Terrorism
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Although Genetic Engineering provides humans with a variety of optimistic opportunities never before experienced, it brings with it series of fears and pessimistic possibilities. Terrorism, a disease that plagues the world will only be enhanced with this advancement in knowledge. Genetic Engineering simply constructs viruses faster and easier than ever before experienced, and the test-tube brings with it the possibility of never-before seen diseases as well.
"In other words, geneticists can now greatly speed up evolution in the laboratory to create viruses and bacteria that have never existed in all the billions of years of evolution on earth."
Not only will these knew diseases instill fear amidst the population, but also re-enforce long eradicated diseases such as smallpox. Another weapon for wars. Already a team of scientists has created mousepox, a cousin of smallpox. Harmless to humans yet lethal to mice.
".they warned that their genetic technique, which they said they accidentally stumbled onto, could overpower existing vaccines and produce deadlier kinds of biological weapons. The news prompted hot scientific debate internationally."
Other, simpler, forms of terrorism might also arise with the rise genetic engineering. Simple forms might include the contamination of food, and transferring of allergens from one food to another due to genetic engineering. Although this process is totally unintentional, it could provide much confusion in society. Although merely the beginning of this era of genetics, an infamous occurrence known as 'taco terrorism'. This incident was the discovery of 1% of the corn protein DNA in a sample taco bell shell contained StarLink Corn which could prove to be a human allergen.
"Whilst some may hope for more productive sustainable agriculture from genetic engineering(even though there is scant scientific evidence for this) the scope for creating new plant and animal diseases both intentionally and unintentionally is real and immense."
Genetic Engineering can easily reel out of control and the end results possibly end up in the wrong hands. At the rate at which our knowledge is increasing, it is a question of time before our results reach unexpected heights. Is it really worth the risk?
Sources:
- Bio-terrorism and Gill rDN. 19 May 2001. 6 July 2004 <http://www.btinternet.com/~nlpwessex/Documents/Bio-terrorism.htm>. This source explained how genetic engineering could be used by terrorists.
- Broad, William J. "Lethal Virus Ignites Debate: Genetic Engineering of mousepox could helpdeter terrorism." The New York Times 1 Nov. 2003. 14 July 2004 <http://www.thewe.cc/contents/more/archive/november2003/lethal_virus_ignites_debate.htm>. Since mousepox has already been created in laboratories, this source illustrated the terrorist threat genetic engineering could prove.
- Milloy, Steven. Taco Terrorism. 28 Sept. 2000. CATO Institute. 6 July 2004 <http://www.cato.org/cgi-bin/scripts/printtech.cgi/dailys/09-28-00>. This source enhanced the threat of even simplistic terrorism when pertaining to genetic engineering.
- What is Genetic Engineering? 14 July 2004 <http://www.globalchange.com/geneticengin.htm>. This source provided a basic synopsis of genetic engineering which lead to a more knowledgeable approach to the subject.