As a rebuttal to the previous letter to the editor (Melinda Oberman, Feb. 6, 2012) I’d like to respond to some of Ms. Oberman’s assertions.
Obviously, Ms. Oberman is either not a regular reader of my column, or doesn’t understand that I write a humor column. I am not a journalist, nor a reporter, and have never tried to pass myself off as such. But, for almost 20 years, I have tried to entertain an audience of farmers and livestock producers with stories of real-life happenings that I find amusing, and hope they do, as well. Occasionally, I will write about something I find in a news report that I think is so absurd, that I believe my readers will enjoy. Such was the case of the column about PETA building the highway memorial for cattle killed in a truck wreck, which the lady found so distasteful.
If I offended Ms. Oberman’s sensibilities toward PETA, I most definitely don’t apologize. I hope to have the chance to pick on them some more before I quit this gig. The reason being that organizations like PETA are not going to rest until they have put every livestock producer in the United States out of business and everyone has to become vegetarians out of necessity.
I have farmed most of my soon-to-be 60 years. My father farmed all of his life before me and his father did the same before him. I know of no profitable farmers who neglect, mistreat, abuse or intentionally harm any of their animals. Why would we dare harm what makes us our livelihood? We may not be intellectual elitists, but we’re not stupid.
I have three suggestions for Ms. Oberman: 1. If you are offended by the content of my column – don’t read it. 2. If you think there needs to be an anti ‘animal agriculture’ column written to counterbalance my stories – write one yourself and find a newspaper to run it. 3. Finally, if you don’t like the way farmers and livestock produce your food – grow all your own food, yourself.
Jerry Crownover
Everton, MO
Ozarks Farm & Neighbor welcomes all signed letters to the editor. To submit your letter email them to: [email protected]; fax: 417-532-4721 or mail to: Ozarks Farm & Neighbor, PO Box 1319, Lebanon, MO 65536.
