Seattle Press on Line - Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor

May 23, 2002 -- Praise for Holliday's UW Articles

To the Editor:

Thank you for the superb series of articles in your current issue by Laurel Holliday ("UW Animal Care Committee Suspends Experiments" and "UW Animal Care Committee Investigates Monkey Experiment," May 9 issue). They are eye opening, beautifully researched and infuriating: since we are paying for these atrocities perpetrated against feeling, living, beings. The public believes that a cure for aids, cancer, and the common cold is just around the corner, if enough millions are devoted to animal research. What a joke!

Wayne Johnson Ph.D

Appreciation for Holliday's UW Articles

To the Editor,

I wanted to thank the Seattle Press for the three great articles by Laurel Holliday about the University of Washington and their primate center. People need to know what is going on behind closed, locked doors and it's reporters like her that will help educate the public about this. I honestly believe that 99 percent of Americans, if they truly knew what was going on in these facilities, would be against them! We just need to educate them.

Connie B. Durkee

Animal Researchers Disregard Animal Rights

To the Editor:

I've loved animals my entire life, and, in the past year, have become a very avid animal rights activist. It is so upsetting and frustrating to know that a man like Stephen T. Kelley, who has been documented a countless number of times (even on video) abusing animals in his care, is getting more chances to do it again.

Unfortunately, these things happen all the time. Animal are abused, laboratory scientists, slaughterhouse or factory farm employees, etc. don't want to be exposed, so the public never knows about it--and several who do deny that it happens or accept it as the only way to help humans. That's just not true--there are many alternatives to testing on animals--and absolutely NO excuse for abusing them. Most research scientists do NOT care about the animals they test upon. The animals are things to them, not sentient beings.

The other disturbing part is that, after two thirds of this man's staff at the Oregon Regional Primate Research Center filed complaints against him for abusing animals, the University of Washington's Medical Center hired him to conduct further research. These people obviously care no more for the millions of animals who suffer each year in laboratories than Kelley does. It disgusts me--men like Stephen Kelley, who torture animals, get numerous chances in life, and these animals go on suffering. I hope people can begin having more compassion for laboratory animals. For them, it is hell on earth. If you don't believe me, picture yourself being caged and cramped, poked and prodded at constantly, and tortured daily. Stepehen Kelley should get the harshest penalty possible ... and learn his lesson the hard way.

Jessica McDorman
Colorado
Via e-mail

"Jobless" Essay Hits Home

To the Editor:

I read Jeff Jones "Jobless In Seattle" looking for something I haven't heard or experienced in my 21 months of unemployment. I stopped counting how many resumes and individually crafted cover letters and phone calls I've sent and made--I think that's an early stage symptom.

When I was collecting unemployment, I took advantage of WorkSource's resources and went back to school to add to my skills. My advisors thought it would increase my chances of getting a job. My instructor told me employers would beg me to work for them. My therapist told me I needed to increase my tolerance for rejection. My career counselor told me my resume and portfolio sparkled. My headhunter has not had a direct hire in some time. A power networking workshop boosted my spirits and confidence. A listserve subscription confirmed my suspicions of age discrimination in the hiring process. Advice to "dumb down" my accomplishments was given and received. Transferable skills have been identified. Have worked for $10 per hour. and felt humiliated. I continue to look for full-time employment.

I have also sought out the fellow unemployed, and the people I know that remain jobless are middle-aged women. We are accomplished, intelligent, creative people that have worked since we were teenagers. We encourage and coach each other. We try to build on our successes. We share failures, frustrations and feelings of hopelessness. We persevere. My career as a graphic/environmental designer seems to have come to a close at age 51 unless I become self-employed again. Self-employment is a highly stressful and insecure (I did it for 16 years before becoming an employee six years ago) mode of employment and I prefer the collaborative atmosphere of a work "family." Sharing the load makes sense and I have the skills to do it well, built through continuous education, diligence and passion for what I do (or did).

Will we get jobs again based on our efforts or knowledge? Does anyone know?

Barb Rowan

"Hired Thugs" on the Tracks

To the Editor:

I want to caution people who are innocently walking on the railroad tracks from Ballard north to Carkeek Park. We have all used these tracks for years to access the beaches and enjoy the scenery along Puget Sound. Now, probably due to several fatal accidents on the tracks in this area, Burlington Northern is enforcing a "No Trespassing" rule for the first time.

This in and of itself is within their rights. It is their property and they can exclude the public if they wish. But the way they have chosen to do it is unacceptable. They have hired thugs to be railroad police. They walk the tracks and tr3eat anyone trespassing with bullying, rudeness, and intimidation as though you were some lowlife criminal. Most people don't know they are doing anything wrong and a simple warning would do.

We complained to Burlington Northern after our recent encounter and if you have a bad experience I encourage you to do so too. Their enforcement number is 1-800-832-5452 and Pat Carter's office is the one you need to speak to. Burlington Northern needs to be reminded that we are neighbors, not criminals, and need to be treated with courtesy and respect. We, in turn, will respect their new policy of "no trespassing," but it will take time for us to all adjust to it.

Melinda Elkin

Let's Get Green(er)

To The Editor:

I've been back in town from Antarctica and other world travels for about a week. Environmental issues are in the forefront in Antarctica, so my sensitivities were already heightened, but then I stopped off through Chicago where I read an inspiring cover story, "Chicago Means Green," in the April issue of Conscious Choice Magazine (see www.consciouschoice.com under cover stories, April).

