With all due respect to Black cowboys and their rightful place in Western history (“Black cowboys reclaim their history in the West,” December 2020), be aware that every animal welfare organization in North America condemns rodeo due to its inherent cruelty. For most of the animals involved, the rodeo arena is merely a detour en route […]
Eric Mills
Posted inJune 27, 2016: The New Advocates
Hazardous conditions
Thanks to Nathan Martin for his May 30 essay, “It’s still dangerous to be gay in Wyoming,” and the related cover story, “Trial by Fire,” by Krista Langlois. Truth be told, it’s dangerous to be gay or female most anywhere on the planet. If racism doesn’t bring us down, then homophobia and sexism might well […]
Posted inMarch 17, 2014: When California Kicks Coal
A solution to our biological crisis
I was pleased to see the sobering article by Emily Guerin, “Crisis biology,” regarding the fungal diseases now wiping out the world’s amphibians and bats (HCN, 2/17/14). Here in California, we import some 2 million American bullfrogs for human consumption, sold mostly in the state’s many “Chinatown” live-animal food markets. The majority of the market […]
Posted inDecember 9, 2013: The Tree Coroners
It’s time to get all the lead out
Kudos to the California Legislature for doing the obvious, and banning lead bullets for hunting (“The Latest: Lead bullets,” HCN, 11/11/13). Here’s hoping other states will soon follow suit, NRA paranoia notwithstanding. It’s worth noting that only one Republican legislator voted for the bill on either the Senate or Assembly floor. Shouldn’t environmental protection be […]
Posted inJune 1, 2009: Voyage of the Dammed
“Rodeo Kabuki”
“The Rise of the Minotaur” is a well-written article by Craig Childs on the bull-riding phenomenon (HCN, 5/25/09). The subtitle is misleading, though: “Bull riding explodes from its Western roots into a modern spectacle.” Bull riding was never part of life on a working ranch. It’s an event created specifically for the rodeo arena, the […]