Letter: Some context needed for tortoise stir-up

While my brother and his family were visiting last week, we went up to Aspen and happened to find ourselves near the Aspen Art Museum.

“Let’s go up to the roof and see the tortoises,” I said, curious about the controversy brewing over the use of tortoises to carry iPads in the name of art.

So we did. The animals in question looked just like all the other tortoises I’ve seen in zoos, lazing around, seemingly unaware of the people gathered around staring and clicking photos. They also seemed very unaware of the electronic devices glued to their shells. They were certainly far less aware than a dolphin or orca whale carrying a human rider for the entertainment of a crowd at Sea World. For that matter, do we ever consider how horses feel when we strap saddles on their backs, shove metal bits in their mouths, mount them and ride around simply for our own pleasure? Animals have been used and abused for our entertainment for centuries in circuses, zoos, theme parks, television and movies. Therefore, the sudden outcry over a few tortoises with iPads on their shells seems utterly hypocritical.

Even more so, consider that letter for letter and ad for ad, there is more outrage over the tortoises than there is over the massacre of hundreds of innocent children in Gaza by U.S.-made bombs. Get some perspective, people!

Sue Gray

Carbondale