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Subject:

Maryland to continue to eradicate Mute Swans

From:

Tim Boucher

Reply-To:

Tim Boucher

Date:

Tue, 9 Jun 2009 16:08:25 -0400

Maryland DNR to continue with plan to eradicate Mute Swans, per an article in the Baltimore Sun today. 

An editorial in today's Baltimore Sun purports to oppose the move, but it is the dumbest argument I've ever read. Maybe it is meant to be tongue-in-cheek:  "And since when did eating "underwater grasses" become a capital crime anyway? If that's a killing offense, let them eat lettuce (or arugula, or whatever). Has anyone ever written a great ballet about underwater grasses for crying out loud?" If so, the entire piece becomes incoherent, because what is said to be a defense of the swans actually proves how silly the case for the swans really is: "As for driving out "native" species -- the swans originated in Central Asia, where for centuries they were revered as symbols of eternal love -- does immigrant-bashing have no limit these days? "

And my favorite line of all: "When it comes to swans, I don't care what the scientists say."

And then there's the classic: there are much worse problems (true) so don't worry about this one. I just love that logic. Cancer kills more people than heart disease, so don't worry about heart disease.

OK, then. Let me know when you plan to retract all those articles bashing the government for ignoring or distorting science. 

Fortunately, Maryland DNR does care what scientists have to say.

Ellen Paul
Chevy Chase MD