Hello Diana and everyone,<br>Yes, hearing something like this can be disturbing. As I was reading every ones comments, I contemplated offering my experiences and came to the personal decision that it was time to tell. Let me offer this truth I live by, it is my sense that when we are informed, we are empowered. This then enables us to make decisions and take specific action. <br>
<br>But yes, this capitalism ideal is such a 'power over' the people, rather than empowerment of the people. This last point may touch sensitive values in each of us because one, its a primary way to become successful in our culture. With that said, please everyone take just 10 minutes to read a little on Transition Town (TT) <a href="http://www.transitiontowns.org/">http://www.transitiontowns.org/</a> <br>
I know we are a medicinal plant list serve yet this is TT is for all aspects of life. <br><br>Marguerite<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sun, Aug 2, 2009 at 3:11 AM, Terressentials <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:terressentials@mailworks.org">terressentials@mailworks.org</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">Hi.<br>
<br>
Sorry to intrude on the dialog, but I just wanted to say that I found<br>
your email disturbing. I was aware of the manipulation of food crops,<br>
but this -- manipulating medicinal herbs -- is frightening. It's not<br>
surprising though. Is nothing out of reach of the tentacles of greed?<br>
<br>
Thanks for forwarding the book link.<br>
<br>
Diana Kaye, co-founder, Terressentials<br>
<div><div></div><div class="h5"><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
----- Original message -----<br>
From: "Gena Fleming" <<a href="mailto:genafleming@gmail.com">genafleming@gmail.com</a>><br>
To: "Bob Beyfuss" <<a href="mailto:rlb14@cornell.edu">rlb14@cornell.edu</a>>, <a href="mailto:3moonsisters@gmail.com">3moonsisters@gmail.com</a>,<br>
<a href="mailto:mpwg@lists.plantconservation.org">mpwg@lists.plantconservation.org</a><br>
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2009 20:39:55 -0500<br>
Subject: Re: [MPWG] Why do we spend etc<br>
<br>
Thanks, Marguerite and Bob, for your comments.<br>
<br>
It is important to recognize the origins of herbal knowledge coming from<br>
systems which respected Nature as sacred, and contemplated the intricate<br>
organization and delicate relationships found there, seeking to work in<br>
accordance with them.<br>
<br>
Because what I am seeing is renewed interest in botanical medicine (or<br>
medicine of botanical source), but insufficient understanding of the<br>
epistemologies of indigenous science that enlighten appropriate use of<br>
these plants. I am hopeful that we will one day have a truly<br>
pluralistic medical society.<br>
<br>
As economic interest broadens for medicinal plants, we will need to<br>
contemplate how best to direct this. Historically, the interest of the<br>
pharmaceutical industry has been in isolating compounds for drug<br>
development. Doing this in the laboratory still left the natural source<br>
alone. But now the interest extends to genetically engineering the<br>
medicinal plants themselves to become drug factories. In other words,<br>
nature herself is being altered to manufacture drugs. Because<br>
genetically engineered plants can contaminate non-modified plants, this<br>
threatens the continued existence of the original species.<br>
<br>
Medicine figures within a cultural context and can not be separated out.<br>
Medical philosophy parallels agricultural philosophy. In order to<br>
assure the continued existence of unmodified medicinal plants, we will<br>
need extensive, local, sustainable, organic cultivation of medicinal<br>
plants. Hats off to Jean Giblette's group for working on this with<br>
Chinese medicinals.<br>
<br>
For an example of some of the medicinal plants that had already been<br>
genetically modified ten years ago, see:<br>
<br>
Transgenic Medicinal Plants by Y.P.S. Bajaj, published in 1999.<br>
Available for preview on Google Books.<br>
<br>
"The plant species included are Ajuga reptans, Anthemis nobilis,<br>
Astragalus spp., Atropa belladonna, Catharanthus roseus, Datura spp.,<br>
Duboisia species, Fagopyrum spp., Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Lobelia<br>
spp., Papaver somniferum, Panax ginseng, Peganum harmala, Perezia<br>
spp., Pimpinella anisum, Phyllanthus niruri, Salvia miltiorrhiza,<br>
Scoparia dulcis, Scutellaria baicalesis, Serratula tinctoria, Solanum<br>
aculeatissimum, Solanum commersonii, Swainsona galegifolia, tobacco,<br>
and Vinca minor. "<br>
<br>
Link to preview:<br>
<br>
<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=qQ2OY9GF41wC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false" target="_blank">http://books.google.com/books?id=qQ2OY9GF41wC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false</a><br>
<br>
<br>
best regards,<br>
<br>
Gena Fleming<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
2009/7/31 Bob Beyfuss <<a href="mailto:rlb14@cornell.edu">rlb14@cornell.edu</a>><br>
<br>
> With hundreds of thousands of adverse reactions to prescription and<br>
> over the counter drugs each year including thousands of deaths<br>
> (acetaminophen, aka Tylenol, amoI ng other brand names, alone is<br>
> responsible for more then 400 deaths each year) is it any wonder<br>
> Americans are looking for alternatives? Read the label of almost any<br>
> prescription drug or even just watch the TV commercials that list<br>
> common "side effects" some of which include death and you might wonder<br>
> why more people are NOT looking at alternatives, particularly herbs<br>
> with long history of folk use.<br>
><br>
><br>
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</div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Green Blessings, <br>Sincerely <br>Marguerite<br><br><br>May our walk be soft and gentle<br>as we gather our roots once again.<br><br>Marguerite Uhlmann-Bower, R.N., Herbalist<br>
TheHerbalNurses™<br>10517 Turnpike Rd. <br>East Meredith, NY 13757<br>(607) 278-9635<br>