.Letters, Week of Dec. 7

Cycle of Life

As a former member of PETA, I am often asked why I no longer support the work of this once-great organization. PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk’s [Open Mic column], titled “Least We Can Do: Doing More at COP27,” is a perfect example of how compassion and empathy for animals can become irrational and divisive. 

Her statement, “It’s because of fishing that billions of fish are suffering in hideous ways as they’re hauled out of their aquatic environment to die in agony on their way into human stomachs,” shows a lack of understanding, if not a complete denial, of the aquatic food chain. It is one thing to protect animals from cruelty and quite another to insist that our fellow human beings remove themselves from the cycle of life. Who can take this woman seriously?

Dino Colombo

Stinson Beach

Missing the Big Picture

Once again, Peter Byrne picks the low-hanging fruit. Five thousand cattle on 50,000 acres. Hardly a Central Valley feedlot. Why doesn’t Mr. Byrne focus his myopic view on the big picture? Sonoma Valley. Thousands of Indigenous acres converted to grapes. Oh yeah. Gourmet. That’s why they are called “Winos.” 

And then we have elephant seals in Big Sur-Piedras Blancas. When I lived in Big Sur in the ’70s, there was one colony of elephant seals. Now, there are 25,000 lolling on the shores. These beasts attain 6,000 lbs. How much fecal waste are they producing? Oh, but they are “natural.” 

Does Mr. Byrne care? Where is his next “expose”? 

Zoey Prunuske

Occidental