Letters
Reply to 'Twisted values of animals before people'
In reply to an article by the Catholic Times' political
correspondent, Christopher Graffius, published February 12, 1995 and
entitled 'Twisted values of animals before people':
Respect for animals and care for humans spring from the same source -
a profound love for the whole of God's Creation
Why should Christopher Graffius presume that those who care for
animals do not also care for people?
I have been a member of SPUC for about twenty years, I support Lepra
- I am also a member of the Cats Protection League and see no
contradiction.
As regards the calves, their treatment does involve very definite
cruelty by anyone's standards. They are confined in crates, and are
unable to play - and are fed a diet which makes them anemic to produce
the fashionable white flesh.
We have no right to inflict that amount of suffering for a fad.
It could be avoided if they were slaughtered in this country -
particularly if the local abattoirs were reopened. This solution could
be implemented without much delay.
A more radical solution would be for dairy farmers to keep breeds
such as dairy shorthorns where bull calves can be raised for beef. They
also give better milk than Frisians.
Florence Evans (5/3/95)
I do applaud Rosamund Ridley for having the courage of her
convictions over the issue of live stock exportation.
It is good to know there are people who do uphold compassionate ways
of farming.
Whilst I agree with Christopher Graffius that we must do all we can
to alleviate suffering of children, and adults alike, animals have the
same emotions and feelings - the same sensitivity to pain; they need all
the support they can get if this evil trade is to be discontinued.
S.M. Somers (Mrs) (5/3/95)
I've been quietly incensed for years at people like Christopher
Graffius and I can no longer resist the chance to take on one of his
like.
How dare he assume that people who care deeply about animals'
suffering don't also care about human suffering.
Does he support Amnesty and write letters to foreign governments on
behalf of strangers who are being tortured etc?
Does he support two missionary societies and their work for
disadvantaged people plus the 'Little Way'? Does he support the Catholic
Children's Society plus the NSPCC also the Catholic Truth Society?
Well, I do as well as the RSPCA.
Mr Graffius should take the plank out of his own eye, I don't need a
sermon from him on caring for my fellow man/woman.
When I hear people like him sounding off sanctimoniously about people
like me, I always privately wonder what they themselves are actually
doing about and for, the people they purport to love more than us the
'animal lovers!'
Well, I for one will continue to care for animals with a clear
conscience and thank God that not everyone is like the above mentioned
Mr. Graffius.
Unrepentant and Loving pensioner (5/3/95)
I have been buying the Catholic Times, since its
inception but not until the last two issues did I realise that you had a
very anti-animals rights ethos.
I shall not be buying it any longer.
Factory farming is an obscenity, all God's creation was created for
freedom. Abortions are the consequences of lust and fornication, and so
the solution to abortion is obvious.
Anthony Cowley (5/3/95)
ED: Naturally we are sorry to lose you, Mr Cowley, especially as we
have every sympathy with animal rights. They are, however, subservient
to the rights of the unborn.
I find the article by Christopher Graffius 'Twisted values of animals
before people' highly offensive.
People who have compassion for God's creatures he regards as
sentimental fools.
Many good people have tried for years to end unnecessary suffering
for all animals in its many forms. Is it any wonder that things have
reached this sorry state?
I have no television so I cannot say how Jill Phipps was mown down.
One thing I do know is that many people protesting are good
Christians - not all are thugs as he would have us believe.
He appears to sweep under the carpet the evil things done to animals,
blood sports, vivisection etc. It was in bad taste to quote Jill as
saying before she died 'I don't feel sorry concerning the plane crash
they knew what they were doing.'
I hope he will not write such an offensive article again. A good
Catholic paper like the Catholic Times deserves better
than that. Also just for the record I regard the killing of the unborn
as devilish. Both are evil but God will not be mocked.
Margaret Kelly (5/3/95) .
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