Animal advocacy, the media, and democracy

Will mourning for Walter Cronkite also encompass mourning for the no-longer-extant professional journalism by the mainstream press -- the consummate journalism of Cronkite and Edward R. Murrow? Instead of Cronkite's Vietnam commentary and Murrow's exposes of villains in high places, we have media as the mouthpiece of corporate power .

[Confused]

I was wondering why the author was so misguided in her thinking, in denial of mediacl facts about the full spectrum of disease transmission and focused on the small picture at expense of the larger picture. I saw that she mention she was on the board of the New Jersey Animal Rights Alliance and was stunned by the internet information about this group.
This organization is a group that has ties with the Animal Liberation Front (FBI listed domestic terorist organization)as a groups that does press releases for terrorist acts. This group is also a donation point to get people imprisioned for terrorist acts out of jail (the people are known as SHAC.)
This is unbelievable - and so is her rationale about Lyme Disease and hunting. People hunt for many reasons but food is one of them. What is the author eating? If she eats hambuger, chicken, turkey, ham - then someone is killing these animals for her. If she is a vegetarian she's trying to to imporse her lifestyle on the rest of us.
Any way its looked at the author is not being upfront with the readers.

[ANKJ-1]

It is a shame that journalism has descended into an abyss of laziness...accepting press releases and information from the DEP and their sidekick organizations without question! Whatever happened to fact-checking?

Why is it left to the public and those who question the veracity of skewed and manipulated statistics that strictly support those agencies’ agendas?

"Lies, damned lies, and statistics" is part of a phrase attributed to the 19th Century British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli and later popularized in the United States by Mark Twain: "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." The statement refers to the persuasive power of numbers, the use of statistics to bolster weak arguments, and the tendency of people to disparage statistics that do not support their positions.

The DEP is NOT interested in lowering deer populations – to the contrary…how would they survive without revenues from hunting license fees, especially now that hunter numbers have decreased to a mere 1%, as compared to 2.7% just 20 years ago.

The DEP’s Managing Urban Deer in Connecticut, states that “Following the passage of the Deer Management Act in 1974, Connecticut established a limited, conservative hunting season to allow for use of the deer resource and for continued population growth.” These goals,“use of the deer resource” and “continued population growth”, still remain their agenda today.

[Not Confused]

Bravo to Susan Gordon for writing this, and bravo to the Connecticut Post for having the integrity to publish it!
"Confused" is not confused - he has no argument. And because he knows he cannot defend hunting in any rational way, he makes irrational, personal attacks against the author, despite obviously not knowing anything about her.
This editorial doesn't even mention vegetarianism or what the author eats - why would he assume she's trying to "imporse (sic) her lifestyle on the rest of us"?
Yet, the hunters impose their lifestyle on the innocent wildlife of this world - killing countless deer, squirrels, bear, rabbits and waterfowl. And even that is not enough - they have to breed animals specifically to be hunted.
They also impose their lifestyle on the rest of humanity, who have to deal with hunting accidents, car/deer colissions, posting our land, and staying out of the parks and woods during hunting season.

[Confused]

Stell confused with "Not confused" who, by the way, is also confused.
What she eats is important to the issue at hand. The message here is that If a person hunts a deer and feeds his/her family with it they are barbaric - hunting should be banned.
Yet, what the author eats is somehow acceptable? No hypocrisy allowed here. If feeding a family with deer is barbaric soo too is slaughtering a cow - or any living animal.
And, if the author is a vegetarian than she is trying to eliminate everyone's opportunity to eat meat.
Either she's a hypocrit (for having animals killed to feed her) or a vegetarian (and trying to stop people from eating meat.)
I'm more interested in why the organization she is a board member of would support the action of terrorists. Just google NJARA and terrorism. Are you sticking your head in the sand - if so, you continue to be confused even though you claim not to be.

[Confused]

One more point - anyone who advocates for the banning of hunting because it "kills innocent creatures" needs to take a good hard look in the mirror. If you are eating seafood, meat, fowl,... you are paying people to KILL things for YOU so that you can feed your self and your family.

If you're a vegetarian - good for you. Stop trying to control the choices of others and leave the rest of us alone.

By the way - did you know that vegetables are killed too and that the farming of vegetab;es adds chemicals to the soil and destroys habitat?

