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About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (March 10, 2004)
COMMENTARY M archio , 2004 T he C lackamas P rint • 5 Creature comforts v. medical marvehT How do you feel about animal testing? “1 am dead set against Charlene Walton I believe animals have rights too and have feelings just as much as people Janeah Kelly “It’s different because they are comparing animals to humans. 1 mean, do the results even really apply to humans?” Jeff Har rison “I understand that animals have feelings but if it can be used to ease human suffering, I think it’s good. Jessica Thompson “1 feelit’s OK to a certain extent, but it can be exces sive. 1 agree with testing on animals if it is used to work on curing dis eases.” Peter Gates Alternatives to animal testing procedures Animal testing's benefits to human race show practice to be archaic andvarbaric vastly outweigh rights of less evolved critters in the past few years, In a few cases, animal animal rights protesters testing may be humane and have destroyed test fields of scientifically beneficial, but genetically modified food, it is too often carried out in Shannon Armstead harassed scientists, raided a cruel and unnecessary If T he C lackamas P kint labs, and in one case set off manner. Consumers should a car bomb. These terrorist ■be aware of the inconsistent acts performed by groups within the animal rights movement are procedures that often occur in laboratory settings. disgusting and hypocritical. While companies have restricted animal testing in recent years, ■ To want to put a stop to advances in medical science is stupid. many still use it, going through parent companies, contract testing Recently in the news there have been stories about the plans for a laboratories or ingredient suppliers to employ animal testing without Parkinson’s disease research center being canceled due to the high having to admit to it. cost of security that would be needed. Those involved with the proj Cosmetic and household product companies test their products ect have been quoted as saying, “We can’t afford to build Fort on animals in a variety of ways, including eye irritancy tests and Knox.” What a victory for the animal rights movement. acute toxicity tests. What the animal rights people don’t want the public to realize is In eye irritancy tests, a flake or granule of powdered substance is that advances in science on which our society depends arose dropped into the eyes of a rabbit. Laboratory tech from animal experiments, such as antibiotics, water purifi nicians record the damage to the eye tissue, with cation and sewage treatment. tests lasting seven to 18 days. Reactions include The acceptance, if not encouragement, of animal swollen eyelids, inflamed irises, ulceration, bleed rights groups like the People for the Ethical Treatment of ing, massive deterioration and blindness. During Animals (PETA) seem to say that this behavior and atti the tests, the rabbit’s eyelids are held open with tude towards medical science is acceptable. Animal rights clips. The results of eye irritancy tests are ques activists talk as if the suffering of people with diseases like tionable, as they vary with each laboratory—and Parkinson’s doesn’t outweigh the happiness of a lab rat. even with the subject. The Red Cross, March of Dimes, the American During an acute toxicity test, a substance is & Cancer Society and Boys Town are some of the char- forced by tube into the animals’ stomachs or ity based research groups that have made PETA’s holes cut in their throats. It may also be inject “Don’t Donate” list. However, these organiza ed under the skin, into a vein or into the lin tions have contributed greatly in finding cures ing of the abdomen. Experimenters observe for diseases and easing human suffering with the reactions, which can include convulsions, new treatments. labored breathing, diarrhea, constipation, Some would draw con emaciation, skin eruptions, abnormal pos nections from animals to ture and bleeding from the eyes, nose or humans by pointing out these mouth. animals share certain qualities I jke eye irritant tests, lethal dosage tests are unreliable. with us like autonomy and self “The scientific basis for animal tests is weak,” said Michael Ball, a awareness, but animals are not little doctor with the European Center for the Validation of. ¡^persons. The abilities they show are Alternative Methods. ""but shadows of our own. . Animals ---------- However undependable, these tests can help companies put almost any cannot even come close to us intellectually product on the market and use the fact that their products were