Editor, Times-Union: This letter is in response to the sentencing handed down last week for the husband and wife in Kosciusko Court for drug charges. People wonder what is the problem in our country. This is one of them right here. I really don't care how many people like these folks, or the fact that more than 20 letters were sent to the court on their behalf. The point is they broke the law. Plain and simple. Your newspaper said they could not find proof of dealing these drugs. Come on, they were not growing this much pot for their personal use. I believe laws are carried out differently depending upon who you are. Tell me if this was a poor white boy, a Hispanic family or a young African American, would their fate be the same? Absolutely not. I feel being in the position these folks were in, should warrant them getting harsher penalties, not lighter ones. I understand these folks might understand what they did was wrong, but come on lets open up our eyes, right is right, wrong is wrong. This was a big injustice to the folks of our county and it should never happen. Do the crime, do the time. Period!
Terry Haynes North Webster
Observations
Editor, Times-Union: A few observations on the current state of things:
An administration that ran on and was elected on a platform of moral values apparently condones anything and everything so long as the offense is unindictable.
Extremists kill 50 plus people in London. These acts are termed "barbaric terrorism." In Iraq, 113,000 plus civilians have been killed. These acts are termed "collateral damage."
During the Nuremberg Trials, Hermann Goring states in part "The People can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger."
Janet Collins Etna Green
Feline Rescue
Editor, Times-Union: The day after the wire mesh and lattice were put around the base of Long John Silvers restaurant trapping the remaining cats under the restaurant, after a 1-1/2-hour discussion, the police and health department gave Rhonda Hardy permission for us to live trap the remaining cats and litter of kittens until we rescued them all. Though this permission would not have had to be granted had a hard-hearted ruling not been made by the health department and city police animal control officer, we are very grateful to them for the permission. We trust that from now on compassion and not hard-heartedness will be shown toward dear homeless animals who are contentedly trying to eek out a living and doing no people harm. We need to put ourselves in these dear animals' places. Wouldn't we want to be shown compassion and not cruelty? We also want to thank those people who inquired as to what was taking place to get them out and the people who stood up for them by contacting those responsible for this ruling. Thank you for your compassion for these dear cats. Upon continuing to set the live traps under the restaurant for about a month following capture of the last known cat, we are certain that there are no more cats under the restaurant - all have been relocated to live out happy and, we trust, long lives. Let me stress that the Long John Silvers management and employees have always been the greatest supporters and allies we could have had. Thank you, Steve Shipley, and all at Long John Silvers from the bottom of our hearts!
Now I would like to ask that I not be contacted concerning my rescuing cats in your area, nor to pick up cats you no longer want. I am emotionally and physically drained due to doing much rescue work over the past several years. I simply cannot take on any more. A few of us cannot continually do the work that many refuse to do themselves and simply want to turn over to the few. Each person can learn by doing. Each person needs to fulfill his obligation to the dear cats and dogs God brings across your path and calls upon you to help save. They are counting on YOU - please don't let them down!
