How to twist the truth

I recently came across this website Schoolpestfacts.com. It looks very official and quotes doctors studies. It does a very good job of playing on fears about dangers to children. Here is the section on Health Threats to School Children from Pest Birds.

The website is run by CropLife America/RISE a company that advocates the use of chemicals to kill pest species that they say poses a danger to people and food sources. They also lobby against restrictions to pesticide use. This portion of a press release from 2004 says it all:

Article: CropLife America/RISE Statement on U.S. District Court Order in Endangered Species Act Case.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is a statement by CropLife America/RISE on the U.S. District Court Order in the Endangered Species Act Case:

"Today, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington state ordered unnecessary buffer zones up to 300 feet for certain pesticide applications close to waterways along with a redundant consumer education program for pesticides already approved for use by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

"The court's final order is devastating to agriculture and pest control in the Pacific Northwest. These severe restrictions on agriculture, small- business and consumer use of pest ...

Twisting the truth and causing hysteria for profit...makes me so mad.
I was just a my mom's and she was watching Animal Planet and a program about the most invasive species...boy oh boy did they ever blow that one out of proportion. It makes me crazy.

Yes, it's infuriating!
Wherever there's money to be made from something, every effort is made to twist the public's perception. If they cannot make the product look desirable and glamorous, then they prey on people's fears and ignorance.
Education and exposure of the lies are the only way forward.

Teresa wrote:

Yes, it's infuriating!
* Wherever there's money to be made from something, every effort is made to twist the public's perception.

If they cannot make the product look desirable and glamorous, then they prey on people's fears and ignorance.

** Education and exposure of the lies are the only way forward.

* And in all too many cases, causes the early demise of the innocent ones.

** with you tenfold, Teresa.

Alone the expression "pest bird" makes me mad as if a bird could ever be a pest

May these people burn in #hell#

I agree with you all. People are so ignorant and let others scare them with their lies.

I recently came across this website: http://www.jbryant.co.uk/

We need more people out there like John Bryant who will teach others that you don't need to kill in order to remove so called 'pests' from their property. Maybe then people will be a bit more compassionate towards animals, especially pigeons and rats.

Thank you for that link.

Thank you for posting the link, Revati.