Where's the empathy?
Steve Yuhas' mean-spirited letter on Sept. 13 ("Tambaschi babysits Americans") demonstrates once again why the phrase "compassionate conservative" is an oxymoronic misnomer. His letter showcases the neoconservative philosophy of blaming the victim, and does little more than mindlessly parrot the talking points distributed by the Republican Party for Bush apologists, who are trying to rationalize the Bush administration's lame and pathetic response to a grave natural disaster that has forever altered the lives of many of our fellow citizens.
I am extremely disturbed by the fact that Yuhas is a homeland security graduate student and hope that he will consider changing his major.
If I'm ever a victim of a natural disaster, I would like to think that I can count on some help from public servants (who are, after all, supported by our tax dollars) who empathize with my plight instead if trying to blame me for it. I suspect, using the contents of his letter as my guide, Yuhas is too callous to offer such assistance.
-Markel Tumlin,
San Diego State associate librarian
You go, Vegan!
Kudos to Gaia Veenis for going vegan ("Vegans always on the defense," Sept. 8). The people around her will eventually accept her choice and will regard her with respect. It's also nice to see the effect we vegans can have on people around us, whether it's other people finally coming around with an interest in going "veg," too, or even people realizing the relative ease with which they can improve their health with better dietary choices.
While some do see this veganism as a fad, it has been around for decades and will continue to be around. The high profile of vegans and veganism in the media these past few years will eventually breed broader acceptance.
Once the mainstream gets past their initial skepticism and widespread fear of what they perceive to be fanatical and puritanical deprivation, they will more easily understand how powerful our choices are for aligning our lives with our natural compassion and desire for a better world.
-Eric Prescott,
Animal-Friendly Life
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