Entitled to know

February 22, 2006

Dear Sir,

I have to commend Dr. A. M. Ware-Cieters on her superb views on the matter of the feral chicken “problem”. I have to totally agree with her point of us being entitled to know at what time and what locations in St. David's the trapping is going to be done.

As a true St. David's Islander, growing up with chickens mostly all my life, I truly understand the significance chickens have with human being. I have over 20 chickens in the Texas Road area that I have raised and are very tame. I don't wish for them to be put to death. I applaud Dr. Ware-Cieters for her valuable information and hope that we the animal lovers of Bermuda are informed of the slaughter schedule so that the people, who wish not to have their chickens put down, will have the time to house our own stock.

E. O'CONNOR, JR.

St. David's

Evil in our midst

February 17,2006

Dear Sir,

How very sad to open one's newspaper to headlines of a “Fiefdom” to corruption, dishonesty and greed.

How very sad too, for all the architects of yesteryear who guided this lovely little Island to its worldwide reputation of integrity, quality and excellence who must now in their latter years watch in horror and utter disbelief and disgust, at what must surely seem like a nightmare, unfolding and unravelling before their eyes, and for all of us to see.

How very sad that this Island is being besmirched by these gutter practices that leave all decent thinking people numb with shock.

This however is the very real, deep sadness. That these people with their unconscionable practices don't care.

Some are left with the disquiet uneasiness of the evil that exists in our midst!

DIANA WILLIAMS

Feeling misunderstood

February 7, 2006

Dear Sir,

In response to ‘Thunder down under', the ‘psychology major' who replied to my letter. First and foremost, to avoid misunderstandings, I said numerous times in my letter that I feel that animals deserve care - that was not the point I was trying to make. I do have a ‘broad mind' - no way was I saying to abuse or starve your animals, and I did mention that I love animals. What was so annoying to me is the fact that some people can lavish so much care on their animals, yet show so much indifference to the suffering of humans. It is the indifference that I am criticising, certainly not the people. It amazes me how people can open this newspaper day after day and read of robberies, beatings, machete attacks, people displaced from their homes, children abused, not to mention the wars overseas, etc. with nary a peep. They just read it, fold up their paper and go about their daily lives without a word of concern. Then we read about animal abuse, and suddenly they spring to action and spout out ‘outrage'.

I take your point that we all have our causes, and issues that are near and dear to us. I, however, cannot understand how some people show so much concern for animals and not at the same time speak up about human concerns. I would like to know in what psychology journal it has been published or proven that people who show kindness to animals also show kindness to humans. That is such a broad statement as to be absolute rubbish. You have Klansmen, racists, spouse beaters, etc. who show more kindness to their animals than to a living person. As to the statement about people who have abused animals then gone on to abuse people: as you should know as a ‘psychology major', people who have psychopathic or sociopathic behaviour and have gone on to be serial killers, vicious rapists and the like, have, after extensive research into their pasts, been shown that some not all demonstrated viciously cruel behaviour to animals as children. Their behaviour then goes on to become progressively worse until they progress to humans. However, these people more than likely have mental illnesses or have been abused themselves, thus taking it out on the animals. What studies have shown that people who show cruelty to animals as adults progress to more cruelty as adults? Some people who abuse animals only do so because they are weak and frustrated in their lives, have control issues, and take their problems out on animals because they don't have the guts to stand up to their fellow human beings (ie their boss, their creditors, etc.)

However, if that point is true, that people who abuse animals as adults then go on to abuse humans that is a scary thought. What is even scarier to me, is what of people who START with humans, the people I'm concerned about who go around beating people, robbing people and chopping them with machetes? What do they progress to - mass murder? That's the point that I'm trying to make, that's why I show more outrage to human issues. It's not that I don't care about animals, but I am concerned about the other problems we are seeing day after day in our society and the seeming apathy from some people just because it doesn't impact on their shallow little worlds, and because it's happening to people outside of their own socio-economic class.

In closing, ‘Thunder' you got in a jibe about me typing my letter when I could be out feeding people. For your information, I typed my letter while on my ten-minute coffee break at work - the same as with this one. Instead of sitting in the kitchen stuffing my face with doughnuts, I decided to write the letter. I was not trying to attack anyone in particular - just the mentality that some people in general have. Thunder, I do help people - sometimes to the point where I feel like I'm being taken advantage of. Half of the street people of Hamilton know me because I do give out money - even once being scolded by a Police officer for doing so. I sponsor two children overseas through Christian Children's Fund. I've given money to Feed the Children. I am not trying to come off sounding like Mother Teresa, but you don't know me so don't make assumptions about me (didn't your professor tell you about that - I'm sure that type of thing won't help you in your career).

My letter was not written so any one person, but if anyone saw themselves in my letter then good. I knew that if I got replies attacking my message, then obviously that person saw themselves in my letter and their conscience is bothering them. ‘Thunder', again love your animals to death, spoil them to death if you want. But as I said, if you can love a brown or black dog, why can't you love a brown and black person? The same (and what I left out of my first letter, and I suspect ruffled a few feathers): if you can love a white dog, why can't you love a white person? My point was for people to care for animals, but at the same time to equally (or more so) direct some of that energy to human causes, that's all.

VOICE OF CONSCIENCE

Hamilton Parish

Righting a wrong

February 20, 2006

Dear Sir,

What a wonderful day it will be to see the Rebecca Middleton's case reviewed as promised by the DPP; review means just that, but it is a great start.

Hopefully it will be pursued with vigorous honest methodical intent, to right a wrong and bring justice to a Kangaroo courts decision that shocked the world - yes the world!

That this Island of Bermuda can admit to the travesty of justice perpetrated in our courts, will show not only the citizens of this Island, but the rest of the world that it can and will reverse this ‘Trial of Infancies' verdict and bring new charges.

This reversal would go a long way to restore the faith and reputation in this lovely Island's judicial system.

Let justice not only be seen to be done, but done.

FOR BECKY

Pembroke