Hey Andy, if the Pepsi strikers wanted to get more attention, they could learn a thing or two from the Minnesota anarchist and animal rights people. If they want to be more effective, they need to think outside of the box a bit more. They could start by learning some of the creative direct action techniques that were used in Seattle and Washington, D.C., as well as the Minnehaha Free State protest you think so lowly of.
I don't care if you call my fellow anarchists "loony." The jealousy implicit in your post, plus its patronizing attitude, demonstrate that you must be one of the Leftists who are stuck in the past and can't cope with all this change. In a sense, you are like the old guard in a scientific revolution which is being threatened by young turks (plus not-so-young turks who are more open-mineded).
During the day I work for a major science association, so I have some understanding of how the scientific community works. It also gives me some insights on what the movers and shakers in science are thinking. I'm not an animal rights advocate, but I sympathize with their cause. I'm not totally against biotechnology, but what I've seen from the inside I can tell you that there are sound scientific reasons to oppose the introduction of biotech foodstuffs into the open, at least until we remove the profit motive from the research and have lots of lengthy testing. Based on my reading over the years and my experience working for a science assocation, I'd say that the opponents of biotech have a pretty solid case.
In the case of the protest against the animal genetics conference, those "loony" young anarchists have a pretty solid case too. There is little debate within the scientific community about the ecological and sociallly responsible dimensions of this new technology. You shouldn't expect much debate when sessions and plenaries at major conferences are essentially bought platforms by the biotech and pharm industries.
You tell me. If a science association wants to put on a seminar on animal genetics, who are they going to choose to sponsor it? Celera Genomics with billions of dollars, or a bunch of young anarchists who probably hopped a freight to get to that Minneapolis protest? Even if we were talking about a better funded collection of NGOs, the association would go with Celera everytime.
There are plenty of *rational* reasons to oppose the current regime of scientific research, especially if decisions that affect the planet are being made in the boardrooms of Monsanto or Celera.
<< Chuck0 >>
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