Reverend Billy & The Stop Shopping Choir is a radical performance community based in New York City, with 50 performing members and a congregation in the thousands.
We are wild anti-consumerist gospel shouters and Earth loving urban activists who have worked with communities all over the world defending community, life and imagination.
We compel action in those who have never been activist, revive exhausted activists, and devise new methods for future activism. We also put on a great show.
Commissioner Mitchell Silver
Department of Parks, NY
The Arsenal, Central Park
830 5th Avenue
New York, New York 10065
Dear Sir,
On Wednesday July 15, The Church of Stop Shopping entered the area where the glyphosate-spraying trucks are parked in Prospect Park to sing “Monsanto is the Devil”. (See pictures attached.) We have in recent months talked with workers while they sprayed Monsanto’s “RoundUp” herbicide within the borders of Prospect Park.
You are an important visionary. I’m sure that you are aware of the studies that indicate the danger of glyphosates, and that whole countries are now banning the stuff. And it’s not lost on you that illness and death from Monsanto’s herbicide is as prosecutable as the illness and death from tobacco and asbestos.
On the lighter side: You now face the exorcisms of Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Choir. Oh no! You’ve got religious zealots on your tail!
Some of us live near Prospect Park and we’re not sure about the safety for our children. That’s a very sad thing for those of us who live in this part of Brooklyn for the greenery of this great park. What are parents supposed to do? Glyphosates are so toxic that medical authorities no longer offer a safe minimum. You shouldn’t be spraying ANY of that stuff.
We are considering a range of activity in response to the spraying. We are looking into citizens arrests-while-singing. We are apt to sing to a playground full of kids and parents and hand out a reader-friendly version of the World Health Organization’s report on glyphosates, carcinogenicity.
We hope that you do the right thing. We will invite you to our next concert in the park. Mitchell Silver and park officials…save your souls! Monsanto is the Devil!
Earthalujah!
Reverend Billy Talen
The Church of Stop Shopping
PO Box 1556
Canal Street Station
New York, New York 10013
ATTACHMENT
THE SCIENTIFIC STUDIES not influenced by chemical companies have found Glyphosates (activie ingredient in Monsanto’s “RoundUp) to be dangerous, causing Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and other cancers, birth defects, and celiac disease, allergies, asthma, chronic fatigue syndrome. The pesticide and its inert chemicals in RoundUp are persistent in body tissue, blood and breast milk in humans.
I’m sure you know that there have been hundreds of studies researching the dangers of RoundUp, but the lawyers on our board insisted that we include a healthy sampling in this letter.
Glyphosate: Reasons For Concern
Growing Doubts About The Safety Of Glyphosate
The Environmental Impacts Of Glyphosate
http://indianapublicmedia.org/eartheats/pesticides-antibiotic-resistance-deadly-bacteria/
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/weed-whacking-herbicide-p/
http://www.gmoseralini.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Mesnageal.TOX_2012.pd
A recent sampling in the Los Angeles area found glyphosate levels in breast milk are higher than the minimum levels for the herbicide required in drinking water.
Beyond Pesticides, No Spray Coalition, Organic Consumers Association and The Church of Stop Shopping have initiated bans on use of the glyphosates around city parks. New York City Councilpersons Ben Kallos and Helen Rosenthal advocate limits on the toxins’ use and have introduced a bill to ban some pesticides and herbicides.
We're gathering energy for the last week of our Indiegogo fundraising campaign, thanks to you and to this community. If you can donate $10, we will send you our two new limited edition stickers. Earthalujah!http://igg.me/at/banmonsanto/x/939081
