Letters

Course for positive growth

Now this is what I call a step in the right direction [“White Studies class looks at racism,” April 8]. This is indeed a dangerous college course, as it will cause those enrolled in it to take a hard look at America from the standpoint of non-white Americans. Although what they experience will be disturbing, they will experience positive growth. Good luck with the program.

Vic Stafford

Vegetarian with an agenda

In response to your article “The great food debate” [April 8], I would like to thank Jesse Thiessen for discussing the many paths that lead students to pick a vegetarian or vegan diet throughout their lives. As Thiessen touches on, the verdict is in about the disastrous effects the modern meat industry has on the environment (the United Nations concluded that animal agriculture contributes more to global warming than all of the cars, planes, boats and trains combined).

The main point that wasn’t explicitly stated in the article though is that humans are not the only ones impacted by meat consumption. Billions of animals suffer and die when killed for food every year, and as Thiessen states, not only is their death completely unnecessary, but we are healthier without eating them. The more that students become educated about where their food comes from, they understandably becoming critical about which companies they support, and which they don’t. For example, chickens on factory farms often have their beaks sliced off with hot blades, while cows and pigs are skinned and dismembered, many while still fully conscious.

If these kinds of abuses were inflicted upon cats or dogs, it would result in felony cruelty to animal charges. Thankfully, as the article underscores, it has never been easier to pick a delicious and cruelty-free vegetarian or vegan dish when we sit down to eat (especially in Portland). With tasty options, such as vegetarian BBQ “riblets” and vegan pizza widely available in grocery stores, it’s a great time to cut meat off of your plate, for good.

Ryan Huling College Campaign CoordinatorPETA

Beef with factory farming

As Jesse Thiessen noted, what we eat may be a personal choice-but it’s a choice that has very real consequences for others, especially animals [“The great food debate,” April 8]. Each time we sit down to eat, we can help perpetuate some of the worst animal abuses on factory farms, or we can make the world a kinder place. In Portland and across the country, colleges, restaurants and groceries are offering more vegetarian foods, which are better for animals and the environment.

Factory farms also raise and kill billions of animals every year. They routinely inflict abuses on these animals that would likely result in criminal cruelty charges if the victims were dogs or cats. Factory farms also pollute our air and water, and raising animals for food is at least as great of a global warming culprit as automobiles.

There’s ample reason to enjoy nutritious, satisfying plant-based foods-whether for our palates, to reduce animal suffering, or protect the environment. Readers can get free recipes at humanesociety.org/recipes.

Erin Williams

Factory Farming Campaign, The Humane Society of the United States

Atheists on the way

Last week as I walked through Smith Memorial, I noticed a large poster advertising the local atheists and agnostics organization. It was bold and simple: “The Atheists Are Coming.” I was glad to see that someone is willing to raise the matter of atheism openly and frankly in a public setting. Our society is far too squeamish about acknowledging that there are people who do not believe in gods or subscribe to religion. I believe that posters like the one I saw last week are effective in reminding the public that atheists are among them and in reminding other atheists that they are not alone, and I hope to see more posters like it.

Bill Christy

For such a ‘liberal’ campus …

Why do I always hear students complain about the homeless? If this is such a liberal campus, the students should be kinder to the homeless and help them out every so often. When I have cash, I give some when I see a homeless person panhandling on campus, or I offer to buy them something to eat. It is self-evident that by the way the majority of the students treat the least of our brothers, that liberalism at PSU and in Portland is a sham and a fake hypocrisy.

Martin Carr