An inquiry into the Ethics of Genetic Manipulation and Cloning.

Genetically Modified Everything and Cloning.
By Rosemary I. Patterson, Ph.D., www.rosemarypatterson.com

Change is proceeding at a mind-boggling pace for the people currently present on this planet. One of the areas experiencing change that is too rapid for proper ethical and moral monitoring is scientific research into genetically modifying almost everything that has animate properties. A brief list of life entitities currently undergoing or being contemplated for genetic modification include Trees, Seeds, Food, Sea Creatures, Animals and Humans.

A new meaning to the words, "Blowing in the Wind."

Recent scientific experiments, usually financed by Corporations with vested interest in the results, have resulted in the genetic manipulation of both trees and seeds. As reported in a recent issue of "Common Ground" the genetic matierial from life forms that glow in the dark has been transplanted into a species of tree common to North America resulting in trees that glow green in the dark (I kid you not). An unanticipated effect of this phenomena is that the reproductive seeds of these trees can be carried in the wind and planted in areas completely unforeseen by the scientists who created the altered trees. It does not take much imagination to predict huge areas of forested North America glowing green in the dark in the unforeseen future with Heavens knows how many unforeseen negative results. Will birds be disoriented from migration flight paths, for instance?

More well known is the genetic manipulation of Canola and other grain crops by the research scientists of a major corporation. These seeds have been programmed to be tolerant to the insecticide that the major corporation also sells. Unfortunately, the patented seeds are subject to a per acre royalty everytime the crops grow in a farmer's field. Enter the wind again. These patented seeds are blowing in the wind and invading other people's crops. They (the seeds not the Corporations) are a major threat to Organically grown crops, the owners of which lose their certified organic designation. It is reported (Vancouver Sun, Nov. 25th., 2001) that the major corporation that owns the patented seeds is hiring enforcers that are using raids on farmer's fields to catch unpaid for violations of their patented seed usage.

Also well known is the problem of Indian farmers (the country not the natives) and those of other developmental countries who are subject to genetically modified crops that do not reproduce and have a tolerence for a certain insecticide forcing them to purchase both the seeds and the insecticide from the large, western Corporation. It is reported that patents have been made on Bismanti and other rices that have been grown in India and other developmental regions for hundreds of years but have now (with slight genetic alteration) become the patented property of large western companies.

Other Problems With Genetically Manipulated Foods.

It is now possible to transfer genes between species and to switch individual genes on and off. For example, the gene that controls food softening in tomatoes has been turned down. Soya and maize have been genetically altered to improve crop protection against pests that attack roots and leaves. Some of the risks of these practices are that: 1)An allergan might accidentally be introduced into the food supply; 2)Pest resistance due to exposure might increase; 3)It is not known who will be responsible if something does go wrong from one or more of the genetically altered substances.

Shades of Frankenstein.

Even more disturbing is the continued practice of "Cloning." We all know about 'Dolly' the sheep who has now developed Arthritis (possibly much earlier in life than normal) and the cloned mice in Hawaii. But these cloning experiments are also going on with species very close to humans. For example, in Bethseda Maryland similar techniques are going on with monkeys. As Time magazine (Aug. 27, 2001) warns us "After all, research into animal cloning has already shown that for every apparent success like Dolly the sheep, there are hundreds of failures, including many badly deformed creatures that were usually miscarried."

It is very apparent that animals are being treated only as "things" that without qualms can be manipulated by a superior species (mankind) for whatever goals scientists have in mind.

This, of course, brings us to the disturbing possibility of Human Cloning which gives a new meaning to the word "Co-creation." Here, the ethical dilemmas are enormous. As the Time article again points out "The marriage of cloning and in-vitro fertilization techniques makes it theoretically possible to genetically engineer our children."

"Designer Babies" - need we ask what clolor of skin would be preferred, or what sex, or what human attributes such as aggressiveness vs nurturing in a western world?

Risks are enormous. For example, during cloning most of the genetic imprints are wiped out and have to be reset. Genes imprinted by fathers favor large fetuses, genes imprinted by the mother small fetuses. Who knows what suffering might be caused by the live birth of a cloned child with one or more genetic imprints inadvertently turned off or on? Or are we going to murder these defective human beings after they are born?

How Big Is the Ethical and Moral Problem Presented By Genetically Modifying Everything?

It is vast. We as humans are straying from generally accepted principles of Ethics and Morality. Only fifty-six years ago, with the forces of darkness taking over sectors of the world, we reached an all-time-low in Nazi Germany. Certain humans deemed inferior (both those of Jewish descent and the Mentally Challenged) were considered dispensible and were used in despicable experiments by so-called Scientists and Doctors. Horrible, mutilating, terminal experiments were performed in death camps. During Atomic Testing, western nations have performed intentional or non-intentional experiments on Indigenous people by subjecting them to high levels of radioactivity (e.g., Maralinga, Australia, 1957, thirteen Aborigine communities were not warned that Fission bombs were being tested in and over their territories; Marshall Islands, Indigenous people were not removed from direct atomic fallout until two to three days after they had been exposed; Aleutian Islands, after defeat of the proposed Cannikin blast from an alarmed community in Alaska, soil from a similar blast in Nevada was deliberately transported to the Aleutians and planted near a stream that would carry the radioactivity down to where Indigenous people had a village site {see the book "The Firecracker Boys" for details). Are we proceeding too quickly again today with scientific research without adequate ethical screening or the screening in the hands of people with vested interest in the decision.

At best, present Genetic Manipulation, with adequate Ethical screening, is a speeded up process of what is happening in nature all the time, that is, natural mutation and recombination which creates new biological variations. It is possible that we will have a wide range of crops resistent to pests, diseases and herbicides. Food materials will have improved preservation qualities. But Nature had millions of years to accomplish it's improvements. Mankind is proceeding too recklessly and too fast.

At worst, humans, with too many of them mired in materialism and status, will not take the time or the resources to prevent potentially lethal and ethical disasters from occurring in the plant, animal, sea creature and human areas.