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A Mexican pro-GMO group called Alianza Protransgénicos (the pro-transgenics alliance) was sent two package bombs in the mail. One went off on opening, injuring four people, including the vice-president of the group.
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The anti-GMO attack is particularly interesting, as it reveals the level of emotion and ideological fanaticism that can be present in such groups. . . .
I think that is the point, however. Many non-religious ideologies are just as fanatical and faith-based as religion. I know that many of my non-believing colleagues focus on religion as the enemy of reason, but this can miss the underlying reality – it is ideology that is the enemy of reason, and ideology can take many forms and does not have to be explicitly about religion.
The anti-GMO movement has, in my opinion, completely lost the scientific debate about the safety of genetically modified organisms. I have written about this many times before and won’t rehash it again. They have resorted to two strategies, making up their own bad science, and conspiracy theories. The conspiracy theories usually surround their favorite villain, Monsanto.
They have articles of faith as well, most notably an appeal to nature. Natural = good, unnatural (however you define that) = bad.
The core problem is that with many activists in the anti-GMO movement their cause is not a scientific debate, it is a fight of good vs evil. Once you frame a conflict in such stark terms, you have become a fanatic (there are real good vs evil struggles in this world, but this isn’t one of them).
Read full, original post: Resorting to Violence
