In response to Elton Wong’s Nov. 30 “Unfounded fear of genetics,” he claims fears of genetic engineering “are based on little more than ignorance.” This made me angry.

Wong expects me to believe putting a gene from Bacillus thuringiensis, a common soil bacterium, into corn is the same as cross breeding. Gene’s expressions change in a new cellular environment. Genes have multiple effects.

Unwanted traits suppressed in one species may be expressed when moved to another species.

People don’t fear genetically engineered crops because they think the Bacillus thuringiensis toxin is poisonous to humans. People fear genetically engineered crops because the Biotech corporations and their lobbyists are more concerned about profits than safety.

Even if all Bt corn is safe to eat, it is still harmful for the environment. With the loss of biodiversity in the field the European corn borer will become resistant to the Bt toxin. If this fear is so unfounded, why did the EPA restrict the use of Bt corn for the 2000 growing season? What long term effects will all of this extra Bt toxin have on the soil? No one knows because there hasn’t been enough research. Did anyone predict the effects of Bt corn pollen on Monarch butterfly larvae — that Bt corn pollen could contaminate non-Bt corn plant in neighboring fields or in storage? What make humans think they can play God with genetic engineering when we don’t even fully understand how it works?

Brian Tucker

Freshman

Art and design