Looking behind the commentary’s scene

Can you say humorless? The Jan. 7 letter by Terri David [“The Misery Behind Bright Ideas”] made me think of a pinch-mouthed, squinty-eyed Scrooge. The writer is probably a vegetarian who’s never set foot on a farm and thus doesn’t know what happens to old animals. What does she imagine—they go trotting off to some lush pasture until their maker calls them home, then some kind soul comes along and digs a crater and buries them? If she’s not a vegetarian, she should get a look at how her daily ration of animal protein is produced. Now there’s appalling cruelty for you.

David clearly doesn’t know Mr. Sternberg [“Bright Ideas,” Commentary, Nov. 26, 2008], or she’d know he and his father were plying this trade well before the electric cattle prod was produced. She would also know that he is deeply committed to the Asheville community, which has benefited greatly from his long and generous philanthropy.

I grew up in the country with horses and chickens. I’m the daughter of a hunter and fisherman, and have participated in both those activities with my father. We lived across the road from a farmer who had pigs and beef feeder-cattle. I love animals, but I don’t romanticize them—except, maybe, for my beloved late kitty.

I saw no mention anywhere in Mr. Sternberg’s article of having had a fun-filled evening with friends interrupted. I think the writer needs to get a life.

— Sharon Kanter
Kinston

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Webmaster
Mountain Xpress Webmaster Follow me @MXWebTeam

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

2 thoughts on “Looking behind the commentary’s scene

  1. mtndow

    Yes. Ms. Kanter may not be aware of T.D. and his chain-letter writing gang of PETAphiles clogging up the editorial space.

Leave a Reply to timothypeck ×

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.