letters

LETTER 1 - Animal Advocates Must Act as One

     After reading the NRA article in the spring issue of Action Line, it once again brings to mind how horribly inadequate the voice of animal advocacy is on Capitol Hill. The NRA, hunting lobby, the breeders, etc. exert power through their numbers AS ONE. Animal advocacy is so fragmented and divided into so many different groups that our voice is trivialized and even ridiculed by state and national legislators. We have made some progress in the legislative process, but it is a drop in the ocean compared to what could be accomplished if we united together under one umbrella. Never has the truism "A house divided against itself cannot stand" been more applicable than in this case. What will it take for those who lead these organizations to stop competing for donations, engaging in petty jealousies, rival one another for publicity, etc.? For as this trifling continues, who really pays the price? I'll tell you who - the animals who suffer and die.

     Food for thought - the United States is a world power, if not the most powerful nation on earth. How effective would this country be if all 50 states acted completely independent of one another? What if each state would not unify with the other 49 and actually competed with each other? How much of a world power would we be then? Apply this analogy to the animal-advocacy community and think how pathetic the realization actually is. When will common sense prevail and this idiocy actually stop? The answer lies within us IF we dig deep enough to find the epiphany that what comes first is the welfare of the animals.

Steven Hoover
Political Administrator
Animal Law Coalition

LETTER 2 – No “Its” When Speaking of Animals

In her letter to Johnny Weir (Spring 2011, ActionLine) Priscilla Feral wrote, “The beautiful fox was likely anally electrocuted, or may have had its head bashed in, only to serve as decoration for someone’s performance.” She should have said his or her head. No animal is an it. All animals are a he or she, including the ones who are spayed or neutered. If we don’t know which they are, we should just pick one. We could always change later if we find out they are the opposite. Or just say him/her, etc. Language is very important. If we can refer to animals as it, then it’s easier to abuse or exploit and neglect them. Referring to animals as “it” is an insult to them. Maybe Priscilla didn’t realize she said it. Otherwise, it was a great letter and your magazine is great.

Brenda Sauer
North Brunswick, NJ

Editor’s note: We appreciate the kind comment about the content of this magazine; thanks to all of our readers who keep the bar high. We understand and agree with the point of language connects with respect. Perhaps we need an all-inclusive word for all persons (and “their” is one such option). No disrespect intended; thanks for keeping us all thinking!

LETTER 3 – An Obsession With Guns

Some thoughts about guns, the NRA and “sportsmen.”

This country’s obsession with guns is in diametric contradiction to our claim to be a devoutly Christian nation. (What weapons did Jesus carry? Would he pack a gat if he were here today?) The mention of God’s name in the same breath as guns (“God, guns and guts made this country great”) is sacrilegious and blasphemous.

If guns don’t kill people then neither do hand grenades, flame throwers or IED’s and, therefore, there should be no restrictions on the sale or possession of these weapons.

The NRA’s solution to gun violence – Punish the criminal. In other words, let the crime occur: a Columbine or Virginia Tech for example. Then apprehend and punish the criminal. Of course, in those particular cases, punishing the criminal would have been a good trick since the perpetrators committed suicide. The NRA does not think that preventing such crimes in the first place is a good idea.

Hunters prefer to be the “original conservationists,” but they helped elect George W. Bush twice, probably our worst president in terms of conservation and environment – proving that their guns are more precious than creation.

The NRA is one of the most vile, despicable, depraved, degenerate collection of individuals on this planet.

Anonymous
New Jersey

LETTER 4 - Addressing Phobia of Wolves in “The Grey”

Thank you for providing your readers information in 'Cheers and Jeers' to take action on behalf of animals. Regarding the film 'The Grey,' I did not send my letter of criticism to Liam Neeson since he is one of many actors in the film.  Instead, I went higher up the 'chain of accountability' and sent it to Scott Free Productions, the company that produced the film. I highly recommend you print this address in the next ActionLine so readers can address the team that put the film together.

Scott Free Productions
Mr. Ridley Scott
614 N La Peer Drive
Los Angeles, California 90069

Thank you for all you do for animals,

Joyce Phillips