[Jan]

Well, for all those who are 'Confused'. I'm also confused of why people need to injure and kill animals. We know that people like to eat their flesh for enjoyment (we don't need to eat meat to be healthy). I have had Lyme Disease also (it's still in my system), but to injure and kill deer in the name of health, has some ethical implications (they are not the only species carrying it as Susan pointed out and I would not want animals to be injured or killed so that I may live a 'healthy life'). Having lived in hunting country, I've seen a deer being chased by a guardrail and hunters near another road waiting to see a deer. I've also heard stories of deer having an arrow stuck in them. One was moaning walking on someone's driveway and another was surrounded by their compassionate family/herd walking slowly with them to protect her.
To respond to the 'terrorist' comment, according to Webster's dictionary it says: "terrorism, n. intimidation by force and threats".
Who are the terrorists and to whom? Do we terrorize animals for our own selfish 'benefit'? We don't need more guns in the world (and bows and arrows, steel leg-hold traps, etc.), we need more compassion as God has compassion on all of His creatures. Do we trust God who has compassion or do we trust money and those who lobby for weapons to injure, kill and destroy innocent life? Instead of seeing kids holding rifles to hunt, I'd rather see them helping injured wildlife. Bt the way, more and more hunters are beginning to see the light and are living more peaceful lives. There is hope for a more peaceful world beginning with ourselves.
God's Creatures Ministry

[Foxy Lady]

The author of "Animal advocacy, the media, and democracy" is 100% correct in everything she says ~~ especially about Lyme and deer. The "deer" tick was found on the deer mouse, and that is how the name deer tick started.

Believe me, most hunters do not kill for food. They kill for a trophy or to feel "manly."

States deliberately propagate deer in order to provide trophy hunting for truly odd people who find a distorted form of “recreation� in killing helpless animals and in order to please gun and archery manufacturers and fur and animal organ dealers.

There is nothing macho or manly about killing animals with a lethal weapon when the animal is not similarly armed. Hunting is macho/manly ONLY when a person is hunting a human enemy of our country!

When deer are hunted, it causes them to reproduce more quickly and in greater numbers. That is precisely one reason they should not be hunted.

Of all types of hunting, bow hunting is the most cruel method because the wounding rate is about 55%, meaning that for every 100 arrow-shot deer, 55 stagger around with arrows embedded in a non-vital area, for days, weeks, even months before they die.

People have mentioned that hunting can be a valid way of obtaining food. If hunters choose to consume game meat that they have killed, they do so at their own risk due to the potential food safety risks of consuming wild game.

Just because a butcher is an approved USDA butcher has nothing to do with his ability to test the meat for parasites, bacteria, past unsanitary handling, and pesticides or herbicides or lead or Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), Epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD), etc. It only means that his facility is clean enough.

Dr. William Cornatzer, a Bismarck physician and avid hunter, alerted health officials after he conducted his own tests on venison using a CT scanner and found lead in 60 percent of 100 samples. The North Dakota Health Department confirmed the results on venison destined for food pantries.

"This isn't just a food pantry problem. This is a nationwide problem," Cornatzer said Friday. He said that consuming lead is a problem because it is a severe neurotoxin and "What's very scary about this is you can't feel them -- they're like lead dust.� Many of the fragments are microscopic, but can still cause harm to humans if ingested.

Dr. Cornatzer explained how the contamination occurs:
When [a bullet] hits the deer, it sends little bits of schrapnel-type lead that are almost liquid at that point because of the speed the bullet is going, explains Cornatzer.
The impact is enough to scatter the deadly toxin throughout the entire animal._

Eating game filled with lead does pose a human health risk even thought hunters pretend and hope it doesn’t.

[ANKJ-1]

I am rather confused why "Confused" is bringing up issues that weren't even mentioned....seems that "Confused" really IS confused, poor old chap!

Hunters don't hunt to eat, except in the poorest areas in this country. A pound of venison comes to about $74, when you calculate the cost of the license,all pertaining gear, gas...that's also why there's more push for allowing more hunting in towns on public land - hunters are not only decreasing in number, they are getting extremely lazy. They would like nothing better than to step outside their back door and shoot away, which they can actually do with bow and arrow - there's no minimum acreage nor setback requirement.

Meateater and hunters defend their life-styles.
Why does "Confused" deny vegetarians to defend theirs?

Perhaps "Confused" should do some research and not fall for propaganda which is just what it is, propaganda!

"Confused" wrote:
By the way - did you know that vegetables are killed too and that the farming of vegetab;es adds chemicals to the soil and destroys habitat?

But did you know, that without those same vegetables that you claim destroy the earth, you couldn't have your pound of meat! The majority of animals that you consume are vegetarians! For every pound of beef, for example, the harvest from 15 acres of land was consumed by the animal! Never mind the 250 gallons of water....

In effect, you consume more vegetables than vegetarians do!

