Cartoon was cruel and offensive
To the Editor:
We were pleased with the June 26 edition of the paper featuring on the front page a very touching story of the kitten run over by an industrial mower. It was a humane story of a good Samaritan making a decision to be proactive to save the life of this precious creature rather than leave it in the grass to suffer a very painful death. Hats off to this individual, and also to the veterinarian who performed the surgery in an outstanding fashion.
My husband and I are the proud parents who adopted Little Joe, and we are extremely grateful to both persons.
The week following in the July 3 edition a cartoon by Harrington appeared depicting a dog driving on an industrial mower with a malicious intent of purposely looking for a kitty to kill. The cartoon was titled, AND NOW THE REAL STORY OF KITTEN AND THE LAWN MOWER
Frankly, we find this very offensive and in poor taste. It brings to mind the vicious actions of Michael Vick in particular, and, in general, cruelty to all animals.
As more laws are being passed each year to protect animals and their rights, it seems to us that the paper should be more sensitive and not planting ideas into sick minds.
Susan J. Mardula
Mount Vernon
The Constitution prevails
To the Editor:
This letter is in response to Representative Morans letter An affront to battling gun violence dated 30 Jun 2008.
Mr. Moran, I find it interesting that you dont support equal Constitutional rights for the citizens of Washington, DC. For that is what DCs city ordinance that banned handguns has done. Where else in the country have criminals been empowered?
What I find amazing is that you have two different definitions of how Constitutional rights should be applied; Rural vs. Urban? Why should someone living on a farm have different rights than someone living in a city? If we follow your way of thinking we are back to the Separate but Equal days of Jim Crow. No thanks! We dont need another era of creating second class citizens.
Thank God this 32-year old violation of Constitutional Rights has been stricken down.
You also misunderstand the purpose of the Second Amendment. Its not about sport shooting, or hunting. As Supreme Court Justice Alito stated in the majority opinion of DC vs. Heller: we find that they guarantee the individual right to possess and carry weapons in case of confrontation.
This meaning is strongly confirmed by the historical background of the Second Amendment. It does not get much clearer than that.
You state that the gun safety debate will continue. I have to ask you how? The major pillar of the Second Amendment not being an individual right that the Anti-Gun, Anti-Constitution zealots such as you have been leaning against has just crumbled into dust. I guess it is going to be the definition of what is reasonable that unfortunately, Scalia did not define. If this is the new fire stoking the Anti-Gun movement, then I know that those of us who believe in the Constitution will prevail and our rights will be safe for future generations.
TJ Parmele, Alexandria
Bush belongs behind bars
To the Editor:
While the Bush-Cheney RICO junta rolls along impervious to the two impeachment resolutions filed against it by Rep. Dennis Kucinich, my own congressman, James P. Moran, is missing the opportunity to jump-start those resolutions by supporting my citizens arrest warrant against Bush (see the related online petition at www.petitiononline.com/arrest/petition.html ).
On April 16, 2008, Id sent a letter to Moran asking that he intervene on my behalf to determine why the U. S. Marshals Service has failed to respond to my March 12th written request that it promptly serve the warrant upon Bush. Derived from common law, this peoples remedy rightfully points out that no-one in America — especially our top leader — can escape the long arm of justice. As an admitted felon (and as the soon-to-be-declared No. 1 Fugitive from Justice) for his role in authorizing the National Security Agencys warrantless spying upon U. S. citizens telecommunications, Bush must not be allowed to dodge any accountability for such criminality.
Unfortunately, Mr. Morans dodging my two e-mailed follow-ups to myoriginal letter seeking his assistance merely enables Bushs escape.
Come on, congressman: do YOUR constitutional duty here; do not by your inaction impede this last-resort action by your constituents and fellow citizens. Fax a copy of this letter over to the Marshals Service with a note from you demanding to know why theyre stonewalling my request for serving the ultimate citizens arrest warrant.
Larry Bryant, Alexandria