Heinous Acts of Cruelty in Pennsylvania

March 12
Lawyer needs to gain compassion and common sense

In his Feb. 28 letter to the editor, Attorney Paul M. Perlstein states that anyone who devotes time to the welfare of pigeons is selfish and/or ignoring widespread human suffering and needs.

He is entitled to his opinion, and here is mine. If the ground opened up and swallowed 90 percent of the Earth’s attorneys, this world would be a better place (and Satan would have to build an addition).

Every so often, the news media report stories of extreme animal cruelty, and there is always someone like Mr. Perlstein who says that they should be focusing on child abuse instead. Common sense and compassion tell us that it is perfectly justified and logical to be concerned with preventing and prosecuting both types of abuse.

Attorney Perlstein states that neck-wringing and decapitation are legal and humane methods of euthanizing birds. Common sense and compassion tell us otherwise. Hanging is the equivalent of neck-wringing, yet society does not allow us to hang or decapitate our most heinous criminals, because these execution methods are considered brutal and inhumane. Why should pigeons be denied such mercy?

Mr. Perlstein assures us that a pigeon shooter “has looked into his heart and is pleased with what is there.” No doubt the Boston Strangler was quite content with his deeds and had no trouble sleeping either, but anyone with compassion and common sense would feel otherwise.

Marie Marinakis
Newtown Square

March 11, 2008
Times Leader
Pigeon shooting contests mindless, reflect poorly on state

I am compelled to disagree with Paul Perlstein’s letter of Feb. 28 denouncing the efforts of organizations trying to put a stop to pigeon shoots.

Speaking as an observer of one of these events, I am convinced that it is the contests themselves – not the organizations and individuals trying to put a stop to them – that are “wrong and reflect(s) poorly on Pennsylvania.”

These mindless contests have blackened the state’s reputation among virtually all the non-participants who are aware of them, whether they are among the 5 percent of the population that hunts or the 95 percent of the population that does not.

To see these birds shot as they are released from the confinement of the cages in which they have been transported, or blasted at short range if they choose to walk instead of fly, is not a pretty sight. To see an escaped pigeon return to assist a wounded mate is heart-rending. Pigeons are a sector of the dove family (Columbidae), which has had a pleasant association for humans through much of history. Phrases such as gentle as a dove, dove-eyed, dove-like, and lovey-dovey come to mind.

The dictionary gives “a gentle woman or child” as one definition for dove.

Pigeon, on the other hand, denotes a dupe or mark, “an object of attack or ridicule.” Pigeon-dropping is another term for confidence game. Then there are pigeon-breasted (usually from rickets), pigeon-toed and pigeon-hearted (cowardly). This seems unfair to these affectionate birds that mate for life, maintain peaceful relations among themselves and other species, and feed their young with a regurgitated liquid called pigeon milk.

Yet some of us humans, who are supposed to be the superior species, view the deaths of these gentle creatures as nothing more than points to be scored in a shooting contest.


Bina Robinson Swain, N.Y.

Dear Times Leader:

Paul Perlstein attempts to defend the indefensible--pigeon shoots--in his 2/28/08 letter.

Mr. Perlstein, a personal injury lawyer, who prides himself on appearing as special counsel for gun nuts and hunting clubs, berates those who undertake to use the courts to end, not perpetuate, cruelty.

He drags out the tired gimmick of the ethically dishonest, by asking those dedicated to ending cruelty against a group that he does not care about, why they are not helping humans.

I have been a social worker for homeless families for over 23 years. As inevitable as taxes and death, are animal abusers who do nothing for humans, but rail against those whose advocacy helps animals and humans. Stretching credulity past its limit, animal killers also claim that it is they, not animal advocates, who do the most for animals and the environment.

Perlstein states that the American Veterinary Society (I assume he means the AVMA) “has sanctioned decapitation and neck wringing as appropriate means to dispatch wounded birds.” Perlstein neglects to mention that the birds are “wounded” because of hunters. In addition, The AVMA notoriously supports numerous industrial and recreational abuses of animals—abuses that are opposed by all humane organizations and by many veterinarians.

I witnessed the Hegins Pigeon Slaughter, year after year. I volunteered, either at the veterinary tent, or to run and catch the injured, but still alive, birds and bring them to our tent for treatment. We literally had to run to save their lives, while the hunters booed and screamed insults at us, and tried to beat us to the suffering birds, so that they could kill them in front of us. The wicked smirks on their faces, when they got to their victims first, demonstrated human evil in a most intense, profound, and frightening way. Wounded birds not making it off the field, had their heads ripped off, or necks twisted, by emotionally-disengaged, young girls and boys, recruited for the purpose.

To save what victims we could, we forced ourselves to watch, as the thirsty, hungry, dazed pigeons, released from dark boxes into the sunlight, flew or just staggered away, to be shot by drunken shooters (alcohol having been served at this “family” event). One of the cheering mutants told me that pigeons need to be killed, “because they cause the AID [sic].”

The wives/girlfriends/daughters of the killers frequently came up to several of us, at our veterinary tent, in the parking lot, to tell us that they were revolted by the cruelty and carnage being celebrated in their town. The kids begged us to save the pigeons, and the fearful women told us that if their men saw them talking to us, the men would beat them.

After the 1999 unanimous PA Supreme Court decision granting the PA SPCA jurisdiction to enforce Pennsylvania's cruelty to animals law at the Hegins pigeon shoot, the organizers of the slaughter ended the spectacle, knowing that they could now be prosecuted for animal cruelty.

Please contact your legislators, urging them to support Representative Frank Andrews Shimkus’ H.B. 73, which will ban live pigeon shoots in PA.

Susan Gordon, Board Member
New Jersey Animal Rights Alliance

Dear Times Leader:

Paul Perlstein had the audacity to say:

"I do not understand how anyone can be so selfish as to ignore the widespread human suffering and needs in this state and the world and devote so much time and energy to a pigeon."

Over the years, this man has made millions defending the "rights" of sadistic, brutal, uncivilized ignorant people that use a Constitutional Right as an excuse and camouflage to act-out their barbarities, involving their own children in the process.

If Paul Perlstein is really in touch with widespread human suffering, he should provide his services FREE OF CHARGE, to the victims of random shootings, as well as their families. Gun related crimes (whether killings of human or animals) are on the rise. In fact many young people are desensitized to the consequences of shooting a gun.

The same Constitutional Right that allows hunters to massacre animals, allows other types of criminals to commit crimes with easily obtainable guns.

Respectfully,
Lily

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