I would suggest to "Confused" to get his facts straight!

[jean]

hunting is promoted by fish & game agencies to pay their salaries. the more licenses to murder deer/etc. are sold, the higher salaaries they can demand. these agencies discriminate in hiring so that only people who are hunters are hired,so you have a self interested, biased,special interest group at these state fish andgame agencies,not a balanced group representing all of the people in a STAte. the propaganda put out via outdoor writers by these state fish and game agencies is not balanced, but incites hatred toward wildlife.

[wildlife]

"Confused" posts have nothing to do with the subject at hand for good reason. It is from the anti-environment front, "New Jersey Outdoor Alliance." The poster - an adult -- routinely pretends to have just "come upon" smears against organizations, when he 24-7 promotes and manufacturers them. Shame? Well, no. The New Jersey Outdoor Alliance denegrates opposing organizations, including the Sierra Club, and spams their websites.

The "Alliance" represents a steadily unfolding cascade of fronts that specialize in smearing opponents, like the National Animal Interest Alliance, a front for animal-use industries, and the "Center for Consumer Freedom" - a major front for tobacco, animal-use, and restaurant corporations. Likely due to "Consumer Freedom" input, a llist put together for the Bush Admin. by an "outside contractor" the National Audubon Society and other groups were lined to 'terrorists." Check-out both at Sourcewatch. org.

[Ginger Leilani]

Lyme Diease is an engineered disease by the United States Government. It was part of a covert bio-weapons program that was supposed to be strictly safeguarded from getting off the Plum Island, NY laboratory--an island in Long Island sound that houses a high security warfare laboratory.

The disease was created and then transposed into a tick. But what the researchers did not quite think too much in detail about was the possibility of poisoning the people of the United States while they were on a quest for bio terrorism carriers.

The sloppy practices of this laboratory allowed the tick to hitch a ride on birds to the various locations in Connecticut and then all over the US. It is now a permanent fixture in our woods all over the US and possibly the world now.

All in the name of bio terrorism.

Perhaps you should read the book, "Lab 257" a well written that documents this atrocious fact.

The facts: The Brown Field Mouse is the predominant carrier of what is wrongly called the lyme disease tick.

The tick attaches itself to any warm blooded mammal, including humans when given the chance.

You would have to eradicate every bush, tree, shrub, blade of grass, and all living beings in order to rid yourself of this tick.

The best prevention is to keep garlic supplements as part of your daily routine as well as doing aggressive, holistic whole body cleanses to keep your immune system in top condition.

Also, when you venture outside, make sure you put Eucalyptus, Lavender, Citronella, and Tee Tree oils all over yourself [they sell these combinations in spray bottles at Whole Foods and other good stores.] Neem oil is also very good at keeping away ticks, etc.

If you ever do get Lyme disease or any autoimmune related ailment, you can be healed from this.

The only known way to heal your body completely from this disease is through Ozone.

There are Hyperbaric Oxygen Chambers run by doctors in private offices in NYC. One of the better ones I believe is patients medical in mid town.

You need to fully understand what is behind disease, and particularly autoimmune diseases before you try to blindly argue for any massacre of innocent living beings whose beauty has been part of the landscape for hundreds of years.

Additionally, all natural life works in tandem to keep the ecology healthy, just as God had designed for his creation to be.

We must protect God's garden, as decreed to all mankind.

Conservation and education are key to knowing how to both protect yourself and to get yourself to understanding the truth.

[Steve E]

Congratulations to the author on her well-reasoned thoughts which are supported by real facts. It's a shame that such information is so rare as the Corporate Media is normally just a mouthpiece for the industries which exploit humans, animals, and Nature.
1. Hunters are the terrorists of the forests.
2. Hunters do NOT replace the natural predators. Instead of culling the prey species, they murder the best individuals of the targeted species.
3. Hunters extirpate predator species as they don't want competition. Even small predators such as Weasels are ruthlessly murdered by hunters.
4. If you have not made up your mind, please do your own research. I used to be pro-hunting until I learned the real facts.

[SPPNJ]

Ms. Gordon's fact-based, therefore edifying, commentary serves to expose what amounts to "legalized" animal abuse, i.e. hunting and the driving force behind wildlife management practices, i.e. profit.

WALK NOT PROUD YE HUNTERS
BUT HANG YE HEADS IN SHAME
FOR THE LEGACY YE LEAVE BEHIND
IS BUT A HEARTLESS GAME.

