AR-News: (U.S.) responses to "progressive rancher"

[Mary Finelli]

Below are two of the responses to the interview with "progressive ranching" 
advocate Courtney White.
Courtney White, Quivira Coalition
A progressive ranching advocate answers readers' questions
Grist, April 9, 2004
http://www.gristmagazine.com/interactivist/white040904.asp


Responses at: 
http://www.gristmagazine.com/letters/letters041604.asp?source=daily


Courtney ... uh ... Not Love
Re: White Heat, InterActivist, by Courtney White

Dear Grist:

Courtney White played dodge ball with the questions thrown at him. When 
asked about the waste of water to feed cattle, he just points out the 
obvious: that humans need to address other forms of water waste as well. On 
the compassion issue, he replied as expected, with another fallacy. Cats 
killing songbirds can be addressed by phasing out pet ownership -- he cannot 
find a defense for cattle slavery by citing the behavior of a natural 
carnivore. And finally, I assume he must have watched Fiddler on the Roof 
recently, because I could almost hear him singing "tradition" in his efforts 
to claim that the fact that ranching, like human slavery, has been practiced 
for untold ages somehow justifies keeping it around. Until he or anyone else 
can prove human supremacy, I am afraid that cattle ranching is going to 
remain a blight on the planet for moral and practical reasons.

E. Lee
Surrey, British Columbia, Canada



Beef With Courtney
Re: White Heat, InterActivist, by Courtney White

Dear Grist:

Courtney White's arguments only serve to distract attention from the fact 
that Americans are addicted to consumption of animal products in every form 
imaginable. He appears to believe that this is such an ingrained factor of 
our culture that it's not subject to modification. I happen to believe 
otherwise. Health professionals worldwide are currently urging people of all 
ages to reduce their consumption of animal products, particularly beef. 
Further, it has been suggested by environmentalists for many years that 
world hunger could be alleviated if a substantial portion of citizens in 
"developed" countries would switch to a vegetarian diet or drastically 
curtail their use of animal-derived foods.

MaryLou Noble
Portland, Ore.

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