Please send letters to editor re: Debra J. Saunders' article in Chronicle

[Guest guest]

Hey everyone,

Debra J. Saunders is at it again. She makes her living off of writing

anti-animal articles for the SF Chronicle, many of which get picked up

and run in other national papers. She's criticized humane education,

argued that animal actvists harm human health by opposing vivisection

(check out www.curedisease.com <http://www.curedisease.com/> if you're

not familiar with the scientific arguments against animal research), and

now she's defending foie gras. Please let the Chronicle know that there

are many animal advocates in SF that disagree with her.

 

See article at:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/0

9/30/EDGH5202QH1.DTL

 

 

 

Elizabeth Abbott [ElizabethA] On Behalf Of

WritersNetwork

Tuesday, September 30, 2003 12:08 PM

undisclosed-recipients:

PETA Action Alert - Debra Saunders Says to Reject Foie Gras

Jihadists [san Francisco Chronicle]

 

The San Francisco Chronicle printed a column about the recent protests

against Sonoma Foie Gras Farm. Please respond to this article explaining

that foie gras production is cruel and that there simply is no excuse

for cruelty to animals. For facts on foie gras, go to

http://www.peta.org/mc/facts/fsveg9.html.

Send e-mails to letters.

Please include your name, address, and phone numbers for letter

verification.

" Reject Foie Gras Jihadists "

By Debra Saunders

San Francisco Chronicle

September 30, 2003

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/0

9/30/EDGH5202QH1.DTL

WHEN THE CHRONICLE first reported that animal-rights activists had

attacked Sonoma Foie Gras, owner Guillermo Gonzalez, and his two

partners in a soon-to-open store/bistro Sonoma Saveurs, it seemed it

would be only a matter of time before the businessmen caved.

Perhaps the partners could absorb the cost of repairing vandalized

machinery and removing nasty graffiti - as in " End animal torture. " But

Gonzalez, Laurent Manrique and Didier Jaubert also had to pay a very

personal price: Activists sent them threats, glued their carocks,

invaded their homes and terrorized their families. In the nastiest

episode, animal righters videotaped Manrique's family, including his

2-year-old son, at their home. Then they sent him the tape.

Why? Zealots from groups like People for the Ethical Treatment of

Animals and Gourmet Cruelty contend that force- feeding ducks is cruel.

The fact is, animal righters oppose all meat production and would object

to foie gras even if employees spoon-fed the ducks and took them for

swims thrice daily.

Dr. Francine Bradley, a poultry expert at the University of California

at Davis, has been to Sonoma Foie Gras, and has nothing but praise for

the outfit.

But fine poultry won't stop the chain of intimidation; activists target

one party, then target those who have ties to the party. Gonzalez

receives threats; vandals attack his business. He starts a new business,

the animal thugs harass his partners. And his partners' families.

So this weekend, when the Chronicle reported that Sonoma Foie Gras would

improve how it treats its ducks, it appeared as if the Foie-Gras Trois

were buckling, by feeding the illusion that the issue is how foie gras

is made.

On Monday, Gonzalez said that he always seeks to improve his product, he

wasn't playing up to the animal righters. Jaubert explained that the

story involved " a communication problem because we started to be very

defensive. "

" People don't recognize that this is a war rather than a public

relations event, " noted Patti Strand of the National Animal Interest

Alliance, an Oregon- based group that challenges animal rights

extremists.

Good PR can't beat Gourmet Cruelty when the group boasts on the Internet

that leader " Sarahjane Blum and her crew may have broken some laws " when

they broke into Sonoma Foie Gras and liberated 15 ducks , " taught them

to eat on their own, and even gave them workouts on a water treadmill. "

Think. They're proud they terrorize families and destroy small

businesses so that ducks can work out.

Worst of all, they often succeed - because they'll harass anyone.

British activists targeted Huntingdon Life Sciences, which produces

animals for medical research, by harassing employees and shareholders of

banks, auditors and insurers that did business with the multinational

corporation. They harassed employees at home and smoke-bombed a Seattle

office. An animal- rights mole obtained a list of an auditor's

employees, who were then harassed. In order to protect research that

saves lives, the British government directed the Bank of England to

issue HLS its only corporate account.

Frankie Trull of the Foundation for Biomedical Research noted that

businesses and medical researchers are forced out of business all the

time. " People are afraid to step up and help because they don't want to

draw attention to themselves, " said Trull. " This is what the animal

rights people bank on.''

The also bank on animal-rights galas that feature glamourous

celebrities, who pride themselves on their sensitivity.

Think, ducks on a treadmill.

Debra Saunders: dsaunders.

 

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