Ace Letters to the Editor 4.29.1998

A Conspiracy? Hmmm.

Recently, men and women objected to Kentucky legislators mandating 24 hour waiting periods for voluntary abortions or [sic?] choice. I object too.

For a [recent?] fundraiser, women and men voluntarily signed over their right to privacy. I object, again.

Lexington’s Susan G. Komen National Race for the Cure required participants to sign a Notice of Drug Testing. This event fighting to eradicate breast cancer threatens donors in an asinine extension of the drug war. Even those on medication to prevent or control effects of cancer, not just sympathetic supporters, are threatened with this blatant disrespect for fundamental rights.

Actually, the form misrepresented and/or lied to signatories as no testing was to be done. Should people, like sheep, be lined up in strict obedience to such dogma, under false pretenses?

The right to a person’s privacy, especially their own body, should not be invaded by government, other individuals or organizations without just cause or due process.

Wouldn’t a signature release for a mandatory mammogram or a mandatory rectal colon cancer exam be in line with this cause? Would Race for the Cure ask next for such an invasive procedure?

I praise sincere, conscientious efforts given by many for this good cause. However, I hope they and others object as I object to this violation of a fundamental right our Bill of Rights was written to prevent.

Don B. Pratt

This letter poses several questions. As this letter reached us shortly before press, and we do not have all of this year’s Race for the Cure literature on hand, we will attempt to “get to the bottom of this” in our next “Since Last Time” column. We should also point out that ACE has been a longtime supporter of the Race for the Cure, and breast cancer research in general. So here are some things we’ll be looking at: 1. What is the correlation between a fundraiser related to curing breast cancer and 24-hour waiting periods for abortion? 2. How exactly did women and men voluntarily “sign over their right to privacy” as it relates to the Race for the Cure campaign? And what kind of form was this anyway? 3. How did Race campaign staff require or enforce or compel participants to sign a Notice of Drug Testing? Would one be disqualified from “racing for the cure” if one refused to submit to drug testing? 4. What is a Notice of Drug Testing, as it pertains to this incident? Is it a notice that one cannot be part of the Race for the Cure unless one submits to drug testing? Was a literal “race” involved, where health issues might’ve applied? 5. How did this form “lie?” Did it promise drug testing? 6. How do colo-rectal exams relate to this issue? 7. Did men and women “voluntarily” sign up for “the race,” and agree to some sort of drug test, and if so, how exactly have their civil rights been violated?

Walking Our Talk

Irony of Ironies. The call came from the Kentucky Humane Society in Louisville. “We are receiving 43,000 pounds of dog food tomorrow. How much would your sanctuary [Home at Last] like?”

I almost choked on my words. “Well, we can’t accept any of it. I’m sorry, but I really do appreciate your offering.”

This offer came at a time when our feeding situation was approaching crisis level. The cost of the [vegetarian] food we were using had just gone up $3 a case and we were scrambling, trying to find a workable solution.

Although saying yes to the offer of a portion of 43,000 pounds of meat-based dog food would have solved our feeding problems for quite a while, it was time to pay the cost of remaining ethical. We simply could not renounce our position as an absolutely honest no-kill shelter by betraying all those other animals whose lives are sacrificed to feed dogs and cats. I had to say no. There was no other choice.

How could we face our rescued pigs (Gilbert and Pinky) if we fed their kind to all their buddies in the adjoining yard. Well, we just couldn’t.

…In years of rescue work, we’ve come to understand in a very personal way the answer to that nagging question of which animal is petted and which animal is eaten. It’s widely known that dogs, cats, pigs, cows, lambs and so many other species raise families, have unique social structures, feel pain and pleasure much as we do….

Because we are the most powerful (and hopefully the most evolved) species, it befalls us to treat all others with kindness and compassion.

We’re glad that you’re helping us in this difficult task….Maybe someday, someone will call and offer 43,000 pounds of soybean product.

Stan Petrey
Salvisa