Perhaps you remember Roseanne? She had that show on back in the day about a, rather trashy, television family? Apparently, Roseanne has retired from tv sitcoms and has taken up a new hobby: spewing fear about genetically modified produce. Why not? We’re all experts if we claim to be; right? ……Right?
Roseanne has, quite literally, turned her twitter feed into a bastion of garbage. While some of her other tweets are, quite frankly, more offensive, she certainly likes to tell everyone about her disdain for Monsanto, science, and most farming practices.
She lovingly refers to Monsanto as “MonSatan.” Because demonizing your political opponents when you don’t actually have an argument is pretty much the way to go (and really the modus operandi of the anti-GM crowd).
Honestly, I’m not sure what she’s even referring to in that tweet (I’ll ignore the obviously racist comment about someone being “pure blood” Hawaiian….). However, absolutely no scientific study has ever shown GM products to be harmful to human beings and, in the decades since they were introduced, not a single person has ever become ill from them.
Roseanne is also wrong that GMOs ruin farmland, because no study has ever shown them to be harmful to the environment. I don’t really think she’s cares much about truth though. Her hatred of GMOs, Monsanto, and businesses in general, is quite sickening.
This one, however, is probably my favorite:
Roseanne’s tweet is a response to GM papaya that basically saved the Hawaiian industry from collapse. In the 1990’s due to the papaya ringspot virus (PRV). The answer turned out to be genetically modified papaya that was resistant to the PRV. Thus, the day and economy, not to mention livelihood of countless Hawaiians, was saved by genetically modified food.
Besides, distorting reality, Roseanne’s assertion is completely illogical. The PRV became prevalent in 1945, well before the reality of genetic modification was anywhere close. The resistant papayas were not released in Hawaii until 1998. Apparently, it was a 40 year conspiracy in the making. (To read more about this tweet and the exchange that led up to it, check out this article.)
Roseanne is completely insane.
But if you think that everyone takes this women as a joke (as they should), and isn’t seriously considering what she says, then you’re seriously wrong. The woman has 211k+ fans and she’s constantly tweeting her putrid propaganda. In addition, she actually ran for the presidential candidate of the Green Party. Thankfully, she lost.
However, this is precisely why it is so important to get the truth out about our farming practices, science, technology, and progress. Because celebrities like her can spew garbage and immediately have 211k+ people read it. To some, her celebrity status actually gives her some type of credibility.
However, I’m unaware that Roseanne has any amount of credibility when it comes to speaking about Monsanto, genetically modified foods, agriculture, or science.
At the end of the day, GM produce is safe, healthy, and sustainable. Shame on Roseanne for promoting a culture of fear and lies.
Being famous has changed from previous times, because now there are so many outlets, between magazines, TV shows, and the Internet, for people to follow you.