Bee science under attack
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- Published on Thursday, 11 February 2016 12:15
- Written by editor
An award-winning bee scientist has been suspended in retaliation for his research linking bee die-offs to bee-killing pesticides. Now he's asking for our help. Will you chip in today?
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A,
When the U.S. government suspended one of its top scientists for publishing research on bee-killing pesticides, they thought he wouldn't fight back.
They were wrong. So, so wrong.
Jonathan Lundgren was an award-winning scientist at the U.S Department of Agriculture. But lobbyists for the pesticide industry went nuts when his research started uncovering evidence that their chemicals were killing bees.
First Jonathan was threatened. Then they hit him with a gag order, warning him not to speak publicly about his findings. Then they flat-out suspended him from his job.
Since then, Jonathan's been fighting back, filing a whistleblower complaint and taking his case to the public so people understand which corporate powers are interfering with science.
But now he's asking for help from SumOfUs members like you. He needs funding to allow him to continue the work the U.S. government won't support and to defend additional whistleblowers as they come forward. Will you chip in today?
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It's taken an immense amount of courage for Jonathan to speak out the way he has. He's risked his career, his livelihood -- everything.
And in addition to the U.S. government, he's going up against some of the most powerful corporations in the world.
Monsanto. Bayer. Syngenta. These companies all have a direct financial stake in preventing Jonathan's research from reaching policymakers and the public.
The only way a government whistleblower like Jonathan can be successful is if we all rally around him. That's why SumOfUs is organizing our 5 million worldwide members to support Jonathan with emails, petitions, and phone calls.
And it's why your donation will make such a difference now.
If you chip in today, you'll support SumOfUs in our campaign to stand with Jonathan and stop the global bee die-off. You'll help support Jonathan's ongoing research -- work that was halted when the U.S. Department of Agriculture suspended him from his job.
And you'll help fund efforts to defend future government whistleblowers who speak out against corporate influence in government.
We can't save the bees if we allow corporations to corrupt basic science. Will you chip in to help fight back?
Chip in CA$109 now
Chip in CA$152 now
Chip in CA$218 now
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Thanks for all you do,
Paul, Jon, Rosa, and the team at SumOfUs
More information:
Suspended USDA researcher alleges agency tried to block his research into harmful effects of pesticides on bees, butterflies,The Washington Post, October 28, 2015
UK government gags advisers in bees and pesticides row, The Guardian, July 17, 2015
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