to the editor: If Zoe Rosenberg were to achieve her mission to free all poultry from captivity, she would fail in her goal of making “every animal… safe, happy and free” (“An animal rights activist said she 'rescued' chickens. A jury convicted her of conspiracy.” October 30). What Rosenberg and vigilantes like her don't understand is that the species GRAMallus gallus domesticus it exists solely as a result of human livestock and agriculture. These highly inbred animals are completely incapable of living in the wild. They cannot feed or protect themselves from all types of predators. If these activists achieved their goal, the species would quickly become extinct.
On the other hand, as things stand, from an evolutionary point of view, the free-range chicken is one of the most successful species on the planet. As long as humans continue to grow and eat Gallus gallus domesticus, their survival as a species will be as certain as ours.
If animal rights activists seek to help animals be “happy” and “free,” they should refocus their attention on protecting endangered wild species. In the real world, there is no such thing as security; There is only survival of the fittest. But at least with those animals, there is a theoretical possibility that they will be happy and free.
Jack Debes, Santa Monica
