Merc prints pro- 4-H letter

[Guest guest]

The San Jose Mercury News printed the following letter in today's print

edition (Monday, 8/11/08), on page 9A. This letter is in response to

Mohan Pisharody's letter (see below) that was printed on Saturday.

 

To submit a letter to the editor, e-mail it to letters.

Requirements: 125 words or less; no attachments; include your name,

address and daytime phone. Letters will be edited for length and

clarity. Street addresses and phone numbers are not published.

 

-- Mike

 

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[http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_10163840]

 

In strong defense of 4-H club policy

 

As a 10-year former 4-H leader I would like to inform Molan Pisharody

(Letters, Aug. 9) that participants in the " animal " program were

informed, if they signed up for that activity, that their animals, e.g.,

beef, lambs, could not become pets as the object of the program was to

teach where our food comes from. If they did not agree to sell their

animal at the fair, the 4-H organization would not sponsor them. It was

a wonderful program for teaching many skills, and I guarantee you that a

child who has raised an animal is a responsible person.

 

Betty Jean Lucke

Former leader Alpine Club Portola Valley

 

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Sage, Mike [mksage]

Sunday, August 10, 2008 12:32 AM

ActivistsForAnimals ; SouthBayVeggies

Cc: isaiah.sage; nathan.sage

[ActivistsForAnimals] Merc prints letter " 4-H teaches children

twisted set of values "

 

 

The San Jose Mercury News ran some articles about farm animals at the

Santa Clara County Youth Fair. One article, " At county fair, raising

animals brings lessons, joy - and sadness "

(http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_10091261/), told the story of a

10-year-old girl who raised a hog for a 4-H project, up to the day the

hog went to the slaughterhouse. A number of readers, in response, sent

letters to the Merc lamenting the psychic conflicts that 4-H kids are

put through in sending an animal they love to its violent death.

 

The Merc printed the following letter in its Saturday August 9 edition

(page 19A):

 

-- Mike

 

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[from http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_10148725/]

 

4-H teaches children twisted set of values

 

I find it astounding that our society thinks it is OK to raise an animal

as a pet (and that too by a child) and then send it off to slaughter.

The 4-H program, at least as far as animal husbandry is concerned, seems

to be a training ground to harden the hearts of children who, by nature,

are inclined to be compassionate. Kudos to the Mercury News for printing

this article (Page 1B, Aug. 4) that, probably unintentionally, caused a

few readers to pause and reflect on the enormous suffering we inflict on

fellow beings.

 

Mohan Pisharody

San Jose