You know, every so often a letter is published which is so slimy, so disingenuously skewed, and so full of repugnant spinning of fact that I can't restrain myself from responding.

Such was the letter from a certain David Martosko, of the “Center for Consumer Freedom” (CCF).

I'm not even going to try to rebut Mr. Martosko's ineffectual and unconvincing argument; the UN's report on the significant impact of the drastic effects of increasing livestock proliferation.

You can view the report for yourself at http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2006/1000448/index.html.

What needs to be revealed however, is the complete lack of credibility of the CCF, and the extreme prejudice with which Mr. Martosko delivers his deceitful message.

The CCF was preceded by the “Guest Choice Network,” which was entirely funded by the Phillip Morris Tobacco Co., but in such a way that it obfuscated its connection to that deadly company so that it could function as a propaganda and advocacy outlet to promote cigarette smoking.

Suffice to say that the CCF now acts in the exact same manner for the meat, restaurant, and alcohol industries as well.

It not only actively opposes Mothers Against Drunk Driving's efforts to lower legal blood-alcohol levels in combating drunk driving, but also targets any studies released on the very real and present dangers of red meat consumption, overfishing, and pesticide poisoning and fatty food consumption's links to obesity.

The bottom line is, if it can give you cancer, a heart attack, or outright kill you, the CCF will try to sell it to you like it's candy.

Says founding member, lobbyist Rick Berman: “(Since activists) drive consumer behavior on meat, alcohol, fat, sugar, tobacco and caffeine, (we have) to shoot the messenger. ... We've got to attack their credibility as spokespersons.”

I think the reader will get the picture?

Karl Logan

Auburn