A California elementary school has been the most recent setting for an assembly called "Mountain Men and the History of the Old West" hosted by Scott "Grizzly" Sorenson (a self-proclaimed "mountain man"), and one of the most recent targets of probably the most radical, outragous, and ridiculous animal rights group today, known as PeTA ("People for the Ethical Treatement of Animals"). PeTA seems to be offended by the fact that Sorenson dresses himself in home-sewn buckskin adorned with a veriety of animal teeth, demonstrates such survival tools as traps, knives, and the muzzleloader rifle, and teaches students about methods of tracking, tanning, and muzzle loading, all of which are things that were very important to the survival of early American settlers and Native Americans. In a promotional brochure for his assembly, Sorenson includes this quote from a group of elementary students: "We liked the animal skins that you showed us. Thank you for bringing them. The Hawken gun was very nice! We were surprised that the gun could kill a bear. We liked the Green River Knife because it was so big", and this seems to piss off PeTA even more. Although the "mountain man" (Sorenson) uses the phrase, "I hunt with a camera," he does describe the killing of a bear. PeTA claims that Sorenson tries to potray the event (of killing the bear) as "humorous", and PeTA tries to use that half-truth/lie to turn concerned parents and teachers against Sorenson and his assembly. At his assembly at the Arroyo Elementary School in California, after being told the story of the slain bear by Sorenson, one student shouted out, referring to the bear, "I would have killed him with a machine gun." PeTA is disturbed by this, however, they do not seem to know (or care about) the whole story concerning the bear incident. I have been in contact with someone who knows Scott Sorenson personally, and he says that Scott is "a very nice family man" (he has five daughters). During the school year he (Sorenson) goes around to schools and tells the stories of how the people used to live around the area. PEOPLE meaning the Native Americans as well as the mountain men and various other groups that lived before America was a country. Sorenson also has a book out and in that book he tells the whole story about the bear that he killed. In a nutshell:
Scott "Grizzly" Sorenson went up to his lodge (in Canada) with his wife on their honeymoon, and upon arriving at the lodge, a bear came out of the lodge (it apparently had broken in, probably looking for food), saw scott and his wife, and charged at them. So, Scott shot and killed the bear (it only took one shot, and the bear was killed instantly because Scott shot it though the heart) before it was able to kill him and his wife! In keeping with what he tells the people he talks to, he used almost every peice of the bear. He ate the liver but not the heart becouse the bullet had ripped it to pieces. It just so happens that the Indians used to eat the livers of bear believing that it would help them concieve children, and they used to eat the hearts of bear believing that it would make them have boy children. It just so happens that Scott has five daughters! THAT is the joke!
LOL
Get it PeTA??
PeTA has posted the name and address of the Principal of Arroyo Elementary School on their website and is trying to get people to write "polite" letters to her telling her to drop Scott Sorenson's assembly "in favor of a more compassionate approach to teaching history". I also suggest that you write to Ms. Kaprielian (the Principal of the Arroyo Elementary School) but instead tell her NOT to give into PeTA and urge her to keep allowing Scott Sorenson to present his interesting and educational assemblies to the students of her school!
Please write to:
Barbara Kaprielian
Principal
Arroyo Elementary School
11112 Coronel Rd.
Santa Ana, CA 92705
If you do write to Ms. Kaprielian, I ask you to tell her (nicely, of course) NOT to give in to PeTA! I have already written and sent in my letter showing my support for Scott Sorenson, and I urge you to do the same. People like Scott Sorenson, school officals and parents who want people like Sorenson to be able to speak to students at school assemblies, and most importantly the students who enjoy listening to the interesting and educational stories of people like Sorenson sometimes need help with keeping fanatical animal rights groups like PeTA from nosing their way into places where they are not wanted (and do not belong)!