AR-News: 5/2/04 Letters to the Editor re: Yakima pig torture

[jim robertson]

Every letter in this local Sunday paper is on this animal crulety issue!

http://www.yakima-herald.com/letters.php

5/2/04 Letters to the Editor



Suspension Not Enough

To the editor — I was sickened when I heard about the White Swan students 
who tortured and killed the FFA show pigs. I don't know if these kids were 
"caught in the act," but I read in the newspaper they were seen laughing and 
waving from the back of the cop car. These kids should immediately be 
expelled. Not only should numerous charges be brought against them, but they 
(or their parents) should be responsible for paying the owners of all of the 
pigs for the pigs' pain and suffering.

Suspending the students and allowing them to just walk the streets again 
isn't going to teach them right from wrong. They should be expelled and 
sentenced to juvenile jail.

Some type of counseling should also be mandatory. Otherwise these kids will 
continue to threaten livestock and possibly human life one day. And by the 
way, where were the kids' parents? Working? Watching TV? Parents don't seem 
to bother to take responsibility for knowing where their kids are or what 
they're doing these days.

Where did they get the "equipment" they used? If they were in the barns, the 
school should be responsible for locking up such weapons.

Let's hope the law and the school district don't let these kids walk away 
with just a slap on the wrist.


STEPHANIE KOSZTY

Union Gap



Terrors to Society

To the editor — Obviously the violence that took place upon the poor, 
undeserving pigs in White Swan is unspeakably horrendous. What I find 
absolutely preposterous is what I heard on the news from the superintendent 
of White Swan. She said the teens who were caught face possible suspension, 
possible expulsion and counseling.

If these teens are not brought to swift and harsh justice/punishment for the 
torture and killings, the whole community and the kids themselves will be 
not only cheated but brutally let down.

This cannot be swept under the rug as some hideous crime. These "kids" are a 
terror to society as a whole and must be made an example of, at the very 
least to our kids. Not to mention they are in serious need of psychiatric 
treatment.


JANIE JONES

Selah



Beware the Link

To the editor — The torture and killing of the pigs at White Swan's high 
school is very disturbing. Besides serious consequences, these children need 
immediate psychological counseling. There is a strong link between people 
who torture and kill animals as children and then grow up to be adults who 
commit violent crimes including child abuse, spousal abuse and serial 
killings.

Besides the crime itself, I hope the police investigate whether any of these 
children are currently suffering from child abuse. I also hope that if any 
of these kids have pets that they are taken away and placed in safer homes.

"One of the most dangerous things that can happen to a child is to kill or 
torture an animal and get away with it" — Anthropologist Margaret Mead.


JENNIFER GILBERT

Selah



Anything But Human

To the editor — Re: The April 27 headline, "Inhumanity by Humans." I beg to 
differ. Those kids are not human — just very sick little puppies who should 
be dealt with in the strongest way. Anyone who could inflict that pain and 
suffering on poor, helpless animals is anything but human.


JACKIE MACKIE

Yakima



Make Punishment Severe

To the editor — Like many others, I am sickened by the brutal torturing and 
killing of the pigs at White Swan High School. The punishment should be 
severe for this heinous crime. The kids convicted of this crime should have 
been forced to go back, face their crime and, on their hands and knees, 
scrub every inch of the FFA barn.

These helpless pigs were pets of the children and families that owned them. 
The relationship between the animals and owners, I'm sure, was like any 
good, loving relationship we have with our pets. We love and care for them 
like children. They rely on us for food, water, love and yes, even playful 
activity for exercise.

The animals that survived will be traumatized forever, along with the 
families who love them. My heart goes out to all of them.

I wonder what the swift and stern disciplinary action by the school 
officials will be? Maybe to expel the students? Big deal!

The punishment must be severe. These kids have shown what they care capable 
of. Next time it could be a child.

They have turned what should have been a proud and wonderful event into a 
bloodbath.

Maybe they are living in fear now, and if they have any conscience left at 
all they will realize they need help. The parents must be so ashamed.


ECHO WERST

Yakima



Next Step: Humans?

To the editor — I read the sad story of children torturing and killing the 
FFA pigs.

It is almost unbelievable that children could be so cruel to helpless 
animals. The next step could be humans.

Parents are making a big mistake with no discipline; mothers need to be home 
and teach more love and compassion.

Material things are not as important as our children.


MARY L. WALKER

Yakima



Make Them Pay

To the editor — I am writing in regard to the vandalism of the FFA show 
pigs. How cruel can a person be to do so much damage? Is it jealousy or 
because they didn't have anything better to do?

Since some of the suspects were recognized, finding them should be no 
problem.

If I were a judge, I would make the kids or their parents pay top dollar for 
every pig that was killed or injured. And for the young man, Stanley Wentz, 
who was raising money for his wrestling trip to Australia, I would make them 
pay all of his expenses for the trip.

But since I am not a judge and since the laws are so lax, the kids will 
probably just get their hands slapped, get a lecture, then be released — and 
laugh their way out of the courtroom.


MARGARET CANTRELL

Moxee



What About Parents?

To the editor — About the children who damaged the pigs: They need to be 
punished.

Also, what about their parents? What are they teaching their kids? Do they 
teach them anything? Do they spend time with them? Do they know who their 
friends are? Do they know wrong from right? Do they know how to make proper 
decisions?

More than the children are at fault!


MARY RASMUSSON

Yakima



Try a Little Boot Camp

To the editor — After reading the stories in your newspaper about the abuse 
of the FFA pigs, I have just a few comments:

* How can someone feel abuse, especially to this extent, is entertainment?

* If the kids who did this think what they did was fun, I would love to see 
them handle a wild boar like that.

* I feel that the FFA students should be reimbursed for the veterinarian 
bills, the cleaning up of the blood in the pens, the new bedding and the 
extra time they must use to treat their pigs. For the two students who lost 
their animals, they should be reimbursed for all monetary expenses and time 
they have spent on their animals. This should be paid by each of the teenage 
abusers, plus a hefty fine or jail.

* Where were the parents of the abusers? They should pay the bills, because 
I doubt if a 12- or 13-year-old has that type of money.

* The abusers should under no circumstances be let off the hook. Maybe a 
nice little boot camp would help.


BOB BROCK

Selah



A Fitting Punishment

To the editor — I was horrified to read about what those children did to 
those pigs.

I believe you should hang signs on them and let them clean the roads all 
summer. They can clean up the garbage that all the other fools throw out 
their car windows, making our beautiful Valley look like a garbage dump.

Where are the parents?


SHIRLEY HAZZARD

Outlook



Our task must be to free ourselves by widening our circle of compassion to 
embrace all living creatures.            Albert Einstein

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