From Our Readers

Hunters: More Humane Than Commercial Farms Some thoughts about a recent letter (“Hunting perpetuates a violent society” Dec. 25, 2014) in response to the Dec. 4, 2014 Between the Lines “Why I Hunt” by Tom Vannah. The letter writer states that you, The Advocate, have a “love of killing innocent creatures.” That statement if utterly ridiculous and shows a lack of perspective. Are you a vegetarian? If you are, I commend you, though not for the reasons you might think. If you eat the flesh of any creature, wild or not, you are guilty of having a double standard; meat bought at Big Y is okay, but killing a deer, cutting it up and eating it is not? Billions of commercially raised animals live horrible lives; intensively confined, pumped up with hormones, and restrained in medieval torture apparatus such as pig gestation crates and finger crates. Many of these animals are skinned, scalded, gassed, and ground up alive. On the other hand, you have people who spend many uncomfortable hours in the wild awaiting their quarry. To quote Vannah, “I’ve taken many lessons from what I’ve learned in the field, none more important than the humility instilled by spending long hours in nature.” He mentions hunters’ connection to the natural world. Sitting quietly in nature is a form of meditation, whether one thinks of it that way or not. Most hunters have a deep love and respect for nature. Yes, there are some who participate in slaughter, of coyotes for instance, but they are the exception to the rule. I have found hunters to be kind, sensitive people. I recall a time a hunter broke down and cried like a baby when I told him about a dead raccoon in the road. When a hunter shoots a deer, that animal has lived wild and free up to the moment of its death. It’s the only honest way to put meat on the table. There is a quota on how many deer can be taken in a given area. If the herd is not culled in a controlled way, it may become too large to be sustained in their environment; deer starving to death in the winter because they cannot find enough to eat. It’s not exactly quick and painless. Stop picking on hunters and do something for the billions of animals suffering in stockyards, cramped enclosures, and tortured in the name of science. Nancy Stark Shelburne A New Declaration of Independence As Governor Patrick ends his term there is much to thank him for, including his leadership in advancing treatment for addiction. Increased funding and cutting edge legislation place Massachusetts as a leader in the country in responding to an epidemic that has not been resolved through the war on drugs. This epidemic impacts us all — as individuals, families, and organizations and systems that comprise America. Denial of this reality prevents us from taking responsibility for understanding the root causes of addiction in all of its forms. New levels of healing are possible when we face the countless ways that addictive process plays out in our daily lives through our thoughts, patterns in relationships, and behaviors that separate us from being fully present in life. With so much discord in our world we need to move beyond the political, religious, and cultural conversation. The resolution of addiction through the spiritual healing possible in recovery is a powerful unifying force, one that enables people of diverse backgrounds to find common ground through the language of the heart. Taking personal responsibility for our consciousness is revolutionary in lighting the fire of a new flame of freedom. This freedom is one that comes from liberating ourselves from anti-life energies which stifle our unique spiritual purpose as souls and as a country. Governor Patrick serves as an inspiration for continuing the legacy of Massachusetts in preparing pathways of freedom for the future. In focusing, not on self-protection but on our own healing and transformation, we can rise into full participation as part of the collective whole, helping America to become a true beacon for the world — a beacon of light. Adair MacKay Marie Neal Eldon Koch