Web Letters: Michelle Obama's Fresh Food Revolution

Although I am impressed that Michelle Obama has placed an organic garden upon the grounds of the White House, I would hardly call it a fresh-food revolution. It may be a fresh-food revolution for the middle and upper classes, but it does not help the millions of Americans living in or near poverty. It is well known that socioeconomic status and obesity are linked. It has also been suggested that a partial reason for the obesity of people with lower earned incomes is the lack of access to (or affordability of) fresh produce. In sum, referring to Michelle Obama's organic garden as a revolution ignores the fact that millions of Americans do not have access to fresh food and again supports the interests of the middle and upper classes. A true revolution includes ensuring that poor people have access to fresh fruit and vegetables. I am disappointed to find such a focus in The Nation.

Aimee Imlay

Alpine, CA

I totally agree with the info about HR 875. An excellent analysis of this terrible bill can be read at www.opednews.com, titled "A Solemn Walk Through HR 875." The bill is very deceptive and lays bare Monsanto's plan to control all food production. I guess their greed became insatiable after watching how control of our energy supplies has brought the world to its knees and want complete capitulation. GMO crops are an abomination. To date, over 183,000 Indian farmers have committed suicide because of Monsanto's business practices. This corporation needs to be taken down. It is a global threat to all life, human and animal.

Jeannette Russell

Pittsburgh, PA

I moved to DC from Northern California seven months ago and was struck by two things here: the amount of greased, fatted, salted, sugared, carbohydrated and processed foods you eat on the East Coast for the amount of physical exercise you don't get; and the proliferation of plastic, paper and styrofoam products that litter the trees, doorknobs, food take-outs that generally trash the place up. Oh, and recycling? Still a "modern" idea whose time hasn't yet come to the minds of most of the residents of this part of the US. Oh, and outreach to immigrant communities on this subject wouldn't hurt, either.

And all this in the nation's capital? The mecca of the world? With the national mall looking like it's been used as a soccer field for decades. And treees? Ha! They fell old-growth with impunity! And no community input, just bzzzzzzz! and then it's gone.

There are some great groups and people trying to get the East Coast, and especially its cities, to clean up their act after generations of neglect and stubborn resistance to change. There was never any competition for California to take the lead on all of the vital issues of our time. I look to the West and Southwest for the answers; soon we'll be paying some wind farmer in Texas for the energy we use here!

But seriously, Old World, pack out your own trash and clean up your campsite.

Tara Murphy

Washington, DC

It's interesting that Michele Obama is planting an organic garden in the White House, while simultaneously there is a bill in the works, HR 875, deceptively titled "food and safety" bill, that is going to attack organic farmers like never before. This bill has as a writer a person who is married to a high-level member of Monsanto. Monsanto, for those of you who don't know, is the largest GMO company in the world; they are also the makers of roundup pesticide that kills everything except for their brand of genetically modified seeds--sounds scary? Well, that is just the beginning to this food nightmare. I implore you all to google and watch the films The World According to Monsanto and The Future of Food. You think Nightmare on Elm Street is scary, wait until you see this, and this is for real! HR 875 cannot be made into law or we will all be eating genetically modified foods.

And yes, stop eating meat; not only is it not good for the environment, it is also not good for your body. It is dead. Think about that. Dead! Eat healthy living foods such as fresh organic fruits and fresh organic veggies. And if you really want to get all they are worth I would also suggest eating raw!

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kristofeR PASSAGGIO

North Hollywood, CA