"Seeding Fear": A Message From Neil Young
Here's a message from Neil Young...
From Neil Young
"SEEDING FEAR"
July 23, 2015 - (Los Angeles, CA.) -- As I write this, the dark act is up for a vote in the House of Representatives; representatives of the people. The dark act takes away the rights of those people to vote for or against things like GMO labeling in their states. It does seem ironic. If the act is passed, it will truly be a dark day for America.
Monsanto is a corporation with great wealth, now controlling over 90% of soybean and corn growth in America. Family farms have been replaced by giant agri corp farms across this great vast country we call home. Farm Aid and other organizations have been fighting the losing battle against this for 30 years now.
Dairy and meat farming is done in those white sheds you see from the freeway, no longer on the green pastures of home with the old farmhouses and barns. Those beautiful buildings now stand in ruin across the country. This has happened on our watch while the country slept, distracted by advertising and false information from the corporations. Monsanto and others simply pay the politicians for voting their way. This is because of "Citizens United," a legislation that has made it possible for corporations to have the same rights as people, while remaining immune to people's laws.
Both Democratic and Republican front runners are in bed with Monsanto, from Clinton to Bush, as many government branches are and have been for years. This presidential election could further cement the dominance of corporation's rights over people's rights in America. If you have a voice you have a choice. Use it.
On the human side, the film I would like you to see tells the story of a farming family in America, but the same thing is happening around the world. It is a story that takes 10 minutes of your time to see. It is a simple human one, telling the heartbreaking story of one man who fought the corporate behemoth Monsanto, and it illustrates why I was moved to write The Monsanto Years.
The film presents a rare opportunity to hear from the source as Mr. White is one of only four farmers who is still legally allowed to speak about his case as all the others have been effectively silenced.
Thanks for reading this and I hope you look at this simple and powerful film, "Seeding Fear".
Neil Young
The Monsanto Years
I encourage you to view and post "Seeding Fear":
http://smarturl.it/SeedingFear
by thrasher@PermaLink: 7/23/2015 05:38:00 PM
17 comments
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A Friend Of Yours
Well I can only hope Neil tours again soon with Promise of the Real. The live recording I heard revealed a terrific band with many songs from Harvest and others from Comes a Time and Zuma. A great song selection. Words killed it. The Nelson bros and band make it sound really good with Neil. I like the Monsanto Years album and, like I said before, this is one of those special moments in the life of a Neil Young fan. I was at 6 Old Princeton Landing shows in 1996. That was special. I have seen Neil 15 times or so. I hope to get several more shows in before long! Thanks, Thrasher, for carrying the torch and holding out against the Nay-sayers. "Its over" say some. For me, its not over. Neil is still channeling the power of the universe through Old Black when he splits open the heavens. Life is good for the Neil Young fan with an open mind and candy in his, or her, ears. Got a political bone in your body? Worried about climate change? These are important current topics and the Godfather of Grunge is standing on the mountain and shouting at the Giants (Monsanto, Citizens United & SCOTUS, corporate ownership of government, Wall Street bailouts on the taxpayers). He is a powerful soul. He will help pull the covers back on the dark corruption of modern agriculture in the US (massive doses of poison on the food supply in wheat, corn, soy, and almost everything else. The cows eat the poison food product. And, Monsanto wants to control and own the seed supply. They have striven mainly to engineer seeds that don't reseed. This is pure evil, from the same crew that brought us DDT and Agent Orange. Thanks Neil! And please feel free to release whatever you want in the future. The sooner the better. And about that Archives 2? I'd like to have it in my hands. But, "New beats out old." Thats the motto, right? What a great journey to be a long term fan. Bring the tour bus to Seattle, Neil. -Alan
This really puts things in perspective now. A sobering look at how a once independent culture, career, and way of life, one embraced by my extended family, has been seized and has had the life choked out of it. Nearly made my blood boil. Monsanto Years is taking on a much more important meaning to me already. Thanks for posting, Thrasher.
FOLLOW UP
I just listened to Monsanto Years in its whole. Though the lyrics ain't pretty, they really get the job done and hit home. Though there is no happy conclusion to this crisis in sight, I had the strange desire to play Neil's debut album after finishing MY. I must say, the bucolic nature of "The Emperor Of Wyoming" provides a more positive cessation to the morose yet precise attitude of MY. Then again, I am driving through the country, so that could explain this way I feel. Thanks again, Thrasher!
Thank-you Thrasher.
And thanks to the makers of this important film
It made me think of the genes in Mr White's blood compared to the genes in the candy assed suits that were fighting him.
I thought America was the land of the free.
I also need to start these posts by saying that I am a lifelong Neil Young fan. Since I was 14. I'm now 48.
I lean to the left politically, I support Living With War, Greendale, Fork in the Road, all that stuff. So please don't write me off as a nay-sayer hater or something, just because I disagree.
I encourage people to read Monsanto's response at http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/monsanto-fires-back-at-neil-young-over-new-documentary-20150724. Not saying either side is right or wrong, but there are 2 sides to this story. I'm still researching and reading, but I'm not going to let a 10 minute film edited in this fashion dictate my opinion on this. I'm reading some court documents on line which does seem to indicate that Monsanto overstepped here with intimidation and perhaps entrapment. But it doesn't paint Mr. White as being completely innocent either.
