Thanksgiving Words From SFZoo Director - Are You Kidding Me?!

Hope everyone had a peaceful Thanksgiving!

I have many things to be Thankful for.  The only thing the Orangutans have to be Thankful for is the Animal Staff.  The Curators and Keepers take excellent care of them despite the challenge of not having an enclosure for them to live at optimum well-being.  

Amoi and Ollie in their usual position watching the Chimpanzees, from their caged tunnel home.

Let me start by saying, I don't mean to be a bitch, but seriously, this is outrageous.  Sometimes, the Universe aligns and the Zoo will just serve itself up to me, presenting itself with the perfect examples of my whole message with this blog.  Frankly, I wish it wouldn't because I have enough to write about without them giving me more. 

I had two posts pretty much done to post this week before Thanksgiving, then this happened. Tuesday the Zoo's Animail Newsletter that comes via email, arrived.  The title of it is, Thanksgiving: A Time To Reflect.  Gotta admit my initial reaction was apprehensively filled with glee, as I thought, Reflect?  Could this be a Reflection before Resignation?  Unfortunately, it was not. 

Before I go any further, I want to note something, because just mentioning that I would prefer Tanya Peterson not be the Director of our Zoo, I could be retaliated against.  In 2019, in America, censorship is often alive and well at the San Francisco Zoo, definitely for me, but allegedly I'm not alone.  

Each time I have gotten my Membership taken away, I have never been given a reason. The last time in 2017, it was curious, as I hadn't been posting much to this blog, certainly not as much as in 2015 when I crusaded to save our Chimps from being kicked out by Director Peterson.  Not too long ago, I looked back at the posts I made during 2017 and there was one, exactly a month prior titled, What Needs To Happen To Replace Director Peterson?

You can read that post here:

https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2017/05/what-needs-to-happen-to-replace.html

I just reread it and honestly. yea it was harsh, but all true, and still valid today. I'm not a mean person, so I don't want to say things about someone, just to say them, but if they are true, I'm not going to hold back, and especially not if it involves the lives of Animals.  I don't think it should be an issue to put forth the notion that the Zoo should be under better management and if that means different management then so be it.  It is certainly no secret that I don't think Tanya Peterson is the best person to be Director.  It's not about bashing, its about wrongness, and the wrongness points to her not being a suitable Director, if for no other reason, than the current situation going on with the Orangutans.  So by throwing it out there in an exclusive blog post, should not only, not be a surprise, but my right to express my opinion and to free speech and should not be the source of her retaliation against me.  

Some will say, why do it again and risk being retaliated against?  I'm not going to let the possible third strike at me deter me from being the Voice for these Animals, just because someone is threatened by my words of truth.  I had a final straw moment, and that was when the Chimps were locked inside, with no outdoor access, no fresh air, for seven weeks.  This was all because Director Peterson has not provided the Orangutans with a place to live.  The lack of a third space to properly rotate these two species of Apes, directly affected our senior Chimps who waited two decades for a new home, and then were denied being able to use it.  THAT was my line.  I will not hold back documenting the wrongs, and certainly not the reason for them.

Thanksgiving: A Time to Reflect

So here we are with this Thanksgiving message.  I find the gall of this completely offensive.  First, the main part of it is back patting for what was done for Humans.  What about the Animals that live there?  Excuse me but I thought the Zoo was an Animal Care Facility?  Then in closing, she gives mention to upcoming things relating to Animals, with not one mention of an appropriate home of the Orangutans!  I'd say unbelievable, but is it really?

I like to include messages I get from people, as I am often crucified as the only one who thinks things aren't right. Someone I know sent me this message after reading the newsletter. "Just read the disgusting letter. I am pissed. She must have personal issues on Apes in general.  That must be a big reason she leaves them out. And...all the chimps being integrated was a big thing. Why was that overlooked?"

Director Peterson should have used the time spent on composing this letter, to work on getting the Orangutans out of the trails.   

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Blogger's Statement

"Personal Opinions and Facts presented publicly are Not against the law or any rules. ... Censorship and Retaliation Actions in an attempt at Suppression are frowned upon by Healthy Societies."

For Full Statement see this post:

https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2018/09/my-zoo-status.html

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