“Hey Ma, I can’t eat this ear of corn. It’s as big as my Tom Brady autographed football. Is this one of those genetically modified vegetables we’ve been hearing about in school?”

“Just shut up and eat. There are children starving in China. Or there used to be when I was a kid. Now they’re probably starving in Haiti, or Greece, probably Spain, too. Anyway, they wouldn’t complain about their food being too big.”

“And what about these peas? They look like green tennis balls. That can’t be safe to eat.”

“Just shut up and eat. The government says it’s safe to eat everything on your plate.”

“Which government is that? Teacher says they don’t allow any genetically modified foods in Europe, or a whole lot of other countries.”

“Which is why it’s important that American children like you not only eat their genetically modified vegetables, but eat enough to make up for all those foreign kids who don’t. Otherwise American companies like Monsanto won’t be able to stay in business.”

“I don’t care if they stay in business, Ma. I just don’t want to eat something that will make me sick.”

“I told you our government said this stuff is safe. They wouldn’t let them sell it if it wasn’t, would they?”

“You bet they would, Ma. They let Monsanto get away with all sorts of things. Out in California the food industry spent $46 million to kill a bill that would have required mandatory labeling of GMO’s in food products. Now they’re spending millions more to kill the same kind of bill in Washington State. If it’s so safe, why won’t they let people know when it’s in their food?

“Are you going to eat your vegetables?”

“And now that same government you claim is protecting us just passed a bill to protect Monsanto against lawsuits or product recalls in case any of their GMO crops prove to be harmful.”

“Paul Steven, I’m warning you…!”

“Think about it, Ma. What kind of consumer would buy a car the government says couldn’t be recalled? Or whose manufacturer couldn’t be sued for unexplained engine fires, sudden unintended acceleration, or faulty brakes?”

“You’re too young to understand.”

“I understand the government is treating us like children, Ma. I understand Monsanto is so powerful they were able to beat back an effort in the U.S Senate to force mandatory labeling of GMO’s.”

“Paul Steven, I’m about to lose my patience with you. Are you, or are you not, going to eat your vegetables?”

“Not until I know what’s in them!”

“How about drinking your milk?”

“Does it contain any bovine growth hormone?”

“Well, how the hell should I know?”

“If we lived in Europe you could read about it on the milk carton.”