I can't buy into "Monsanto is evil" propaganda. I believe they are probably too aggressive in defending patents, and they are a company formed for profit, not a charity. And I fully believe the corporations in general have gotten too large and wield too much power.
But some things to consider:
Monsanto is not that enormous of a company. It's about the same size as Whole Foods. It's smaller than Starbucks and The Gap, UPS and 7-11.
The scientific consensus says that GMO's are generally safe. Scientific consensus is hard to come by. We can't pick and choose which science we believe. Science is science. And it's not all paid for my Monsanto. And there was never a scientific consensus which said that smoking was safe, that was Phillip Morris.
Could Monsanto have paid off all the world's scientists to engage in a vast conspiracy to say GMOs are safe when they're really not? Maybe so, but unlikely.
Monsanto patents seeds, which some may say is wrong. Maybe so, but I think it probably makes sense given the amount of investment it takes to develop. All seed companies, including organic seed companies, patent seeds.
re: the issue that farmers aren't allowed to save seeds from GMO crops. Well, farmers also can't save seeds from patented organic or conventional crops either. The vast majority of farmers choose not to save seeds for economic reasons unrelated to gmos.
Agent Orange always comes up in these discussions, without understanding that there are two Monsantos. The first Monsanto was Monsanto Chemical. This Monsanto no longer exists. This company was one of many companies who made Agent Orange under contract from the government. Pfizer bought this Monsanto in 2002. The other Monsanto is Monsanto the seed company. Monsanto (the seed company) was distinct from Monsanto (the chemical company), with its own bylaws, a different board of directors, and different management from Monsanto (the chemical company).
People say that Monsanto is evil because they sue farmers for accidental contamination of their fields. Except they have never done this once yet.
Monsanto also doesn't really control the world's food supply, but they are just one of the 6 big seed companies.
People say that Monsanto somehow caused mass suicide in India. I wasn't there, but I find it hard to believe, and I can't seem to find any evidence of this.
Given all that, I find this film to perhaps be less than 100% honest. I could make a film about an honest scientist which opens at the grave of his father, and it would look just as convincing.
Anyways time for me stop writing. People want to hear about love.
Well done, sir
One of the best posts this site has EVER seen!
Now we'll see who the haters are!
It's not about hating.
"does seem to indicate that Monsanto overstepped here with intimidation and perhaps entrapment"
"I fully believe the corporations in general have gotten too large and wield too much power."
If you're okay with that, fine. They're just a little corporation. Just one of the big six. You're still young and should be around long enough to see if you were right. Good luck!
@ johnyutensils:
Thanks for your balanced thoughts. I haven't had the inclination or patience to research this matter in any great detail, but your thoughts echo and amplify mine. As I've posted before, I feel Neil's a little too naïve and doesn't seem open to alternative viewpoints (which strikes me as quite ironic). He's many things, but on this issue he's not fair and balanced (which is his right).
@Old Neg:
I don't really think anyone's right or wrong on this topic. Neil is a little overboard without offering any real solutions, and sure, Monsanto and big Multinational Corporations in general are greedy and powerful. They became successful by providing goods and services which millions of people wanted or needed, sometimes both. Something tells me the Corporations "pushing" organic foods aren't really too much better. They certainly charge more for less and can be very aggressive in their own pursuits whether there are proven benefits or not.
As a default position, it's easy to be against Corporations and Government, but I haven't seen a much better alternative. I'm fairly young, but I do fondly remember a time when mom and pop shops thrived, but I'm not sure we're worse off today. We've gained many things and lost a few things. I like Walmart--forgive me. I also think most of their employees are happy to have decent jobs, but I may be naïve.
Take my advice
Don't listen to me
haters
Don't think Neil would like...someone taking his music...re-packaging it...and selling it as their own...I could be wrong though?
Paul
"Don't need no more lies" NY, The Restless Consumer
____________________________________________
Mr. White "actually admitted to knowingly planting, producing, saving, cleaning and selling Roundup Ready soybeans illegally. All of this information is available in court documents," the company wrote of its Roundup product. "Protecting patents and copyrights can be difficult in any business - including the entertainment industry...Mr. White's actions are equivalent to pirating an album, producing thousands of copies and selling bootleg copies-all while knowing what you're doing is illegal and that it will result in criminal charges if caught."
____________________________________________
To date, Neil hasn't responded. Oh yea, I forgot, he said "end of debate" after posting one GMO study that he agreed with. Then a few days later he was quick to release this strictly one sided presentation.
Funny, in some ways isn't releasing the same music in various formats, packaging and releases a pretty good example of corporate greed? Artist Performance Series, Archives, etc. Corporate greed has many faces...
I love Neil's music and have always respected him, but on this subject he's not being a truly honest broker of truth or science. His heart is in the right place, but he's no better than them for what he's shown..
Take my advice
Don't listen to me
HOLY geez it's getting complicated. A workingman's hero is something to be.
Who's got his heart and brain...pass me a pillow!
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