Editor:
Until this moment, my life has been totally fulfilled without knowledge of Mr. Allen Polk Hemphill and his inane views regarding the preservation of species (San Diego Business Journal, June 20).
I never knew he existed nor do I particularly care. Given the choice between knowing the ivory-billed woodpecker or Mr. Hemphill, I would choose the ivory-billed woodpecker!
If I understand his logic, if a species is not served on his plate, he does not care about its preservation. What will he do when all the chickens are gone?
We do have the technology and resources to save every species from extinction, but do we have the moral conscience and public will? Every day, discoveries are made with new and existing species that have untold medical and therapeutic benefits for the benefit of humankind.
Becky Clelland
La Jolla