Chicago is pursuing a goal of becoming the "Greenest City in America." They have hired consultants to develop a plan for accomplishing this. They have already built a Green Technology Center (it opens this month) that studies, develops and promotes these concepts, and they are making efforts to lure green industries to their neck of the woods. That alone was enough for me to think how nice it would be if every city in the U.S. was competing for this title, let alone a city like Seattle "where it's expected" (a quote from the article itself). But as I read further about the philosophies of the consultant team, I became more intrigued.

The name of this team is McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (www.mbdc.com). They have a new book called, Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things. What I understand of their philosophy is that they propose, and for that matter, think it's inevitable that the next revolution following the Industrial Revolution will be the Replenishing Revolution, replenishing the earth in all processes that we undertake. Their point of view is that nature provides the principles: Produce nothing that cannot be metabolized. Don't expend energy, but capture it and make it grow. It seemed so right on to me. I would like to inspire our city planners to turn Seattle into a "Replenishing City", and perhaps challenge Chicago for the title they are pursuing. I'm impressed that a city of Chicago's size that grew up on industry is making "green" a priority. Sure Seattle has recycling and a number of other things going for it. McDonough and Braungart point out that recycling is an attempt to patch over a problem, a way to slow the degradation of things. It's like saying, "don't poison the world too quickly." Let's live up to the name of Emerald City and not let Chicago even get close to being this green!

Teri Fox

Poage's Anti-PETA Letter Misses the Point

To the Editor:

In response to James S. Poage's letter in your May 9 edition, "PETA Slams Circus Without Cause," I believe that Mr. Poage has missed a good deal of the point and reality of the argument to which he is trying to speak. Mr. Poage contends that circuses would neither want to nor be capable of abusing the animals within their care, and further states--as is common amongst circus proponents--that it is in the animals' best interest to be kept in captivity.

In his first point, Mr. Poage states that, due to animal welfare laws, a trainer would not risk her/his job by employing cruel methods. Were he to further investigate the Federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA), he would realize that, under the law, it is legal for trainers to use bull hooks to physically coerce elephants and that equine animals, such as horses and zebras, are specifically denied protections under the AWA. Trainers have a great deal of liberty in the abuse they may apply to animals while remaining within their "legal" limits.

Mr. Poage goes on to state that we need only attend a circus "that has animals and see how loving care is given to ... see the close relationship between the animal and the trainer." It would seem the crux of his argument is that he has not seen abuse within the public exposition of the animals. I would ask two things: how many abusive parents or spouses has he known to show their darker sides to the public eye? And how often has he attended "behind the scenes" training sessions?

The animals in circuses are far from being of domesticated species. It is, almost exclusively, only through force that trainers can garner a false respect from the animals, as many of the "acts" in which they encourage the animals to participate are wholly unnatural to, and often feared by the animals--e.g. having tigers jump through flaming hoops or having elephants perform "handstands."

Mr. Poage then believes he can clear all circuses by citing the "not guilty" judgment in an elephant abuse charge brought against Mark Oliver Gebel of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. And he misquotes of the fact that it was the Humane Society of Santa Clara Valley, CA, and not PETA who brought suit. Though it was a jury trial in which he was found innocent, there are a couple of things to note. Gebel was quoted as saying, "I am disappointed that people with no experience training elephants made false claims against me...," yet it seemed to suit his cause that the jury was composed of people equally uneducated in animal welfare. Further, the vet who claimed no injury to the elephant in question was Ringling Bros.' own vet; need I point out the conflict of interest?

Next we are asked to believe that captivity in a circus is actually a preferable lot in life for these magnificent creatures, many of whom graze and migrate across ranges, as is the case with elephants, of 30--40+ miles every day. These animals are literally forced into states of insanity which can be seen in psychosomatic behavioral patterns, most often manifested in intense pacing. He also states that as we encroach upon their habitat, they need to be maintained in captivity to prevent their extinction. This, of course, truly misses the point, as it is our expansion that is the problem.

Finally, Mr. Poage's blithe remark that "PETA believes that no animals should be killed... no meat to be eaten, no shoes to wear, no clothes to be worn... Get real!" is a sad affirmation of just how far some folks have yet to go to truly embrace a compassionate lifestyle.

Michael Xenakis

Reader Comments

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Josh Hunter	May 23, 2002	Tacoma, WA	unemployed/not collecting unem
I've been working for 5 years, since I was 16. At 17 I was making $9/hr. I didn't see that again untill last year. I'm intelligent, but I can't afford school. Once again I'm unemployed and I hate working low end jobs where I am way smarter than the highest official I meat and thus a threat to all my supervisors as they tend to make fools of themselves and I'm the first to let them know how things could be done a little better. I'm beginning to worry about this whole anti-darwinian society we have going here; where people go into the military not to defend their country but to be able to eat without relying solely on welfare. Where the top 5% income earners pay about 61% of the taxes but decide how much everyone else gets paid then complain about helping the poor. This is rediculous and it's about time people stop over complicating everything and use a little common sense mixed with compassion. I'm can't agree with one party or the other. I like fetus', I'm strait, I like work, entertainment and religious life. I like the planet and to be able to eat without worrying if I'm going to get cancer because somebody wants to make a buck or two so they can buy an island or a new car. I like public transportation and I like freedom. I like technology and prudence. I like the sunny weather we're having but I know someone else is having miserable weather because ours is nice. I like to learn, to earn, and I like to write. Thank You