Dear Editor:
Nobody would confuse the Chicago Bears football team with real grizzlies, or the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team with real deer, which leads to an interesting comparison between our political parties and the symbolic animals chosen to represent them.
The Democrat party symbol is the donkey. Real donkeys are capable of independent thought and decision-making. Fascinating animals have a strong territorial instinct. They are tremendously strong, often acting as protectors to those in need.
The Republican Party symbol is the elephant. Real elephants possess the largest brains of all land mammals. Keenly intelligent animals, often demonstrate compassion and empathy to those in need. Their level of self-awareness continues to astound researchers worldwide.
Both donkeys and elephants are also calm, gentle, and highly sociable. The 2024 Democratic National Convention is in Chicago and the Republican National Convention is in Wisconsin. We hope our politicians will act less like politicians and more like animals.
Scott Miller
The PETA Foundation