To the Editor:
For the past many months, whenever I have opened a newspaper I have been constantly confronted – and confounded – with the ‘latest breaking news’ concerning either the faltering-then-recovering-then-once-again-faltering- economy and/or constant news stories regarding the candidates and their supporters and detractors in both the statewide and national elections.
In my opinion, the news has often become sadly redundant, uninspiring, and frustrating, to put it mildly.
Then… lo and behold… on the front page of the Sept. 25 edition of The Lincoln County News a warm beam of sunshine shone forth with the incredible story of some kittens who had been – inhumanely (to put it politely!) – dumped at the Nobleboro Jefferson Transfer Station, only to be rescued at the last minute by Perry Waltz and his (unnamed) assistant!
I read the story, and then sat there stunned by the astounding chain-of-events described.
Initially, I began sobbing in anger and utter disgust at this horrendously disturbing, absolutely senseless, cruel, and inhumane type of behavior from some unknown person who chose to destroy some absolutely helpless kittens utilizing one of the most painful ways possible. Then, I continued sobbing in relief and utmost gratitude at the humane actions of Mr. Waltz and his assistant who, through their thoroughness, decency, humaneness, and kindness saved these same kittens from a slow and torturous death.
A few days later, when I – serving as a substitute teacher in a local K-8 school – related the kittens’ story to some classes of 7th and 8th graders during our discussions of “What it takes to be a good/involved citizen”, they too – adolescent boys and girls, all of them – sat there quietly stunned, many with their mouths open in total shock/bewilderment: some with tears streaming down their faces.
What then followed were numerous extremely emotional discussions regarding this incident of adult inhumane vs. humane treatment of animals and others. Included in our discussions was Mahatma Gandhi’s quotation: “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
This incident with the kittens, the behavior of their original ‘owner’/abuser and the behavior of their eventual ‘rescuers’ so aptly demonstrates the morality of this quotation. The questions for us – as readers of your newspaper – to consider might be: In which category do I belong and what does that say about me, as a member of this society, and as a role-model for the next generation?
Bottom line: the children were, and I am, repelled by the morally-reprehensible nature of the adult who chose to drive those kittens to the recycling center, and then dump them into the compactor.
On behalf of the children and myself, I want to thank, loudly and repeatedly, Perry Waltz and his co-worker for rescuing the kittens. Thank-you for being the humane individuals your actions have proven you to be.
Last, but not least, I want to thank The Lincoln County News for not only publishing the kittens’ story, but for making it front-page news.
It deserved to be.
Joyce B. V-L Robinson, LCSW, Nobleboro
