At 02:08 PM 5/13/99 -0700, Steven Kimball wrote:

> Opossums shouldn't have been introduced into the Pacific
>Northwest therefore I don't care that you, an individual opossum, are
>bleeding or writhing in pain.

I feel their pain. :)

Unfortunately, that pain is overwhelmed by the pain I feel
when I view the landscape, ravaged by introduced flora and
fauna.

There's a bit of a paradox at work:

For those of you who believe animals have rights equal to
those of people, is it not then true that they have
equal responsibilities as well? We hold people responsible
for the consequences of their actions, what is the basis
for arguing that these equal animals shouldn't be held
responsible for theirs? If they have souls, they have
a conscience, they can sin, they can be saved, etc (any
Catholics here?). They also, arguably, can be punished
for their sins.

Not that I believe that animals are people, or have the
rights of people. Those who do hold such views, though,
should hold to that view consistently.



- Don Baccus, Portland OR <dhogaza at pacifier.com>
Nature photos, on-line guides, and other goodies at
http://donb.photo.net