"Anyone who’s lived in Western North Carolina for long — or knows anything about the region — knows how offensive it is to locals, Cherokee or otherwise, to have people from other areas parachute in and tell us how we should be doing things.

The implication that we are backward up here in these hills is insulting and guaranteed to raise a wall of resistance to any idea proffered in such a manner. Given their history, it’s especially infuriating to the Cherokee to be portrayed as “uncivilized” or “barbaric,” as Bob Barker and PETA suggested in their recent protest of the way bears are held in captivity on Cherokee lands.

But apparently no one got the word to Barker or PETA, making their protest a rude affront that would have been better directed elsewhere, even though they are right on the issue.

It is cruel and inhumane to confine bears in concrete pens. It should be stopped and there’s no sugarcoating that."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Barker, PETA right, but their aim could have been better (The Asheville Citizen-Times 8/5)

Also Today:
Bob Barker, PETA protest treatment of Cherokee bears (The Mountain XPress 8/5)
Cherokee leaders to PETA: back off our bear zoos (Smoky Mountain News 8/5)

Related Stories:
Bob Barker calls for Eastern Cherokee boycott (7/30)
Congressman's wife upset with Cherokee bears (7/29)
Bob Barker to meet with Eastern Cherokee chief (7/28)