After thinking about your reading, discussion, and analysis of Rifkin’s article and the letters in response to it, what do you personally think about Rifkin’s point?  Do you think it is true, as Rifkin says, that “many of our fellow creatures are more like us than we had ever imagined”?  Do you think we need to change the way we treat the animals around us?  Or do you think Rifkin is wrong?  Write a letter expressing your viewpoint to the editor of the newspaper.

If you like, you may start out with “Dear Editor:”