Straits Times Forum
Online Story
Mar 17, 2010
Culling is wrong
I REFER to Mr Tony Lee's letter on Sunday, "Town council right in culling pigeons".
The writer said: "The birds should feed and roost in trees and fields - where they belong."
My sentiments exactly. But how much of trees and fields have we left for them? We have destroyed so much of the natural habitat of animals and birds. Now we are labelling them pests and thinking of ways and means to drive them out.
The writer also asserted that "the lives of pigeons are precious, but the lives of human beings are more precious".
In response, I'd like to quote British philosopher Jeremy Bentham: "The question is not, 'Can they reason?' nor, 'Can they talk?' but rather, 'Can they suffer?'"
Akiko Ng (Ms)
