CUT ranch is the only group that can stop bison killing

This winter's slaughter of almost 700 Yellowstone bison could have been stopped by one organization, and it chose not to do so. The Church Universal Triumphant, which has deep spiritual roots and a membership that embraces those teachings, had a golden opportunity to take the morally responsible road and remove their cattle from their private land to provide winter range this year for Yellowstone's bison. Instead, they refused to allow bison on their land -- and so hundreds of bison had to be sent to slaughter.

CUT has every right to run cattle. The much misunderstood land exchange of 1999 did not require CUT to stop grazing cattle; those negotiations were never completed. And so today, CUT is well within its rights to graze cattle on their private land.

But is this the morally correct action? Do CUT's worldwide members know of its decision and condone it? The Church Universal Triumphant still has time to prove it can be the generous neighbor that Yellowstone's bison need today. The bison exodus is likely to continue into March. They can open remove their cattle and open their land to bison now. It's the right thing to do.

Carolyn Duckworth

Gardiner

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