When we worked on an ordinance to the city council in Des Moines, we were able to collect 2,000 signatures in 8 days by placing them in places like Zanzibars, New City Market, Java Joes, etc. so you might consider that. Barb >This is an excellent opportunity to highlight an >heretofore ignored risk (GE food). Sen. Harkin has >apparently said he would support labeling if he >recieves 10,000 requests to so. In order to hold him >accountable to his pledge (which would by the way, be >a bold move given the current love affair between >government officials and the biotech industry), I >think a coordinated effort to not only encourage >people to write >but also to keep a running count of letters sent would > >essential to success. As in fund raisers, letting >people know that we have, say " 7,562 letters" from >Iowans written would have the likely effect of >prompting more folks to participate. >Any volunteers or ideas on how to do this? I'll copy >to Laurel Hopwood and the IOWA TOPICS Listserve to >gather ideas about this also. > >Jim Fleming >Chair, Leopold Group >641-693-9000 > >--- Jack Eastman <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >> ---------- >> From: Laurel Hopwood <[log in to unmask]> >> Date: Fri, 1 Feb 2002 13:46:24 -0500 >> To: [log in to unmask] >> Subject: Please contact Sen Harkin and forward!! >> >> Hi friends/ PLEASE FORWARD >> There is need to get 10,000 constituents in Iowa to >> contact Sen. Harkin! >> >> Contact The Honorable Tom Harkin, U.S. Senate, 731 >> Hart Senate Office >> Bld., Wash, DC 20510 >> 202-224-3254 or 319-365-4504 (ask for a staff >> person who handles biotech >> issues) >> or least effective, [log in to unmask] >> >> SAMPLE LETTER/PHONE SCRIPT: >> Dear Honorable Tom Harkin, >> >> As my elected representative in Iowa and as the >> Chair of the U.S. Senate >> Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, I >> am requesting the >> following: >> >> Please work for "mandatory" labeling legislation on >> all foods containing or >> produced from genetically engineered material. >> >> As a consumer using individual judgment, I want to >> know what I'm buying. >> As an individual living in a democratic society, I >> want to be able to >> choose what I am eating. >> >> I know that taking genes from one species and >> putting them into another >> isn't "substantially equivalent" to anything else >> which we've ever done >> before. The biotechnology industry has developed >> corn genetically >> engineered with a bacterial toxin that acts as a >> insecticide. Am I supposed >> to eat that ear of corn and feel confident that >> there's nothing in there >> that's going to harm me? >> >> If I become ill, how will my physician be able to >> connect cause and effect >> without labeling? >> Suppose my physician wants to know the interaction >> between this >> insecticidal toxin and the white cells and >> intestinal flora in inflammatory >> bowel disease? >> >> Consequences from consumption of these novel >> products are unknown. The end >> results may include, but are not limited to: (1) >> harm to the immune system, >> triggering of autoimmune disease, and induction of >> allergic responses; (2) >> further evolution of antibiotic resistance in >> pathogenic germs from the use >> of antibiotic resistance marker genes that are >> commonly used in most GEFs; >> (3) reduction of beneficial phytoestrogen levels. >> >> Please, Senator Harkin, take the lead to require >> mandatory labeling! >> >> Signed, >> XXXXX >> >> (This action alert is sent by Laurel Hopwood, GE >> Committee Chair, Sierra >> Club >> <[log in to unmask]>) >> >> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - >> - - - - - - >> For SC email list T-and-C, send: GET >> TERMS-AND-CONDITIONS.CURRENT >> to [log in to unmask] > > > >__________________________________________________ >Do You Yahoo!? >Great stuff seeking new owners in Yahoo! Auctions! >http://auctions.yahoo.com > >- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - >To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: >[log in to unmask] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask]