Cyndi's Two Cents

The rodent’s shadow

Commentary.

The rodent saw its shadow on February 2nd so we’re all supposed to brace for six more weeks of winter.  Have you ever wondered why so many people trust a groundhog’s shadow as the portent of winter weather?  According to Stormfax Almanac’s data, Punxsutawney Phil isn’t really a very good predicter.  His accuracy is only about 39 percent.  And yet there is a day named after the infamous woodchuck and almost every media outlet in this country and many others reported the casting of a shadow by the Pennsylvania omnivore when it emerged from its den last Friday morning.

Intelligent people know this groundhog shadow winter predicting business is simply a legend with no facts to back it up.  However, few if any of the media outlets reporting that Punxsutawney Phil cast a shadow last Friday mentioned the truth about the inaccuracy of the rodent in forecasting the weather.  Sadly, it’s not only entertainment “news” that is often reported without any factual background.  Too often there is no balance in “news” report.  Opinion is too often presented as fact.  Reporters too often fail to do the research and thus, fail their audience.

Also reported last week, although picked up by few media outlets, were stories about alleged sexual harassment claims against the top brass at Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) by numerous women who work or worked at the animal rights group.  Both Wayne Pacelle, the CEO and Paul Shapiro, former Vice President of Policy who directed HSUS’s Farm Animal Protection campaign which included among other things, efforts to persuade food service providers, restaurants, universities and grocery stores to end their use of eggs from caged birds and pork from farms using gestation stalls were named in the allegations, as reported by Politico, The Washington Post, The New York Times and The Huffington Post.

I am a firm believer in journalistic integrity and fact-checking and covering all sides of a story.  I also believe in innocence until proven guilty.  However, because I know the reign of terror that these people have put so many in animal agriculture through with unproven allegations, I gladly share this story. So, Wayne and Paul, if you are innocent, this is what it feels like to be treated like criminals as you have done to so many who care for livestock. If you are guilty, I hope you are prosecuted to the full extent of the law and whatever it takes to have justice served is done. I do wonder what Ellen and Portia and all those women in Hollywood who sang your praises have to say about you now.

While penning this column, I received an email from a co-worker directing me to a story in the Washington Post reporting that Wayne Pacelle will remain CEO of HSUS.  The board of directors at HSUS voted to leave him in the top spot although an in internal investigation at HSUS identified three sexual harassment complaints against him.  He denies the allegations, but the Post article says that seven board members of HSUS reportedly resigned after the vote.  The Post also reports some contributors are calling for his resignation.

Hopefully next week’s national news will be about something other than rodents.