The Hightower Report: Propagandizing School Kids

Are you a parent who's worried about the plethora of highly questionable bioengineered organisms that agribusiness profiteers have quietly been slipping into everything from snack foods to school lunches? Well, perhaps your own children can put your mind at ease, for they might have science teachers who assign a book called Look Closer at Biotechnology to the kiddos in their classes. It's filled with colorful images, friendly cartoon faces, puzzles, and more!

The very first page makes clear that genetically engineered foods pose no worries at all. "Hi kids," it begins. "This is an activity book for young people like you about ... a really neat topic." Why is it so neat? Because, say the authors, "As you work through the puzzles in this book, you will learn more about biotechnology and all the wonderful ways it can help people live better lives in a healthier world. Have fun!"

Fun? With genetically engineered food? Who's behind this book of fairy tales? The Council for Biotechnology Information. And exactly what and who is CBI? It's a PR and political front for the biotech industry, financed by such multibillion-dollar giants as Monsanto, Bayer, DuPont, and Dow Chem­ical. It's also now funneling hundreds of thousands of dollars into the industry's deceitful political campaign to kill the Cali­fornia Right To Know ballot initiative that finally would require food giants to label all products containing genetically engineered organisms.

What are we to do about corporate powers that are so avaricious and arrogant that they're willing to tamper with our food supply, our kids' minds, and our basic consumer rights? Defeat them, that's what. Here are three good sources for information and action: www.justlabelit.org, www.nongmoshoppingguide.com, and www.organicconsumers.org.

For more information on Jim Hightower's work – and to subscribe to his award-winning monthly newsletter, "The Hightower Lowdown" – visit www.jimhightower.com. You can hear his radio commentaries on KOOP Radio 91.7FM, weekdays at 10:58am and 12:58pm.