Page 11 - Spring2008

Letters

my farming days, we would not consider of vegan propaganda.” Such polemics Weston A. Price Foundation is seeking
butchering and dressing a thin animal. divert the reader from Campbell’s story to engage in serious debate over nutri-
And we spread additional fat across the of how he became convinced that animal tional questions, a superior rhetorical
roast before it went in the oven. products correlate positively with the strategy might be to show respect for
A motto to live by: listen to your serious diseases of Western society, a those with a differing viewpoint, to
body, not the dietitians. Enjoy your food conviction that led Campbell to take up a speak moderately and reasonably, and
and don’t be afraid of fat. It’s not going vegan diet for himself and his family. to bring forth relevant anecdotal and
to kill you. And keep those tins of fat on Mr. Masterjohn describes on his statistically signifi cant information.
hand! website his experience as a vegan, his This writer urges readers of Wise
Geoffrey C. Morell discovery of the benefits for him of eat- Traditions to read The China Study

Washington, DC ing meat, and his discovery of and in- and decide for themselves whether it
volvement in the Weston A. Price Foun- is “vegan propaganda” or a reasoned
DISAPPOINTING REVIEW dation as a community of like-minded presentation of fi fty years of nutritional
I read The China Study by T. Colin individuals. That’s fair enough, but Mr. research. Readers can read Campbell’s
Campbell soon after it was published. Masterjohn’s personal experience can- response to two negative reviews of his
The book impressed me for several not but predispose him to discredit the book, including Masterjohn’s, at http://
reasons: the impeccable credentials of conclusions of The China Study by any www.vegsource.com/articles2/camp-
the author; his sharing of the conclusions means at hand. Thus Campbell is ac- bell_china_response.htm.
from his research through this book; cused of unwarranted generalizations, Many of us are convinced that nu-
the carefully reasoned presentation of ignoring data contrary to his thesis, trition is important to healing and good
much data about correlations between faulty logic, and distortion of the re- health, and we are searching for helpful
nutrients and such epidemic problems as sults of the China project as originally information as to what we should eat.
heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, published in the research monograph. Thus we read about this subject: The
and autoimmune diseases; and fi nally To what extent these represent care- China Study, Wise Traditions, Michio
the understated, academic tone of the less, or biased, research by Campbell Kushi, The Maker’s Diet, Dr. Sherry
book. and to what extent they represent his Rogers, and others. I’m sure many join
Some time later I read the disap- disagreement with the views promoted in my frustration with the strong dis-
pointing review of The China Study by by the Weston A. Price Foundation is agreements and dismay over the tone
Chris Masterjohn in Wise Traditions. diffi cult for this layman to determine. of the debate.
Instead of beginning by giving T. Co- The impression given by the review is John R. Cogdell
lin Campbell’s impressive credentials that The China Study is one non sequitur Austin, Texas
to address a book on nutrition to the after another, rather than what it really
American public, Mr. Masterjohn be- is, a well-told story of the data and logic We reserve the right to criticize anyone
gan instead with a guilt-by-association that led a prominent nutritional scientist who misrepresents their research fi nd-
attack on Campbell by stating that he is to adopt a vegan diet. ings, regardless of their “impeccable
on the advisory board of an organization In my eyes, some of the Weston A. credentials.”
that has a pro-vegan agenda and has ties Price Foundation authors discredit their
with several animal-rights organiza- position by abusing their opponents with Gifts and bequests to the
tions that advocate “terrorist” tactics to insults. I for one am not impressed when Weston A. Price Foundation
will help ensure the
disrupt research that uses animals. Mr. the competence and honesty of Colin gift of good health
Masterjohn also calls the book a “tower Campbell are publicly questioned. If the to future generations.

SPRING 2008 Wise Traditions 11