I very much enjoyed Stewart David’s letter [“Green Barbecue?,” June 20] regarding your article [“Chew on This,” June 6]. I, for one—being new to the state—did not know that pigs outnumber people in North Carolina (though I did know we were No. 2 pork producers, after Iowa). Given this information, is it not amazing what we don’t know about animals—and farm animals, in particular? The pig itself is after all, the fourth most intelligent species, after humans, apes and dolphins (dogs are number 13). I got this particular ranking from Pigspeace.org, a sanctuary in Washington State where I used to live.
As a matter of fact, I enjoy all of Stewart and Terry David’s letters, as well as others who write in about animal issues. It is a shame that their opinions always have to be squeezed into 200- or 300-word letters, however, if a paper bothers to print them at all (at least the Mountain Xpress does this). There is a whole other side to the story that isn’t being told, as Stewart points out. Shall we all stop driving our cars, for example, when it would really be more beneficial, doable and practical to cut our consumption of animal products? What about the morality issues?
Considering the fluff that passes for op-ed pieces and articles in most papers, wouldn’t it be nice if there were a weekly section devoted to animal advocacy, welfare and other issues in at least one paper? There is a great and growing interest, and most people do not hear about these issues unless they belong to one or more animal groups.
— Lisa G. Leming
Asheville
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