotech
agriculture and the multinational chemical companies that
manufactured both. GMO-Free Kauai, a tiny fringe movement, was
suddenly hip, infused with money and a mission. Change was in the
air, and I assumed it would be good, since it was orchestrated by the
“good guys” — progressives, activists, environmentalists.
But as the anti-GMO campaign unfolded,
first on Kauai, then Hawaii Island and Maui, I was increasingly
alarmed, and ultimately alienated. Any questioning of the issue or
movement was immediately, and often viciously, shut down. Political
demagogues were elevated to star status. Activists had no compunction
about engaging in fear-mongering, propaganda and intentional
misinformation campaigns — strategies they'd condemned when
practiced by the chemical companies.
It became almost unbearable to watch my
community polarize and divide as seed company employees, many of them
former plantation workers, were accused of poisoning the land and
their neighbors. Lies and fears were accepted as truth, and those who
spoke against the activists were harassed.
No middle ground was ever staked, no
compromise ever floated. It was only black or white, with us or
against us, when it seemed to me that the issue was very gray, and
most folks didn't want to take sides.
Disenchanted by the lock-step mentality
of the movement, I began looking more closely at the organizations
that supported it. How could they afford to bring in Shiva — who
charges $40,000 and first class airfare from India — buy ads, pay
unregistered lobbyists? I discovered the Hawaii movement is funded
almost entirely by mainland groups — primarily Center for Food
Safety — using money donated by heirs of oil, pharmaceutical and
manufacturing fortunes, including Merck, Getty, Rockefeller and the Ceres Trust. It is
not a local, grassroots, anti-corporate movement.
These mainland groups operate — and
secure their own ongoing funding — by waging political and legal
battles in small communities where they hope to secure victories that
can be leveraged elsewhere. Shiva, who is closely aligned with CFS,
serves as a charismatic cheerleader.
Hawaii has been played as a pawn in
this strategy, which has international aspirations. A similar
steamroller campaign was also used in Thailand, with similarly
divisive effects on the community. Meanwhile, CFS, Pesticide Action
Network, Food Democracy Now and other groups are using Hawaii's
anti-GMO battle in fundraising appeals to benefit their own
organizations, not local residents.
So what has Hawaii gotten from this
two-year war against GMOs? Three poorly written bills, all of them
being challenged in court; a lot of bad feelings; seriously divided
communities; a resurgence of anti-haole sentiment, especially on the
Neighbor Islands; activist lobbying that eludes transparency and
accountability; and county legal bills that have not been fully paid.
Yet we're no closer to assuaging any of the fears expressed by
residents, or resolving community concerns.
So when I see Shiva, back for a third
time now, issuing her latest battle cry of “Home Rule,” I can
only shake my head in dismay. What
we need now is not more outside agitation, but “Home Heal.”
8 comments:
What an excellent summary of how Pogo's "We have met the enemy and he is us" developed on Kauai!
Pete Antonson
Joan, Thank you for your consistent and at times relentless, news reporting. Your constancy on Kauai's pulse is a lot of work. Your words are read by many and are a real significant part of Kauai politics. You, unfortunately have been either the darling of the antis or the bane of the same group. How ever the vicissitudes of the the Fistees diatribes may affect you personally, I feel you are doing a real service to the greater good. And I hope that if you are effected personally, know that many many Kauai folks hold you in high regard, respect and a certain anonymous and distant fondness. Lots of folks. A good spirit you be.
Funny, when you speak on TVRs, you are the Good Queen and when you speak of common sense regarding Agriculture you are the Mean Queen.
My anonymous few words here are intended to purely Thank You. You and I are usually at complete opposites on Kauai politics, but your insight, intellect, clear writing and love for Kauai makes this island a better place.
Kauai may have more talent in it's 60,000 residents than any place in the country. If we could follow your suggestions on having HONEST open dialogue, many good things could be the result.
Please keep writing. You are widely read. Your words have a real effect on our citizen's knowledge.
Thank you from the many silent Anonymous (Anonymouses, Anonymi, Anonymice.)
Ditto 12:10 pm.
Many thanks for your words of praise and encouragement!
It made my morning to see the column in this morning's Star-Advertiser. Another home run!
Yeah, and the main polarizer on Kaua'i is here on O'ahu for the second straight day at the state capitol. how come, no mo council work for do?
Presently, Hawai‘i is used as an outdoor laboratory for companies like Monsanto to test genetically engineered crops and their related pesticides. In 2014 alone there were 1,381 field test sites; California only hosted 178 sites. They are spending millions of dollars to not have to disclose what they are spraying and when they are doing it. How can this be good? I don't understand how anyone who truly cares about our aina and our keiki can be ok with poisons being sprayed all over and be ok with these mainland companies keeping secrets from those of us who are living with their chemicals. Most of these crops are engineered to resist herbicides and pesticides. Testing these crops means repeated spraying of dangerous chemicals near neighborhoods, schools, and waterways. These are test crops for their profit. These crops are not providing food for our islands. In the end nature bats last so my hope is that in time you will see the truth of the damage that is being done. I just hope it isn't too late.
Anonymous @ 11:39, you are merely repeating the lies that have been disproven time and time again. You might want to take a clue from recent election results (both local and elsewhere) that your closed-minded activism is losing traction. Might want to look into who is really behind the anti-GMO & anti-pesticide groups. Hint: it ain't grassroots organizers
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