Tag: Food Freedom

Quote of the Day: When We Fail to Protest

Susan Quinn
Susan Quinn
3815
 

“There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.” — Elie Wiesel

As our Constitution and our rights are continually challenged, Elie Wiesel’s words ring truer than ever. Our protests against infringement on the First and Second Amendments are passionate and ongoing. We must speak out for our right to be heard, or we will be silenced by those who hate what we say and believe. We must fight for our right to bear arms, or those who resent us will remove our ability to defend ourselves. Every day the media broadcasts stories of people who want to rewrite the Constitution to push their own power and agenda and disempower the rest of us.

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Guns and Butter: Attending Both NRA Conventions

Cameron Gray
Cameron Gray
97
 

When someone says “NRA,” most people immediately think of the National Rifle Association. But there is another NRA here in Washington: the National Restaurant Association. Both are powerful lobbies, protecting their members from government overreach, and defending personal freedoms from the right to bear arms to the right to eat whatever your arms can hold.

https://twitter.com/Cameron_Gray/status/734737960898269184

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One of Tuesday’s Big Winners: Science

Troy Senik
Troy Senik
3118
 

See what I did there in the headline? If I’ve learned anything about modern political communications, it’s that the use of “Science” as a proper noun ends any and all arguments decisively in favor of the speaker. While Ezra Klein is declaring that the biggest loser in this year’s election was the climate (because Ezra Klein is a person who’s paid handsomely to be wrong in print), I’m actually much more bullish about the scientific literacy of voters. Why? Because of this bit of good news from two unlikely places. As reported by NPR:

An effort to label genetically modified foods in Colorado failed to garner enough support Tuesday. It’s the latest of several state-based GMO labeling ballot measures to fail. A similar measure in Oregon was also defeated by a narrow margin.

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Progressives Just Don’t Wanna Have Fun

Kay Ludlow
Kay Ludlow
3718
 

Today’s sage advice from the progressive left: it’s a given that you should eat organic and locally grown food, but if you’re out at a trendy restaurant serving this kind of food, you should also consider the morality of the business’s practices. Namely, are they paying their servers a fair wage? Are they paying a rent that is respectful of the community (i.e. did they force out another tenant that could not pay such a high rent)? Are they contributing to gentrification?

Per this essay posted a few days ago at everydayfeminism.com:

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Food Politics: The Reactionary Diet

Tuck
Tuck
138
 

I think that many of the trends in food politics are profoundly Conservative — reactionary, even. This is a terrific opportunity for Republicans to gain new adherents as many groups that have not been Republican constituencies adopt Conservative approaches to eating. Their reaction is a result of the failure of the federal, progressive attempt to manage our nation’s food production.

I ended my post “The Obesity Epidemic And Federal Dietary Guidelines” with this quote, and my observation:

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The Politics of Farm and Table

Jon Gabriel, Ed.
Jon Gabriel, Ed.
2810
 

FFFMeme309pixelsLast weekend I had the privilege to talk about social media at the Food Freedom Fest held in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. The event was a chance for farmers, foodies, entrepreneurs and activists to protect their right to grow the food they love and to enjoy it as they see fit.

In the present era of the personal as political, do-gooders and government bureaucrats are working overtime to regulate every aspect of your diet from the seed to the landfill. Unseen to most consumers is the effect this is having on our independent food producers. Mega agribusinesses can afford the lawyers and lobbyists required to navigate the growing mountain of rules and interpretations. But the people getting hurt are the farmers and artisans who make up the burgeoning Farm-to-Table movement.

At the same time our government praises sustainable, local, and healthy food, it is creating huge obstacles to the people trying to provide it. Just ask the vendors at your local farmer’s market or gathering of food trucks if you want to hear their deep frustration. Even lifelong progressives are noticing this disconnect and acting with a new appreciation for limited government.

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