In the span of 10 short years The Washington
Times has declined from a
sensible alternative voice on environmental and animal rights schemes to a
pandering mouthpiece fighting hard to camouflage itself in the Washington
Post/New York Times mold to make one media cheering section for extremism.
The descent into this world of lies and propaganda began with the
disappearance of writers like Alston Chase and is now characterized by the
radical philosophies and positions in practically every edition by radical
leaders pushing radical agendas and an editorial staff that must enjoy
animal rights conferences.
The latest low point in this regard is the personal attack on The Chairman
of the House Resources Committee and "House Republicans" for daring
to
attempt to set a reasonable by-catch of marine mammals (many species of
dolphins, whales and seals would not only benefit from sustained harvest but
such harvest would benefit salmon, lobster, cod, abalone, and other
important commercial fish stocks as well) as our commercial fishermen work
to supply tuna and other fish to the American market.
This Democratic Party election-year political diatribe, clothed in soothing
lies like "a national consensus" and emotional twaddle like
"enshrined. in
law" and "Flipper was on the hook" is the stuff of children's
stories. It
is only exceeded by the lie that marine mammals benefit from no harvest and
no management or use. Quite the opposite is and always has been the
case.
To publish and support such demagoguery and to further sanction a personal
attack on one of the few Federal politicians working to bring some sense
back into this emotional minefield of childish notions is disgusting.
Your
paper and the rest of us owe Congressman Richard Pombo of California a debt
of gratitude for his bravery and conviction both in this area and in his
attempt to reform the highly damaging Endangered Species Act that was
shamelessly buried in the US Senate by Chafee, Jeffords, and Clinton.
For
this audacity the animal rights organizations have marshaled a massive
national campaign to defeat Congressman Pombo. For this the Federal
agencies encamped with these organizations are surreptitiously supporting
this campaign. And now The Times joins in the pile-on.
This follows last weeks anti-cockfighting call by your paper for Federal
legislation to pre-empt private property, State Constitutional authority,
and set a horrendous Federal precedent for abolishment of all animal
ownership and use. To bolster your outrageous position you publish
side-by-side letters; one from the highly-overpaid CEO of the Humane Society
of the United States who makes millions from publishing pictures of puppies
and rabbits and whose assertion that cockfighting "spawns other forms of
criminal activity such as narcotics traffic, illegal gambling, and violence
toward other people" is not only lies but could just as easily be slanted
claims made about boxing matches or NBA Playoffs if we were out to eliminate
them. The other letter from an employee of PETA who is paid to justify
and
defend those criminals that attack women wearing fur; businesses; and the
families, homes, and offices of medical researchers tells us "when there
are
so many ways to entertain ourselves, there is no excuse for such abuse".
Believe it or not, majorities of folks "outside beltways" know
better and
are appalled at your actions cooperation with such agendas.
Add this to your previous flacking for the Federal law to outlaw the right
of horse owners to sell their horse to a slaughterhouse because some animal
rights fanatics and some celebrities and rich horse owners stir up a lot of
urban folks that do not own nor never will own a horse and you have a paper
with editorial positions and "partners" that are anathema to many
Americans.
One positive note though. If there are still enough "House
Republicans" out
there like Congressman Richard Pombo such that these ideologues you work
with feel compelled to attack them, then, Huzza! All right-thinking
Americans should take the measure of all the politicians up for reelection
this year and vote for the ones that most resemble the good Congressman from
California and defeat those whom The Washington Times and the marine mammal
fanatic identified as a "chief executive officer of Oceana, a non-profit
'advocacy' (my quote marks) organization" feel compelled to warn.
Often the
friends of your enemies tell you much by whom they befriend and whom they
attack.
Jim Beers
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