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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0271.685 2012-2014 Page 1 of 2 Murashige, Laura COUNTY CLERK COUNTY (T From: Donald Wessels [dfwjr @yahoo.com] Sent: Sunday, June 30, 2013 10:49 PM 113 JUL - 1 All la 35 To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us Subject: Bill 79 and The Precautionary Principle Aloha, Councilpersons I've included here my testimony that I gave at the first time public testimony was taken on Bill 79 and the July 2nd testimony follows it. I put them together because they make one story. Please check out the links I provided the give a little background information to my basic thesis that Monsanto's GMOs are products that can not trusted from an business that can not be trusted. First Testimony I would like to start with the idea of The Precautionary Principle What is The Precautionary Principle? You may ask? :) Simply stated, The Precautionary Principle holds that it's better to be safe than sorry. This principle states that evidence of harm, rather than definitive proof of harm, should prompt public policy. The Precautionary Principle also calls for the burden of proof to lie with the manufacturer to demonstrate that their toxic chemicals or genetically modified crops are safe rather than with the public to show that they cause harm. The Precautionary Principle sides with our health not the economic health of Monsanto's bottom line. Free Market principles side with the profits of companies that, in this case, manipulate and own the genetics of living beings to sell us their agricultural poisons and to monopolize our food sources. If Monsanto wants to introduce GMOs to Hawaii Island the burden of proof is with them. Why should we be put at risk to serve their profits? We demand that the Hawaii Island to be a GMO Free Zone. We demand Home Rule and a healthy sustainable future for our children. We demand that our governments follow the democratic principle of safety first, over the economic principle of corporate profits first. I'm supporting Bill 79 because it supports The Precautionary Principle, it supports our health, and it serves to strengthen this county's democracy July 2nd Testimony Power corrupts and economic power also corrupts environmentally. Caring for Hawaii Island's environment is also caring for its people. A caring government takes precautions so that our communities are not polluted or contaminated. They take precautions so that we do not get harmed or sickened. Bill 79 seeks to do that. The burden of proof of any possibly damaging substance, manufacturing process, or Comm.N 7'• Ref.To: 7/1/2013 Ref. Dote Page 2 of 2 commercial service stands with that business that seeks to profit from those activities. Your wealth and position does not give you the authority to risk our health and environment. Money is not the decider of truth and corporate self-interest is not going to save humanity. I believe it is safe to say that We the people of the County of Hawaii do not want to take the risk of eating GMOs or consuming the poisons they are designed for Bill 79 defends our right to be cautious. Bill 79, is not anti-science, its central mandate, The Precautionary Principle, demands science, solid verifiable science, to see to it that harm is not done to our communities and families. The history of GMOs so-called science of has been a lesson in political lobbying, paid-for-science, and the active persecution of any research or law that doesn't please the GMO industry. Bill 79 doesn't please the GMO industry. Inside and out of the U.S. Government, which includes Hawaii County, there is a contamination of legalized corruption where there is private money funding private sessions in public rooms, private money funding public elections, private salaries for ex-public authorities and so on. There is a corrupt unaccountable buffer of private money and private institutions that are coming between me and my government. This legal corruption of this republic is harming us and our planet. Bill 79 is sane policy that will serve to take precautions against commercially manufactured sickness and environmental disaster. Bill 79 is a baby step toward to a society that takes precautions for the well-being of its people and the land on which we depend. Thank You Councilperson Margaret Wille for caring enough for the people of Hawaii Island to put this bill forward. And, let this be a beginning! Let's build a caring County government that sides with its citizens' well-being. Start now by passing Bill 79. Related resources: This is an image illustrating the "revolving-door" between Monsanto and the U.S. Federal government: http://c1 redgreenandblueorg.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/files/2012/02/monsanto-employees- government-revolving-door.jpg The following is a short YouTube clip from the documentary The Corporation that shows the lengths to which Monsanto has gone to silence the critics of their products: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZkDikRLQrw Donald Wessels "Don't fear failure. Not failure, but low aim, is the crime. In great attempts it is glorious even to fail." Bruce Lee 7/1/2013