Followers of “American Idol” will no doubt recall Kristy Lee Cook, the fresh-faced young cowgirl from Selma, Ore., who rode her country style all the way to seventh place on season seven of the singing competition in 2008. Her country styling’s were probably what paved the way for her most recent role on the Versus channel show “Goin’ Country,” where the hunting and singing are fine. The hunting in specific has made an enemy of the publicity-grabbing animal rights organization PETA. The controversial organization is waiting for Kristy Lee Cook’s full mea culpa.
Kristy Lee Cook has called PETA’s bluff
According to Fox News, Kristy Lee Cook makes no apologies for her involvement with “Goin’ Country”. PETA had harsh words for the former “Idol” star, whom they’d hoped would toe the line and advertise with them in support of animal right as Carrie Underwood, Kellie Pickler and Simon Cowell have done before. Cook, who supports animal rights, fired back at the bully organization. “Given that hunters have done more for American wildlife conservation than any group in history, I make no apology for being one,” Cook told Fox. “Indeed, I join the ranks of millions of American hunters who celebrate our outdoor heritage and who conserve millions of acres of wild lands. These same individuals support more than 600,000 jobs across the country and provide a critical voice to encourage more investment in American conservation”.
She sings, she hunts
”Goin’ Country” gives a chance to see inside the life of Kristy Lee Cook. Her charity organization, the “Kristy Lee Horse Heaven Foundation,” also receives attention. One of the recreational activities depicted within the show is family hunting trips. Throughout, Cook insists that hunting is handled responsibly, with an eye toward conservation and even the role meat can play in an organic diet. ”If I don’t take the meat home to my family, then we give it to orphanages or homeless shelters,” said Cook.
Meat is brain food
Meat is valuable to human evolution, something that PETA and other hunting-critical groups tend to ignore. Anthropologist Leslie Aiello told NPR that when humans became meat-eaters, major changes in evolution started to occur.”What we think is that this dietary change around 2.3 million years ago was one of the major significant factors within the evolution of our own species,” Aiello said. Aiello and other scientists believe the development of tools used in hunting fostered greater brain development. The meat itself had the calories and fat human brains needed for energy. In theory, the more energy-efficient transaction gave brains what they needed to grow larger. Cooking, which came not long after meat eating began for humans, further aided in brain development through its social and division of labor aspects.
Additional reading
Fox News
foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/08/03/exclusive-peta-takes-aim-kristy-lee-cooks-hunting-shoots/
NPR.org
npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128849908
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristy_Lee_Cook
