I'm riled up. I try not to get too worked up about politics. I usually avoid talk radio. I don't fault the editorialists paid to express their opinions but when a newspaper pretends to be impartial about a topic, yet constantly publishes articles with sensationalist titles, inflammatory photo's and well, I'll be honest here...they give a voice to people I not only disagree with, I just don't like. Especially when it's about bashing one of my favorite places on Planet Earth (I actually have a list of my favorite places on Planet Earth but that's for another blog someday). I get riled up. Because my letter to the editor clearly disagrees with the opinion of the Seattle PI I can't imagine it will see the light of day so I thought I might as well post it here as well. If you agree with me (especially the part about stopping Animal Rights Extremists from breeding with each other) then please forward a link to this site to as many people as you would like.
Federal inquiry sought into zoo elephant's death!!!! with a photo of Hansa, not roaming in the huge elephant habitat at the zoo, but with her face wedged against two restraints and a hose blasting her. Don't mention that she loved the water, just let people jump to their own conclusions while reading the headline. Don't mention the group seeking the inquisition is about a half dozen nut cases that dropped out of high school after they were suspended for sniffing turpentine all day ever day. If this was the first time the PI posted sensationalist journalism offering free publicity to the nutcases I wouldn't have been so bothered. The truth is that they run these stories constantly. I'm sure the nuts contacted the other papers too. Why didn't they run the story? Because it's not a story! OK, here's the link....
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/351034_zoo13.html
here is my letter to the editor and author. Please feel free to write you own letter to them as well. I doubt the Animal Rights Extremists represent the majority opinion, I believe they are simply the loudest.
Please correct me if I'm wrong but it seems very apparent to me that the Seattle PI is constantly printing sensationalist journalism giving a few animal rights extremists a voice in the community and presenting their opinions as fact when really all they are doing is expressing their ignorance.
Starting with the image you chose and the headline you used it is very clear to me that while you are quoting the zoo and passively giving their point of view you are clearly in favor of the message these animal rights extremists are wanting to get out. These are the same people that dressed up in clown suits and handed my then 4 year old daughter animal rights extremism propaganda including disturbing images of abused or dead animals while we were waiting in line for the circus. The extremists feel that zoo's should stop breeding elephants? I propose a group be started to help prevent animal rights extremists from breeding with each other. Let the experts worry about the elephants. I have seen first hand the keepers and zoo staff interact with the elephants and other animals at the zoo and I can say with 100% certainty that these dedicated people have a true passion and love for the animals and genuinely have the best interest of the animals in mind with regard to their health, happiness and general well-being.
This entire tactic of contacting the USDA is clearly not to help elephants but simply a way to gain attention from the media which you seem more than willing to offer any time these ignorant people say anything. The Zoo shared all of their information and tests with the USDA immediately following Hansa's tragic death as well as the results of determining her cause of death. Why is this a story now? How on earth could anyone have predicted in 1998 that a previously undiscovered virus would take the life of an elephant in 2007?
Shame on the PI for not only giving the extremists a voice in our community but for supporting their opinions so frequently and obviously. At least pretend to be impartial sometimes would you?
OK, my rant is over...probably.
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3 comments:
You know, maybe if you were getting more exercise your blood pressure would come down a little bit. Maybe a good sweat. Listen, come down to my place in, say, July and I think we can knock those both out at the same time.
Miss your hugs,
love your federale
man I feel like crap now. I was at the fair this last summer and ate Elephant Ears. anyway, good rant, I agree with you.
(deleted first post, had to fix spelling)
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