(U-WIRE)
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, otherwise
known as PETA, is making waves again. PETA's target this time is the NCAA,
and this time, their opponent buckled.
According to PETA representatives, a letter dated
November 16, 2001 was sent to the offices of the NCAA requesting that they
drop the use of for the upcoming men's and women's seasons and instead use
pleather basketballs.
In response to PETA's request, the NCAA took an
unorthodox approach and bowed down to the requests of PETA, and now
cattlemen across the nation want answers.
"Those of us who make our living in the cattle
business would like the NCAA and state universities to explain their
relationship with PETA and, in particular, how PETA influenced the
decision to stop using leather basketballs," said local cattlemen
James Sease.
The NCAA has stated publicly that the switch had
nothing to do with PETA. However, cattlemen aren't buying this
explanation.
"If the NCAA did not take PETA's request into
consideration, then why were they writing congratulatory letters to each
other," said Becky Walton, public information director for the South
Carolina Department of Agriculture.
Many national agriculture commissioners are taking
this very seriously and are supporting their cattlemen.
Standing up for the South Carolina Cattlemen is
Agriculture Commissioner Les Tindal, who in a letter to the NCAA,
expressed his discontent: "I am disappointed that the NCAA has
allowed a radical animal rights group to call the shots for its member
organizations."
Commissioner of Agriculture James Harsdorf of
Wisconsin has also thrown his hat in the ring for this fight against PETA
and the NCAA. "The NCAA better take a good hard look at who it's
playing ball with," he said, referring to PETA.
Harsdorf continued, "This is the same group
that encourages college students to give up milk in favor of beer, at a
time when binge drinking has been reported as a major problem on college
campuses across America."
Walton was asked what she would say to a PETA
official if given the chance: "It's hard to speak to someone who is
being irrational." However, Walton digressed. "I do believe that
they are a radical terrorist organization. They have supported groups that
have bombed restaurants, and are as bad as people who support Osama Bin
Laden. "They use scare tactics, and they sometimes even strip to try
to make a point. What does that say about a group like that?"
Walton said she does not know if the NCAA will
reverse its decision but Commission Tindal knows one thing for certain:
"No matter how many hoops the NCAA jumps through for an activist
group like this, the colleges and universities in the NCAA end up the
losers."
The battle will definitely rage on as PETA has said
they will now "turn their attention to the NBA in hope that the
league will follow the lead of the WNBA and also disqualify leather and
start shooting with pleather."
