“Compassion for animals is intimately connected with goodness of character, and it may be confidently asserted that he who is cruel to animals cannot be a good man.” ~ Arthur Schopenhauer

i wrote to indiana’s sen. donnelly…a very long treatise…and got his explanation/rationalization for mass buffalo killing? from a democrat? from a liberal? and it was computer generated…automatic response ….and to think I was pleased when he got elected? and he “country clubbed” with “rednecks in suits” dining on raccoon and quail or some such feast in the past few months? so I know whereof you speak/write! I have stopped voting these days…what a mess this country, not to mention this hoosier state, is/are in…. tired of even trying to worry about the sadness of democracy gone horribly wrong.

from www.buffalofieldcampaign.org … 

Wild buffalo run down the east bluffs of the Madison River, right at the boundary of Yellowstone National Park, to get a drink from a tributary. A lovely shot, but this was taken during a hazing operation. Buffalo had been forced off of Horse Butte, enduring nearly 10 miles of harassment and abuse without being allowed to get a drink, or calves being allowed to nurse. State and federal agents dressed up as cowboys use federal tax dollars to harm, kill and harass America’s last wild buffalo. This is right on the western edge of Yellowstone National Park in southwest Montana. Buffalo Field Campaign is here to defend wild buffalo on the ground they choose to be on and share their story with everyone so we can create positive change for these awesome gentle giants. ROAM FREE!

wow? whatever happened to peace and understanding and inclusion and kindness? once learned all of those virtues at sunday school and church…why are we returning to barbaric behavior and simple-mindedness and pompous hypocrisy?

Why is one of the nation’s most prominent Catholic archbishops scheduled to speak at a virulently anti-gay rally? – more info here …

monkeys who are more gifted and athletic than human beings…must not serve as entertainment as if they are in an arena during the decadent days of a failing roman empire…NO to victimizing monkeys at a ridiculous rodeo…please reconsider…zillions of us DO care about poor taste and victimization of living beings! listen to us and thank you!

Kalamazoo Growlers ‘cowboy monkey rodeo’ promotion draws protests from primate advocacy group – more info here …

another reason to stop breeding animals for slaughtering to be consumed by the animals called “human”…21st century…evolve!

cash crosses open palms and nothing else matters to the profiteers…start with breeding for slaughter…evil in my book…evil people breed these sentient beings to be slaughtered and for profit…end of statement…nothing about this can be rationalized…no bible verses can be quoted. just mean and horrible.

A Global March against Slaughter- idealistic, extremist or realistic? – more info here …

thanks to kind and wonderful Jo Powers Biddle for these remarks: “Nearly finished reading your second book. So enjoying the experience. Next week I begin with (and hope to be able to stay with all 600 pages) of Hard Choices. I positively know that I won’t enjoy Hill’s book as much as I have enjoyed yours.” 

JO, YOU JUST MADE MY DAY! WHAT I SHOULD WRITE NEXT WOULD BE THE TALE OF COUNTLESS JOYS AND HEARTACHES OF THIS EXPERIENCE OF WRITING TWO BOOKS AND 100 PLUS COLUMNS AND INNUMERABLE LETTERS TO EDITORS…IT HAS BEEN A WILD AND WOOLLY AND COMFORTING AND HARROWING AND CHECKERED AND HILARIOUS AND ULCER-PRODUCING AND EXORCISING AND CATHARTIC RIDE AND A HALF…I AM STILL RECOVERING…THE SIDE STORIES ARE THE REAL BOOK. I KID YOU NOT! I SHALL NEVER BE THE SAME AFTER THIS…MERCY! ONLY TOOK ABOUT 10 YEARS…OR MAYBE MORE ACCURATELY A LIFETIME IS ALL!

thanks for these comments!

Carol Baker: “I’ve yet to understand how lack of kindness toward the wild beasts, tolerance for the bahaviors of people that have no effect on us whatsoever, somehow seems to loft a politician or any American for that matter into some higher moral plane. I struggle every day in my southern hideaway living among those who think nothing of using racial epithets in casual conversation with strangers while installing that new rifle rack in the header of their broken down pickup trucks. They complain about the ‘queers’ and the blacks who feel they deserve special treatment. He fails to mention he’s gotta hurry getting that gun rack he just paid for with his disability check installed so he can get to the food pantry on time to get some of that free Gub’mint cheese he loves so much. They rarely see their own disconnected cognitive dissonance, Susie. I’ve stopped trying to find logic and reason where none exists. We write about these things not to change the minds of others, but because we must. As always, so nice to read the thoughts of a kindred spirit. For some of us, compassion never goes out of style.”

oh, my, carol…stunning and truthful! thanks for being real. I am a damned yankee…the only one in the immediate family…i used to feel totally left out regardless of southern hospitality surrounding my clueless butt — being ostracized, you know? which made me sad? now I am pleased that I am so far removed from that dubious mind-set and really always have been. what is particularly alien to me is the syrup and cool whip and a shallow sprinkling of bible “thumping” veneer over those stubborn, misguided, ancient group-think prejudices — devised to disguise the mean-spiritedness. guess I won’t be going home again real soon, y’heah? BTW, a redneck is a redneck is a redneck or so said Gertrude Stein…ha! a surplus of neanderthals up north, too…evolution got stuck and set in reverse in many pockets dotting (or enveloping) the American landscape.