[Susan]

To answer Confused, I (the author of “Animal advocacy, the media, and democracy”) have been vegan for 25 years. And yes, I certainly do want to impose my vegan lifestyle on the planet, since meat eating is more destructive to the planet, and more wasteful of resources, than all other industries combined AND since it imprisons and tortures (at EVERY stage of the process) billions of animals annually AND since a vegan diet can feed up to 20 times more people than can a meat-based one. Thanks for bringing this up, Confused, as there was no space to bring it up in my Op-Ed.

As for the terrorism charge, there has never been one instance, EVER, in this country, of an animal activist harming, let alone killing, another person. And, of course, we do not harm animals. Hunters, however, have killed numerous innocent people (both through accidents and intentionally, as these are very violent, un-evolved individuals), along with many millions of animals (including companion animals, cows, and horses).

The only “terrorism” we are guilty of is causing terror of the loss of profit to those whose living comes from the backs of animals. Since the multi-billion industries that exploit animals are extremely rich and powerful, they have ample opportunity to twist the language and the law to suit themselves. All in the name of profit. Thanks, again, Confused, for giving me the opportunity to bring this up. Please check out http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/ to read about government oppression of the environmental and animal rights movements, all at the behest of animal abuse industries.

[Confused]

Deer are killed for food. This is a bad thing according to some here. Cows are killed for food - this is acceptable and everyone is Okay with it? So, any poster here that eats steak, chicken, fish, turkey, etc. and pays at the food market or restaurant to have someone to kill it for them is righteous? Those that hunt deer for the same purpose are barbaric? That's just emotional thinking.

As for the definition of terrorism posted earlier - that would make any person that eats cow, chicken, turkey, fish, etc a terroist wouldn't it? It's all slaughter - in fact it's like paying a "hit man" to slaughter it for us.

The FBI has listed ALF and similar groups as domestic terrorists. NJARA (the group the suthor is a board member of) is listed on internet sites as a press spokesgroup for some of these terrorist groups identified by the FBI. Just do the search yourself.

Why is it relevant? Because it affects credibility. The author references her affiliation as a board member of NJARA obviously to convey some credibility on the matter - but credibility is based on actions and to be aligned with terrorism in any way is unconscienable.

Also, to speak about medical issues and not be a medical professional is could prevent people from making proper medical decisions. Lyme disease is serious - ask anyone who has the disease.

As for the person who claims to be a former hunter - you need to do a little research about hunting. What you've described is very misguided and peppered with half-truths. The article is filled with emotion and little fact and so are some of the responses.

So, what's for dinner? Steak? Turkey? Chicken? Tuna? Burgers? Lamb? Roast Beef? Shrimp?

It takes a lot of energy to demonize hunters. The more that a person demonizes another the heartier the appetite and the more animals that need slaughtering. Right?

Ther's something honest about hunting. You don't need to make excuses or behave as a hypocrit when feeding your family.

Bon appetit!

[Confused]

So we have it from Susan - a vegetarian that wants to impose her lifestyle. Thanks for being honest. Except imposing a lifestyle is akin to facism and many people take offense at such fanaticism.

Eat all the veggies you like.

But others have a lifestyle they prefer - certainly there are no campaigns to force you to eat meat. Although, there are many medical studies that recommend you do so.

As for terrorism, I won't post the links. There seems to be some panic and deflection about the issue. But, the Anti Defamation League ( a very reputable organization) listed a NJARA member as associated with the activities mentioned.

So to did the civil rights organization: Souhthern Poverty Law Center. I don't think the ADL and Southern Poverty Law Center are "extreme radical" organizations looking to promote all of society's ills.

If there's nothing to hide than the author should direct people to the ADL and SPLC sites. I'm just someone posting in response to a misguided article.

By the way, carrots die too when removed from their natural environment. But, I guess people who eat carrots have to think that the life of a carrot is meaningless in order to justify pulling it from the ground and eating it.

[Greenwichauntie]

Whoa - hold your horses, Confused laddie! You spew more of your wild ranting nonsense...bet you didn't read anyone else's comments, did ya?

Are you a glutton for punishment?

Listen, kiddo, as you say "a carrot dies when removed...." - you betcha it does, and pretending to be holier-than-thou, giving a hoot about the death of a carrot, you have just confirmed being a complete whacko job!

Haven't you read that you are guilty of murdering more carrots than any vegetarian, any day?

