We at March Against Myths (MAMyths) are planning on counter-protesting the May 20 March Against Monsanto (MAM) events. Wherever MAM is rallying, we will be recruiting activists to counter-protest. We did this in 2015, 2016 and are organizing to do the same in 2017. It is no secret that MAM would rather not let our existence be known.
Why would we do this? Because MAM is lying. Their campaign of misinformation threatens public safety and security. People have been duped into thinking they are fighting against corporate injustice because MAM has co-opted that worthwhile mission to perpetuate a twisted agenda of science denial. Science is under attack and we will meet MAM in the streets to defend it.
MAM spreads myths that are pseudoscientific, conspiratorial and that go way beyond simply marching against Monsanto, corporations or even GMOs! MAM is anti-vaccine, anti-medicine and anti-autistic. They published a moon landing denialist and we feel their anti-GMO message helps perpetuate terrorism. Tami Canal has admitted all of this herself. Their leader is taking MAM down the wrong path.
Our fight is not with you, MAM activists. We honor and respect your passion for justice. With many years of experience in activism, we too understand the struggle for change through action. We feel an affinity with activists like you. Some of us were MAM participants. We know that we share many of the same values. We sympathize with your intentions but we need you to know that your precious efforts are being co-opted.
We don’t act lightly here. Our concerns led us to contact the leader of March Against Monsanto, Tami Canal, about these myths. We tried to negotiate but she made it quite clear she’s unwilling to talk. She may be well-meaning but she rejected our honest efforts and encouraged us to watch an anti-vaccine documentary instead. No thank you.
MAM may have started as a movement to challenge corporatism but it has become corrupted by junk science conspiracy thinking. MAM participants didn’t sign up for this, they are wising up. There’s a growing number of supporters leaving the group, as you can see from MAM’s own site. MAM once had hundreds of cities participating but now only has a fraction of their original participants. Our organizers in Ottawa, Las Vegas, Portland, and Humbolt County who historically have counter-protested are now left wondering what to do. MAM in those locations have shut down, and the trend continues.
MAM is not what we thought it was and that’s why we took action. It’s not a march against corporatism. It’s a march against vaccines, life-saving medicine, beneficial crops like disease-resistant papaya, and so much more.
Concerned fighters for justice, we implore you to either leave MAM or ask MAM to denounce all activities that stray from their mission against corporatism. If MAM really wants to fight corporate injustice without spreading myths, we will stand down. Justice requires truth in the spirit of Gandhian satyagraha. We need the truth before we can fight for it.
If you would to speak with us further please do reach out through our contact form, thanks! ✊