Good Eco-News: When We Care, We Can Win

What do a portly French farmer, some of the fattest families you’ve ever seen, a bunch of hippies, and a crew flying a pirate flag have in common?

They’ve all had really good eco-news.

And so have we.

The first good news is that Jose has resumed eating solid food.

After he made Power do what he told them to do.

Fortunately, Jose is not in his terrible twos.

But Jose is L’enfant terrible to the chemical "food" megacorps on both sides of the fast food checkout counter.

And – in the era of globalization – to the megacorps on both sides of the Atlantic.

He started speaking the truth to MickeyD’s, outraged that American "shitfood" (he later changed the term to "malbouffe") was displacing French food – and hence, French culture. After letting a bulldozer do his talking for him – right over a McDonald’s in his hometown of Millau – he spent a bit of time in gaol and emerged triumphant.

Bove went on to defend the people and tables of France and the world from Frankenfoods – genetically mutated crops with genes from alien species – by destroying GMO crops in 2001 (Brazil) and 2003. His continued defense against GMO crops earned him criminal prosecution for a 2005 GMO crop destruction. For that act of civil disobedience and property destrucitons, he was first sentenced to four months, and the sentence was later reduced to a fine. Which was convenient, seeing how he was running for President of France and all.

[Of course here he'd be labelled a terrorist and targeted by the AETA or similar repressive laws....but then France is a civilized nation where law making is not wholly controlled by the largest corporations.]

With the campaign behind his ample frame, Bove continued his solidarity with French palates by threatening the French government:

drop approval for GMO corn, or I’ll go on an all-liquid diet.

And – rather than sending out Homeland Security in their SUV’s (our Fatherland Homeland’s "security" services’ Black Moriah du jour) to kidnap him, stick him in Gitmo, and torture him…

…the French government -

…The Conservative French goverment under Sarkozy -

…The Conservative French government that ran on "law and order" -

That same Conservative goverment caved – and ordered Monsanto’s MON810 maize (corn) off the market in France.

Which just happens to be the only GMO crop to have been authorized in France.

The same toxic Monsanto MON810 maize that kills butterflies, sickens rats, and causes reproductive disease in salmon.

The same Monsanto MON810 corn grown all over the US.

Bon Appetit!

Now – what does all this have to do with whales?

Non-violent direct action got the goods. Without hurting any person, Bove and all the GMO crop-pullers have fought Monsanto and the whole global Frankenfood scam to a painful halt.

Just as non-violent direct action has driven commercial whaling out of nearly every nation save Japan.

Tonight the Japanese whalng fleet in the Antarctic are fleeing Greenpeace’s Esperanza.

Tonight the Sea Shepherds’ Steve Irwin is closing on Greenpeace and the Japanese whalers.

Greenpeace use the wholly non-violent tactic of placing their Zodiacs – and bodies – between the harpoons and the whales.

The Sea Shepherd Society – under Captain Paul Watson – are more direct: they’ve rammed whaling vessels, though they plan not to use that tactic this trip.

And – to add to the drama – Captain Watson used to be with Greenpeace…and left to pursue tactics Greenpeace eschews.

I know good folks who have crewed both vessels (and was happy to have been asked to be ship’s doc), and I observe both groups play well with each other when the bosses aren’t around.

And both groups will defend the whales at the cost of their own lives.

And – in keeping with the Law of the Sea – Capt Watson states he would rescue any whalers if need be – which is more than the whalers have done for Sea Shepherd crew.

So – I’m not certain if ramming whalers is non-violent – but between Capt. Watson’s crew and Greenpeace’s crew, I’m hoping all the humans (protectors and whalers) come home safe and all the whales stay home and live.

And I’m hoping Americans always use all the powers available to them by law to protect the living creatures in our own lives from the megacorps and greedballs that would destroy them for profit.

And on news days like this, I can just believe that we may.

Bon appetit!

Related posts:

1. Kent Conrad: France’s Health Care “Not Government-Run”
2. Health Care Reform: Latest News from the States
3. Reid Schedules 3:15pm (ET) News Conference to Unveil Health Care Bill
4. Speaking of France
5. Without Health Care, My Patients Will Die: Please Don’t Sacrifice Them for Single Payer