[RetiredArmyNCO]

Ginger Leilani wrote:

Lyme Diease is an engineered disease by the United States Government. It was part of a covert bio-weapons program that was supposed to be strictly safeguarded from getting off the Plum Island, NY laboratory--an island in Long Island sound that houses a high security warfare laboratory.
The disease was created and then transposed into a tick. But what the researchers did not quite think too much in detail about was the possibility of poisoning the people of the United States while they were on a quest for bio terrorism carriers.
The sloppy practices of this laboratory allowed the tick to hitch a ride on birds to the various locations in Connecticut and then all over the US. It is now a permanent fixture in our woods all over the US and possibly the world now.
All in the name of bio terrorism.
Perhaps you should read the book, "Lab 257" a well written that documents this atrocious fact.
The facts: The Brown Field Mouse is the predominant carrier of what is wrongly called the lyme disease tick.
The tick attaches itself to any warm blooded mammal, including humans when given the chance.
You would have to eradicate every bush, tree, shrub, blade of grass, and all living beings in order to rid yourself of this tick.
The best prevention is to keep garlic supplements as part of your daily routine as well as doing aggressive, holistic whole body cleanses to keep your immune system in top condition.
Also, when you venture outside, make sure you put Eucalyptus, Lavender, Citronella, and Tee Tree oils all over yourself [they sell these combinations in spray bottles at Whole Foods and other good stores.] Neem oil is also very good at keeping away ticks, etc.
If you ever do get Lyme disease or any autoimmune related ailment, you can be healed from this.
The only known way to heal your body completely from this disease is through Ozone.
There are Hyperbaric Oxygen Chambers run by doctors in private offices in NYC. One of the better ones I believe is patients medical in mid town.
You need to fully understand what is behind disease, and particularly autoimmune diseases before you try to blindly argue for any massacre of innocent living beings whose beauty has been part of the landscape for hundreds of years.
Additionally, all natural life works in tandem to keep the ecology healthy, just as God had designed for his creation to be.
We must protect God's garden, as decreed to all mankind.
Conservation and education are key to knowing how to both protect yourself and to get yourself to understanding the truth.

Lyme disease has been known since at least 1883.

http://www.brown.edu/Courses/Bio_160/Projects...

http://www.lyme.org/otherdis/ld_history.html

As for the rest of your post, just the usual nonsense of people wanting to create factless pleas for whatever agenda they have.

[JOJO]

Well done Susan!

I am a Republican and believe in my right to own a firearm.

What I don't believe in is using that firearm to kill non-human animals.

We live freely as should they.

[RetiredArmyNCO]

Susan wrote:

To answer Confused, I (the author of “Animal advocacy, the media, and democracy”) have been vegan for 25 years. And yes, I certainly do want to impose my vegan lifestyle on the planet, since meat eating is more destructive to the planet, and more wasteful of resources, than all other industries combined AND since it imprisons and tortures (at EVERY stage of the process) billions of animals annually AND since a vegan diet can feed up to 20 times more people than can a meat-based one. Thanks for bringing this up, Confused, as there was no space to bring it up in my Op-Ed.
As for the terrorism charge, there has never been one instance, EVER, in this country, of an animal activist harming, let alone killing, another person. And, of course, we do not harm animals. Hunters, however, have killed numerous innocent people (both through accidents and intentionally, as these are very violent, un-evolved individuals), along with many millions of animals (including companion animals, cows, and horses).
The only “terrorism” we are guilty of is causing terror of the loss of profit to those whose living comes from the backs of animals. Since the multi-billion industries that exploit animals are extremely rich and powerful, they have ample opportunity to twist the language and the law to suit themselves. All in the name of profit. Thanks, again, Confused, for giving me the opportunity to bring this up. Please check out http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/ to read about government oppression of the environmental and animal rights movements, all at the behest of animal abuse industries.

Eat as you wish, but you do not have the moral right to force upon anyone else a diet of your choosing.

Fortunately, the insane people who carry out terrorist actions in the name of animal advocacy have not killed anyone. It is not from a lack of trying. How many pipe bombs have been placed, how many doctors have been targeted and threatened? How many diseased animals have been “liberated” from testing facilities to die and possibly pass on illness to other animals and people?

You speak of meat eaters as being un-evolved, that is odd considering that throughout our history meat has played an important part of our development. Studies have shown that societies were agriculture was prevalent had smaller brain sizes than those who were mostly hunter gatherers. Meat has fueled our evolution, not hindered it.

Government oppression of environmental and animal rights movements? Where? You must mean the laws that several States have adopted to prevent harassment of hunters in the field. Activities where your people like to dress up like deer and attempt to interfere with hunts. Those laws protect everyone; imagine if someone dressed as a deer was mistakenly shot? Who would you blame? The hunter? Or the one dressed as a deer?
While you are at it, please divulge the negative effects of agriculture on nature.