Food Inc.



This movie was very entertaining, especially for a documentary. That's high praise from me. I don't make a habit of enjoying documentaries, but this one wasn't bad.

As a strong believer in the free market, I tend to tense up when I hear about some new push for governmental regulation in just about any sector of the economy, so I was understandably dubious about the prospect of an investigative documentary on the power of Big Food. But, as I've stated in the past, I'm also the brother to an autistic 15 year old who showed no signs of developmental disability until he was given shots that the FDA had approved because of the lobbying efforts of Big Pharma. So the idea, as in the case of Kevin, that a corporation's lust for profit might have resulted in the death of a child angered me considerably. I may be a conservative, but I am a compassionate conservative, and any individual or corporation who puts profits before the welfare of children needs to be brought to justice.

The idea that Big Food might try to retaliate against Kevin's mom for telling her story is simply outrageous. They would attack the mother of a son that their product killed? Unacceptable. There's no dignity in that. Hopefully future efforts to pass Kevin's Law will prove to be successful.

I remain doubtful of the tales of black-listed farmers and corporate intimidation however. Documentary makers and eye-witness testimonies aren't exactly unbiased parties. If such intimidation is happening, it should be brought to an end. And if these filmmakers have been twisting the truth, they should also be found out and disgraced. Where's the proof either way?

One thing I would agree with the film on is that I think the people responsible for setting health and safety requirements in regards to food should not have a history in the food industry. Unbiased parties should be in those positions in order to preserve the integrity of their offices. 

America is the breadbasket of the world. We produce more food than any other civilization in the history of the world. More nations receive food aid from America than anywhere else. So while Big Food may indeed have its excesses, is it really in the world's best interest to bite the hand that feeds it?