tested to^SKjjjJSSjl and it is demeaning to both species to try to escape possible lawsuits, even if test subjects were mistreated animals. draw them into thé human family. With reliability and humane treatment at stake, European lawmakers set Animal rights activists would have all a ban on animal testing for cosmetic companies to take place in 2009. The animal research stop- today, knowing full well time was allotted because industry officials claim that there are no alterna that this would cause great human suffering tives; however, alternatives are numerous and readily available. from not only the many diseases that According to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), plague us today but also from future epi some cosmetic companies have taken advantage of these alternatives, demics. Including cell and tissue cultures, corneas from eye banks and sophisti “It is completely unacceptable cated computer and mathematical models. Companies can also for for people to try and destroy legiti- mulate products using ingredients already determined to be safe by mate research on which these issues will ultimately be judged. It is the FDA. time to speak up for science,” said Prime Minister Tony Blair in an While alternatives to animal testing are numerous and reliable, many interview with the London Times. companies still perform animal testing. They will continue to do so unless It is time to speak up for science. It is a sad day in our society we become aware of the dangers we face by allowing companies to use when human suffering is deemed less worthy than extremist moral cruel methods of animal testing to market products with inconclusive ideas. research. Buffets: the feeding trough of the middle class Cory Price Co Edilor-in-Chiel Excuse me, ma’am, please set down that overflowing plate of mashed potatoes and step away from the buffet line; it’s for your own good. Sin City (a.k.a. Las Vegas) is home to buffets of every type known to man. Vegetarians and carnivores alike unite for the feeding frenzy. It is fun to see the seasoned veterans of the buffet line, stacking their plates high in order to get as much food as pos sible in one trip. There are delicacies for every one who wants to participate in the gorge fest, though I recom mend avoiding them. The first step to properly getting your money’s worth - is to forgo the mashed potatoes. My conspiracy theory about mashed potatoes is that “the man” puts a chemical substance in them so that it makes Mr. Tummy feel too full T he C lackamas P rint 19600 S Molalla Ave. Oregon City, OR 97045 (503) 657-6958 ext. 2309 The Clackamas Print is a weekly student publication and is distributed every Wednesday except during finals week. too soon. Why would a buffet permit such corruption? Humans are drawn to mashed potatoes like flies to electric bug zappers. It’s for the money, of course. Yet they are charging a hefty sum of money already for a low-quality meal. For example, the average buffet in Las Vegas is between $10 and $20. How .can a buffet charge so much and still get customers? By psychologically trapping people into believing they can eat more than they pay for. The buf fet people have mastered the art of screwing everyone; they’ve boiled it down to a science. At regular restau rants, you get a nice. 1:1 ratio of meat to carbohydrates. At buffets,' though, the ratio jumps to 1:10. There are 10 high- carb dishes for every meat item. Ever wonder why? Because buying mountains of rice, potatoes and bread is cheaper than buying slabs of meat. Yet you’re paying for a New York steak dinner. Wake up and realize that buf fets are a feeding trough of death, the slow killing cancer of the restaurant industry; Despite their ever-growing popu- larity, buffets are dragging down . the standard for a A. quality meal. Co Editors-in-Chief: Advertising Manager: Production assistant: Goals: The Clackamas Print aims to - Cyndee Mady and Cory Price Copy Editor: Katie Funk News Editor: Karlin Johnson Opinion Editor: Ben Maras Feature Editor: Karen Hill A&E Editor: Isaiah Creel Sports Editor: Nie Delzell Mark Falling, ext. 2578 Photo Editor: Jesse Lamond Staff Writers: Shannon Armstead, Sara Atkeson, Faye Dodds, Frank Jordan, Jessica LeClaire, Bethany Monroe, Jeff Sorensen, Jadon Triplett Michaele Cooper report the news in an honest, unbiased, professional manner. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the student body, college administration, its faculty or TAe Print. E-mai! comments to chiefed@clackamas.edu. Photographers: Truman Anderson, Amy Cashman, Angela Gerhart Adviser: Linda Vogt Department assistant: Lauren Vuylsteke The Clackamas Print © 2004
