Vindicator editorial about Shamu was on the mark

Vindicator editorial about Shamu was on the mark

With regard to the recent Vindicator editorial titled “Let justice for Shamu serve as catalyst for more reform,” thank you for your thoughtful piece about how animals simply want to live their lives and not be hurt, used and exploited by humans.

We once thought that some “human traits” were as rare as the dodo bird in other species, but we now know that’s not the case. We now know that dogs can understand 200 or so words of human speech without being taught, polar bears in zoos can sink into deep depression, fish can tell time, cows have a “eureka moment” when they figure out how to open a new gate, octopuses can learn to unscrew jar lids by watching other octopuses, and monkeys in laboratories choose not to shock other monkeys. Bees have intricate levels of communication, and crows devise elaborate tools to gather food. Elephants recognize themselves in mirrors.

If we accept, as we must, that animals feel pain and joy, love and grief, and fear and longing, we must protect them and reject hunting them for “sport,” slaughtering them by the billions for their flesh, skinning them alive for their fur, and beating them with metal rods and whips for our amusement.

Jennifer O’Connor, Norfolk, Va.

O’Connor is a senior writer for the PETA [People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals].

Mill Creek Park director builds unnecessary bridge

I worked for Mill Creek MetroParks for almost 38 years under the supervision of Albert E. Davies, Charles C. Wedekind and William J. Schollaert and never, ever, did any of these gentlemen treat an employee in such a deplorable fashion as Aaron Young displayed last month.

Keith Kaiser, with only three years to be eligible for retirement, and he threw him out in the cold; how heartless can he be? Keith has an assistant, why not get rid of him? I know, it’s all about the money he can save. I’m sure others are close to retirement age, also, and what are they going to do until they reach the age of 65?

Oh, that’s right; it’s all about the money he can save. He needed a police escort to take him to their job sites to fire them and then stand guard while they cleaned out their desks and left the premises. He did not even have the decency to call them into his office and speak to them man to man. How cruel!

In all the years that I worked for the park, a budget was prepared based on anticipated income, and then allotments were made for salaries and wages, materials and supplies and improvements. People have enjoyed walking around the Lily Pond for years and now he needs a bridge that costs half a million dollars. Really, is that necessary?

You don’t make improvements and then fire dedicated employees to use the money saved to pay the way. He has absolutely no concept of developing and working within a budget and he has absolutely no idea of running the park efficiently. He should have many sleepless nights. I am disgusted and appalled.

Barbara Perry, Niles

Kudos to Youngstown for new garbage plan

I tend to be skepti- cal of anything the local government does, when it is claiming to save money. Such was the case when I saw the article regarding the city of Youngsgtown taking over garbage collection.

So in an attempt to be objective, I ran some numbers; most were provided in The Vindicator article of April 8. The others were what I considered reasonable “guess-timates.” Even if the guess-timates are doubled, there is considerable savings.

My compliments to Mr. Charles Shasho, deputy director of public works, and his staff on this cost-saving initiative.

John Harper, Youngstown

Memo to all lazy losers: Don’t toss junk from cars

Once again our roadsides are turning into nature’s carpets of vivid green littered with beer and pop cans, tires, Styrofoam cups, cigarette packs, etc.

People who fling their junk out of their car windows are not only just lazy but total losers!

They probably live in filth at their homes too. They certainly don’t care about seeing clean roadsides; therefore it doesn’t bother them at all to take that away from all decent people who do. There has to be some type of creepy satisfaction that they get by destroying it.

Do these slobs also get a charge out of the fact that other people of all ages are out there along the sides of the roads picking up after them?

I am hoping that this letter will make someone think twice about throwing that junk out of their car window. I am hoping they will become responsible human beings by taking their junk to their homes and throwing it in their trash can or recycle bin where it belongs. Maybe someday we can actually enjoy the beauty of clean roadsides everywhere.

Marian Beil, North Lima

Candywood hunt makes shopping for meat manly

I never thought of going to the supermarket as being particularly macho, but compared with shooting penned animals for sport, picking up a pork roast at the meat case is a testosterone rush!

I can’t wait to see photos or video of these intrepid sportsmen at the new hunting preserve in Vienna displaying their hapless trophies as the “hunting” accomplishment of a lifetime.

What will they think of next? A Dick Cheney “I Accidentally Shot My Buddy in The Face” memorial trophy may be the next innovation on the horizon for the Candywood Whitetail Ranch.

Jim Cartwright, Canfield