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telephone number. We edit all letters for libel, length and clarity.
Send letters to: Letters, Illinois Times. P.O. Box 5256. Springfield, Illinois
62705. Fax: (217) 753-3958. E-mail: editor@illinoistimes.com
One has to wonder
I really enjoyed your excellent article on Mike Pittman’s background and business
ventures [Dusty Rhodes, “The Color of Money,” Nov. 13]. He seems to be an incredibly
industrious individual.
One has to wonder, however, if you were writing an article about me that said:
“When it comes time to buy insurance, he goes to white insurance agents. When
he hires electricians, he looks for white Americans. Same goes for painters,
floor covering-dealers, and drywall installers. And he decided to list the homes
in Eastview Estates with white real-estate agents exclusively,” what would your
newspaper call me?
Brady Bibb
Springfield
More horse, of course
Contrary to what some people may believe, horse slaughter is not necessary
to get rid of “unwanted” horses [Pete Sherman, “Neighsayers,” Nov. 6]. Over
the last dozen years, the number of horses slaughtered has dropped dramatically
without any ill effects on the horse industry. Last year, 700,000 horses in
the U.S. died of various causes. Of that number, only 42,000 were slaughtered,
which proves that rendering facilities, burial, and euthanasia are perfectly
capable of handling horses at the “end of the line.” And there are plenty of
horse rescuers available if you are unable to care for your horse. Humane euthanasia
by a vet is available for the sick and lame. Horse slaughter is inhumane and
should not be considered as an option.
Melanie Nelson
De Kalb
Here’s my plan
Grace Smith’s all-encompassing plan (that she has been working on since “the
middle of the summer”) left me bemused [Grace Smith, “Back here,” Nov. 13].
I saw no ‘plan,’ just a desire to get out. It’s a desire that she has procrastinated
on since the middle of summer, as there was no mention in the column of what
she has done, now that she will be writing a column telling us what she is doing
to get out.
I arrived new to Springfield on Jan. 1, 2002 — about the same time Grace returned,
so we have been living in parallel worlds for the last year and months. Parallel,
but not the same. I have already been getting out. Like her, I am curious why
attendance is so light at so many Springfield activities. What I would like
to know is why she hasn’t been getting out. Perhaps she could also go knocking
door-to-door across Springfield’s populace of 100,000-plus and report in her
column why people are choosing to stay at home.
The first step of my plan: Every Thursday, I pick up the Illinois Times,
and read the calendar of events; marking in red anything that looks interesting.
Then I review daily what is happening on that day. The goal being, to do at
least one thing during the week and one thing during the weekend. Let me use
this as an opportunity to praise the Illinois Times for its coverage
of activities in Springfield.
Mel Davis
Springfield
What about the children?
I sometimes wonder where we think we are going. Is the next step to bar slaughter
of cattle, sheep, hogs, and chickens? Those of us who enjoy meat, maybe not
horse, are providing a means of disposal that is far more humane than feeding
horses when the money could be well used to feed hungry people, especially children.
Joe S. Bicknell
Lovington
This article appears in Nov 20-26, 2003.
