Letter to Eddie Bauer: Dear Eddie Bauer -- I have warm feelings and considerable respect for your brand and was interested to read about its history. The announcement said:
"Eddie Bauer launches its Heritage Collection in a tribute to Eddie's passion for the outdoors and the sportsman tradition." More advanced clothing and accessories are introduced to make the outdoorsmen -- including "hunters" -- comfortable and safe.

While I can understand why the company categorizes the "hunter" consumer with those who climb mountains, hike and pursue similar activities, I am asking you to think anew about the place humanity now occupies in evolutionary time -- in regard to "hunting." Our relationship to nature is in the process of transition from the idea of "conquering, eliminating, exploiting, and killing" to one of conservation and care. "Hunting" already has evolved far beyond its role in human history. Only in a few tribal areas is it necessary for survival. Consider the scene of a relatively affluent human outfitting himself/herself with technically superior clothing, luxury tents, and war-derived weapons, infra-red, radar and other such equipment. The human transports himself in supreme comfort to a remote area where he establishes himself in the same luxury he enjoys in his condo or house. With his perfect clothing and deadly equipment he goes out to "hunt" mammals, often baiting them with food. This is not "hunting." This is technological conscious killing for -- what reason?

The illusion that he aligns with his ancestor? Even an ancestor of 100 years ago would be astounded and would question why he considers this bravery.

He must kill or his family will starve? Only in a few tribal areas. The man who buys equipment from companies like Eddie Bauer consumes 99.999999 per cent of his animal flesh from plastic-wrapped supermarket trays.

It makes you feel more like a man to kill something walking in the woods or approaching carefully scented bait food? This atavistic idea is analogous to killing as a blood lust sensation practiced in the Coliseum. One difference from the Coliseum: this killing is practiced in secret -- no one observes you in the woods except those you intend to kill. No public knows about it except through your own personally controlled stories.
What am I asking Eddie Bauer to do? During the planetary transition to care and conservation -- which has to happen for survival -- could you at least put up some signs that discuss "hunting" in an expanded more dimensional light? Open up a discussion on your web site? Print some pamphlets to promote photographic hunting instead of killing?

Thank you -- China Altman