Animal rights group seeks more laws, full ban
I am writing in response to Asad Ramzanali’s column “Animal Rights Activists Should Seek Widened Legislation,” Jan. 5.
I was presented as stating that Bruins for Animals is not looking for drastic changes in animal experimentation, which is untrue. Bruins for Animals is dedicated to the end of animal experimentation in all of its forms.
We believe that any kind of experimenting on animals diverges from both scientific reasoning and respect for life. Widening the definition of the Animal Welfare Act to include all animals is the beginning of a progression that will lead to the end of using animals in experimentation. This is a start, not an end to what we anticipate. Bruins for Animals hopes to enlighten students about the inhumanity and invalidity of animal experimentation. Interested UCLA students, staff and faculty are encouraged to attend Bruins for Animals’ and Pro-Test for Science’s “Perspectives on the Science and Ethics of Animal-Based Research” on Feb. 16 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Young CS50.
Ashley Smith
President, Bruins for Animals
Columnist correct on religious charities
I found the Jan. 27 column “For God’s sake, tax exemption should only be for secular charitable intent” in sync with what our group works for. It is questionable that a religious group is allowed to subsidize their outreach with tax dollars. At least political parties are held accountable for their purchases and have numerous laws designed to restrain their actions.
A black hole of revenue exists entrenched in our own economy with mega-church enterprises. Taxing these legalized hucksters would reign them in somewhat and put more discerning eyes towards their financial practices.
Benjamin T. Jolitz
Vice president, Bruin Alliance of Skeptics and Secularists