5 February 2003
DAWKINS WRONG ON GE/FOOD FOR ACTIVISTS
1.DAWKINS WRONG
2.FOOD FOR ACTIVISTS
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1. Dawkins wrong
The Times, 1 February 03
Letters to the Editor
Sir, Professor Richard Dawkins's assertion that genes are a "software sub-routine", which can therefore be moved with precision by genetic engineering between totally unrelated organisms (T2, January 28), reflects the naivete of individuals who theorise about genetics rather than those working with it first-hand.
Genetic engineering, either in an animal or plant context, always has unpredictable outcomes and they are frequently greater than the intended change. This is because it is wrong to consider genes as independent units of information, which can be accurately slotted into the genetic code of any organism. Genes have evolved within a given organism to work in combinations in the context of an immensely complex genetic, biochemical and ecological environment.
The "Luddism" of the Prince of Wales and Peter Melchett in objecting to GM food on this occasion is supported by empirical scientific observation.
Michael Antoniou (Lecturer in molecular genetics)
King's College London
St. Thomas' Street, SE1 9RT
michael.antoniou@kcl.ac.uk
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2.FOOD FOR ACTIVISTS
http://www.crosswalk.com/news/1183938.html?view=print
PR crisis manager Nick Nichols, who advises companies to use attack-dog
strategies against pesky activists, delivered another fiery speech this
weekend at the Conservative Political Action Conference, branding environmentalists
as terrorists and comparing them to Hitler. "A lot of [my] clients look
like food to the more extreme environmental groups," he said. "Government
and industry have to start fighting these folks." Similar sentiments came
from other speakers at the conference, which included a long list of corporate-friendly
names such as Bob Barr, L. Brent Bozell III, Pat Buchanan, Mona Charen,
Tom DeWeese, Lucianne Goldberg, David Horowitz, Alan Keyes, Steve Milloy,
Grover Norquist, Oliver North, Daniel Pipes, Phyllis Schlafly, Craig Shirley
and Ken Starr. U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney delivered the keynote speech,
while vendors at exhibition booths sold anti-Muslim hate paraphernalia.
More web links related to this story are available at:
http://www.prwatch.org/spin/February_2003.html#1044385804