Another distinguished name to scrawl on the John
O'Neill Wall of Heroes....
Associated Press: Jane Goodall denounces the _resident, "The president of the United States has sent a message around the world -- be afraid," Goodall said, contrasting Bush's leadership with Winston Churchill's reassuring style when World War II terrorized her native England. Asked whether her blunt remarks put her at risk of being labeled partisan, Goodall said she merely calls situations as she sees them, without regard to politics. "There are certain people in decision-making places who are clearly doing the wrong thing," she said. "If we care about justice and we care about stewardship of the planet, we have to speak out."
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/10/12/state1705EDT0044.DTL
Primate expert calls Bush's environmental record ``terrifying''
LISA LEFF, Associated Press Writer Sunday, October
12, 2003
(10-12) 14:05 PDT SAN FRANCISCO (AP) --
Primatologist Jane Goodall criticized President Bush's
environmental policies Sunday, charging the White
House with leading an "onslaught" against the
Endangered Species Act that could lead to more African
animals being killed or captured for profit.
Goodall, famed worldwide for her life's work studying
and protecting chimpanzees in Tanzania, said her
beloved apes and other species face a threat from the
Bush Administration that could undo decades of
conservation efforts.
"When I start talking about the long list of reversals
of legislation that the Bush administration has
introduced over the last three years, it's
terrifying," Goodall said during an appearance at San
Francisco's Episcopal Grace Cathedral.
She cited an effort by the White House to amend the
1973 Endangered Species Act so U.S. companies can
import a certain number of endangered animals if they
compensate the animals' native countries with money
for conservation programs. Currently, such animals
can't be imported into the United States.
Goodall said she believes circus owners and other
businesses that use animals for entertainment or
research are responsible for the proposed change.
"Obviously, they have lobbied someone in the
administration to introduce this terrible bill,"
Goodall said. "We mustn't let it happen."
Goodall is known internationally as an outspoken
advocate for environmental causes. United Nations
Secretary General Kofi Annan named Goodall a U.N.
Messenger of Peace last year, and she was made a dame
of the British Empire -- the female equivalent of a
knight -- by Queen Elizabeth this year.
During her remarks in San Francisco, Goodall also
accused Bush of promoting a global climate of fear
since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to justify
building more nuclear weapons.
"The president of the United States has sent a message
around the world -- be afraid," Goodall said,
contrasting Bush's leadership with Winston Churchill's
reassuring style when World War II terrorized her
native England.
Asked whether her blunt remarks put her at risk of
being labeled partisan, Goodall said she merely calls
situations as she sees them, without regard to
politics.
"There are certain people in decision-making places
who are clearly doing the wrong thing," she said. "If
we care about justice and we care about stewardship of
the planet, we have to speak out."