In response to criticism of my letter (May 19) by Lloyd Barnes and Pilot columnist Geoff Cutler (May 23), as a former Republican and a former member of the National Rifle Association (NRA), I have a constitutional right to set forth my views regarding both organizations.

With regard to Barnes’ comment that “God put animals on earth for our ­enjoyment, as pets or for food,” I hope that this is not his justification for the operation of puppy mills and dog-fighting pits. Man is just one of the countless species making up the inhabitants of a sensitive and intricate ecological system and is the most dangerous animal ever created.

Man is destroying our only home, Earth. The out-of-control oil well in the Gulf of Mexico is a good example. The ­environmental damage caused by this one disaster will last for decades and perhaps forever.

Concerning Cutler’s remark that I am unglued, I am probably just as glued as he is. When he describes Sarah Palin as an “environmentalist” he is falling for ­ghostwriter propaganda. Apparently he never heard of her authorization to hunt wolves from airplanes. Cutler also urges The Pilot toward censorship under the assumption that opinions contrary to his are unfit to print.

With regard to the NRA, as an active member, I competed in NRA-sponsored ­pistol competitions. I resigned because of an NRA policy that everyone, including ex-felons and homicidal maniacs, have a right to own an assault rifle.

Concerning the selection of the chairman of the Republican Party, I don’t care if they select a green Martian as long as he is ­competent, which Mr. Steele, who is under investigation for authorizing payment for strip club visits, may not be.

Let’s tell it like it is.

Earle D. Hightower

Pinehurst