More feedback on ‘Shooting an Elephant’

We received a lot of feedback about “Shooting an Elephant,” a sidebar in an October profile of Ron Kujawa, founder of Wisconsin-based KEI. Here are more letters that didn’t make it into the magazine.

What do you think? Send your comments to Managing Editor Chuck Bowen at cbowen@gie.net.

A bygone era
Appalled, disgusted, shocked. These are just a few of the reactions I experienced when coming upon and reading "Letting Go” and “Shooting an Elephant," in the October issue of Lawn and Landscape.  

This is 2009, yet the substance and tone of the article represents a bygone era, one in which the lives of these magnificent animals held little value – a less morally evolved era. 

Gandhi said "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." The same could be said of publications.
 
Bebe Gallo
President
Gardens by Design of Connecticut

Extremely poor judgment
I’d like to preface this e-mail by saying that I’m not usually one to be easily offended or to even fire off e-mails when I am. That said, I think that the inset on “Shooting an Elephant” is in extremely bad taste. I find it hard to believe that a magazine that is tied to the green industry and regularly publishes articles about various green-minded and conservation-related topics finds it acceptable to post the details of hunting and shooting an endangered species and then go even further to detail the kind of trivial crap that the dead animal will be turned into.

I have no problem with the rights of individuals to hunt game, however I think that the editors of Lawn and
Landscape showed extremely poor judgment when they decided to glorify the killing of a defenseless animal such as an elephant and showed even poorer judgment by including a picture of a guy standing on top of a dead elephant with a gun. I think that the entire inset about “Shooting an Elephant” is just in poor, poor taste. I’m sure that I’m not the only reader of your publication who feels this way.

Dan Hanson

Leave hunting to ‘Field and Stream’
In regards to "What I Know" in the October 2009 issue of Lawn & Landscape, I found objectionable the article by Ron Kujawa and his marksmanship with elephants.
  
As a retired landscaper I was incensed at the fact you would report about Mr. Kujawa's extra-curricular activities of killing such a magnificent animal especially so during our quest to preserve the planet and its ecology.
  
Surely he could find a more creative hobby since he boasts of a successful landscaping career. 
  
We landscapers create beauty, not destroy it.
  
He mentions how tempers flare at meetings since his "letting go." What a shame he has to take his aggressions out in such an un-manly way. Even worse:  killing the beautiful animal at less than 10 yards away. Those of us who have grown up don't need "an adrenaline pumper."
  
Please leave the details of hunting to Field and Stream.
 
Don Chabot
Oklahoma City, Okla.

Horrifying
The lawn and garden center where I work recently received your current issue of Lawn & Landscape. I was flipping through the pages and found the piece on Ron Kujawa.

I believe that it is in extremely poor taste to include Ron's account of "bagging an elephant." First of all, the point of this article is hardly the killing of an endangered animal. Secondly, it is extremely unnecessary and horrifying that we must learn about how each of his four children get a foot that could be made into an umbrella stand or a trash can. This is Lawn & Landscape. On what planet should this be included in a trade publication for landscape contractors?

I spent a month interning at an elephant sanctuary. PETA rallied against that particular sanctuary, so I assure you that I am not in that category. I understand that in Africa there is culling of herds. It's unfortunate that these animals compete with farmers for land. Conservation aside, what place does it have in your publication?

I've worked in this industry for eight years. I am also a freelance writer. I think this man could have been profiled in a way that was more relevant to our industry.

Christine Lucas

Letting you go
I am appalled that you would actually promote the slaughter of an elephant in your article with Ron Kujawa. This article incited revulsion, anger and sadness in me, to the point that I stopped reading this magazine that I have read for many years, and further more cancelled for good. I will no longer support an organization that promotes needless and cruel destruction of life in any form. Mr. Kujawa must be very proud of himself for killing a beautiful animal defenseless to his gun.

I find it very strange that a magazine about growing and maintaining our landscape would have this article about death and destruction of an elephant and make me so disgusted that I too have to let you go!

June Comparato
Green Care Landscaping
Durango, Colo.


Off to the round file
The article about the Ron Kujawa disgusts me.  Is it that you just don’t understand what is coming down with our planet or is it that you think it is fun to kill what little wildlife we have left?  I have spent most of my life supporting kindness and compassion for all living creatures.  Obviously you and Ron are people that are not stewards of the planet. This lack of values is what shows the depth of a person and their worth. 

P.S. – Eliminate me from your subscription list, as I will round file any that I receive in the future.

Lynn Jackson
Owner
Jackson Landscape
Capitola, Calif.