The most amazing thing about the Brits is they are well protected against "old-fashioned" terrorism (with guns), due to the Ireland situation. They even have special laws to protect the country. At the same time, they have proven extraordinarily vulnerable to attacks of "mis-informational terrorism", as recently evidenced by Greenpeace's success in creating the GM scare.
In other words, I have little doubt that Greenpeace specifically targeted the UK for terrorist campaigns -- using misinformation instead of guns -- since they knew they had a vulnerable victim, due to the unfortunate BSE "mad cow" scare. I don't think the politicians know this yet, but I think the UK Royal Society has figured it out.
In a modern technological world, information can be used like a weapon, and its much harder for such criminals to get caught. For example, run around in London with a gun, you'll be jailed. Run around spreading bad science and causing damages -- as the Royal Society describes -- and the government is dumbfounded and powerless.
The Royal Society was so very correct. Last night, I was reading messages from an English lady who was afraid her backyard gardens would be "attacked" by GM pollen. And then there are several other folks worried that the "land value will go down due to GM crops"...
It was then I felt really bad about this in a human way, and understood how the Royal Society's words rang true. There are human damages from misinformation. The UK government needs to be so very careful in pointing fingers...the true criminal could be running away in the opposite direction.
You said:
Solar flares, mad cow disease, GM food, Y2K problems, cellular phone-induced brain tumors....what's the next "phobia"? |
