THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 26, 1996 TAG: 9604260014
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A18 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 40 lines
It is with great pride that I look forward to the coming of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to Norfolk. For Hampton Roads to be considered the capital of the animal-rights movement is akin to landing one of the crown jewels.
Here is the world's largest animal-rights organization, respected worldwide for its dedication to the highest ideals of humanity - promoting the humane treatment of our fellow beings on this planet - and it is moving to Norfolk. I would certainly rather have our community known for caring about animals, for being compassionate, for being concerned about other creatures and how they are treated than for less noble recognition.
Animal lovers - those of us who abhor the grotesque, senseless torture of captive laboratory animals; who cringe at the thought of the needless slaughter of the thousands of dolphins, turtles and other intelligent, feeling sea animals in the fishing nets that are stretched for miles across the ocean, indiscriminately killing all that innocently happen by; who wonder what is ``sport'' about killing an unsuspecting deer that has never attempted to injure anyone, or a duck for no other reason than it is a duck - are legion.
Compared with those who are insensitive to these atrocities, how many people do we know who love their family pets just as much as other members of their families? Would we all not like to live in a kinder, less-violent world? And would we all not like to have our children grow up respecting the sanctity of life - all life?
So, welcome PETA. I am grateful to the organization for choosing Hampton Roads.
GINGER SIKES
Currituck, April 18, 1996 by CNB