Teresa, I agree with your message. I felt the same way, that it was a big
betrayal to the fine art of bird watching if you also liked cats. My
feeling from a couple of those messages was that the ONLY thing they
enjoyed was birds. I still believe that the problem is people -- too many
of them. There won't be room left for anything if humanity keeps
reproducing at the current rate.

We have to become active ALL THE TIME. I am already starting to work on
the next election -- call your local area. Call the League of Women Voters
for their FREE pamphlet "They Work For You." We all need to write letters,
send E-mail, whatever.

Anyway, go on those field trips and take those classes. You have a right
to your feelings. I lost my cat of 17 years 2 weeks ago and still get
teary eyed. She was my best friend. My pets are my family -- I lost my
family when I was young -- and I'm not going to be ashamed of loving my
animals because of somebody else's stupid and unfeeling comments. At least
my pets are always happy to see me, have never become alcoholics, have
never beaten up anyone, etc., like happens in some human families. Enough
of the soap box. We can all learn and change once we know and understand.

Karen Juenemann at SMTPGATE-ZGI