PeTA's Not So Ethical Treatment

P.E.T.A., or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, has a lot of explaining to do.

It seems that two counties in North Carolina will stop handing over animals from shelters to Peta. Officials were shocked to learn that between 2001 - 2003 Peta had killed more than 6,100 domestic animals. In fact, the cats and dogs were turned over to Peta to help find homes for them.

This is the same company that raises large amounts of money for awareness by using celebrities in their ads claiming things like, "I'd rather show my buns than wear fur." or, "I'd rather go naked than wear fur." They also encourage people not to eat meat, as it's hurtful to kill animals for food.

I guess house cats are fine. In fact, two of the employees are facing charges for dumping the dead animals bodies in a near by shopping mall dumpster.

It doesn't take much to see the total hypocrisy of this group. Maybe now they can stay out of people's lives and crawl back in the hole they came from. And maybe celebrities will think twice about a company that talks out of both sides of their mouths.

Here kitty, kitty.

Another Reason to Rethink Immigration Laws

They met in Kosovo. He was working for the U.N. on a peacekeeping mission. She was working as an interpreter. Later they married, and she promised to raise his son as her own.

Then in September, while training security forces, Todd Engstrom lost his life in Northern Iraq. Because he and his wife, Diana, has been married less than two years, and he was a civilian serving on a contract basis, she could be deported. And without another blood relative U.S. citizen, she might be.

Superstar Senator Barack Obama, D, Il., and foot in his mouth Senator Dick Durbin, D, Il., have both put forth legislation that could see Diana Engstrom stay in the States. While Obama has made a good point that we should not make special legislation based solely on one person, like I believe Florida tried, this case is obviously much different.

There's also another consideration, Engstrom's 12 year old son. First the loss of his father and now possibly his step-mother, who he is very close to.

I have said before that we have laws in this country for a reason, but when a law is so obviously misguided, it needs to be looked at. That's the real reason we vote our lawmakers in or out.

Father's Day

father's day 1998

To all of the Fathers out there, Happy Father's Day.

What June 11th Would Have Been

In January my Dad was killed by the coldest mystery; suicide. He would have been 56 on the 11th.

Even though reports suggest more adult Americans are taking medications to help with depression, a recent report notes that there has been no drop in suicidal tendencies.

One of the leading causes of death in the world, suicide is still a taboo subject. The World Heath Organization and the U.S. Surgeon General are increasing the amount of studies on the subject with the hope of understanding the sad trend.

Surveys from 1990-1992 and 2001-2003 of more than 9,000 people ages 18-54 showed that treatment is up. In the first survey, 40% of those with suicidal tendencies got treatment. In the 2001-2003 survey that number jumped to almost 93%. But the attempts, and sadly the success of those thoughts, has not declined.

The reason for feeling suicidal is as varied as it's victims. While chemical imbalances in the brain causing depression can be treated with common anti-depressant drugs, the feeling of desperation cannot. When someone feels so low that they do not even think about the impact of the act of killing themselves, they are almost already gone.

It's time for adults of all ages to address this issue and stop treating it as taboo.

If you, or someone you know, are having difficult times and feel no one is there, I urge you to reach out to someone you trust. Talk, cry, scream. There is always hope. And, there is no shame in asking for help.

For more information or help: www.suicide-helplines.org or http://suicidehotlines.com, in the U.S. you can call: 1 800 784-2433

Church or Jail

A District Judge in Kentucky is offering offenders the option to go to church rather than jail.

While I believe that church can be a healing and nurturing place, it is not the place to serve time for a crime. This is like being sent to your room as a kid. Gee, my room was nice enough and I barely remember why I might have been sent there.

Judge Michael Caperton is also coming under fire from civil rights groups claiming he is establishing religion, or violating the so-called separation of church and state. Making the option, just that, an option, offenders have the choice to seek a church. Caperton also does not mandate a specific denomination, nor a specific church.

True we do have over crowding jails and rehab centers, and church can be a helpful thing, but allowing someone to skip out on a sentence for church is just not write in my book.

Off to my room I go.