Letter: Carrot and stick

R. J. Davies
Monday 02 August 1999 18:02 EDT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Letter:

Carrot and stick

Sir: Please, no more laboured ironies on the dying cries of vegetables! If your correspondents cannot empathise with the suffering of animals, they merely show their frivolity and inhumanity.

Treating the other species which inhabit our world with that sympathy and imagination which is uniquely human is a measure of civilised conduct and of "our self awareness that sets us apart from other species. The cat when it kills, kills in innocence. ... Man when he kills ... can imagine what it is like to be dead." (Borges).

We may rear and kill animals for food; but to enjoy or tolerate their suffering is vile.

RJ DAVIES

Salisbury

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in