GMO foods don't need special label, American Medical Assn. says

[what_is_freedom]

144. You mention freedom, but do you have a sound concept of it?

@ag_dude

You noted that your interlocutor brought up freedom. Then, you went on to say "why are you trying to force them to label it, when they already have that option?"

In the most moronic definition of freedom possible, you are correct. Now, I'll propose an alternate version of freedom for you to mull over. This is about the freedom of the consumer to access information about what he is buying. Not the freedom of corporations to deceive consumers.

This is the open-source view pioneered by Richard Stallman Originally applied to software, this view holds that the user should have the privilege of reading the source code of any software. This is the idea of free information. Information should not be hidden from consumers because it results in larger/easier profit for big ag. If I can read and compile my own source code, I can know whether a program will harm my computer or spy on me. This idea should definitely extend to food.

When there is a potential for harm hidden in the proprietary details of a consumer good, the consumer should have a right to know. This should be true regardless of whether some bureaucrats think so or not. I should be able to read the label of my food and make an informed decision based on absolute facts of how it was manufactured and what it contains on whether I want to eat it. A cowardly company should not be able to keep secrets about these things for fear of competition. It just proves they can't make a good product without telling us white lies.