'It was deliberate cruelty to living creatures'

To the Editor:

Exactly what is the basic per-annum admission prices paid by your students? Because you should return it if this article ['They are just dogs,' Oct. 8, 2008] is any indication of the thinking, learning, and questioning your educational facility teaches.

Not too long ago, children and wives were mere possessions. Perhaps the writer would feel more strongly about the abuse of living creatures if he, as a "possession" of his parents - father in particular - were maltreated even mildly, let alone to the extent that these dogs were.

Perhaps you do not require enough basic psychology and sociology courses 101 for your students. In even those rudimentary courses, this jackass would have learned that those who abuse animals just will abuse humans at some point - feeling it their "right" as "owners". Hitler had the same thoughts about those he considered lesser.

On the other hand, perhaps this student is already following in the footsteps of people such as Ted Bundy. Perhaps he already has a string of abused humans (if not dead humans) in his past. Perhaps that explains his cavalier attitude toward the great opportunities and financil income of a lowlife such as Michael Vick and then justifies it.

Those who see no problem with abusing "just dogs" may well do that to your elderly parent or children in the near future.

Be on the lookout for this fool - he's likely to be among those that injure humans since he so lightly dismisses Michael Vicks - who, had he not talent squandered by bad behavior - would never have been more than a check-week-to-week. Without all those advantages and having been forgiven over and over for bad behavior, there would not have been such a huge fine.

On the other hand, had the behavior not been so anti-social, so cruel, so deliberate, Michael Vicks would still have the millions (more than most make working much harder) and the future (also more than most). It was deliberate cruelty to living creatures.

If your institution of higher education cannot impart simple human concepts such as cruelty is wrong, then you have failed. Return all the tuition payments - you are ripping off the public and doing a huge dis-service to humanity as a whole.

In the meantime, keep an eye on this writer that excuses Michael Vicks. He's likely to be the next one going building-to-building with a loaded automatic weapon.

Donna Gibson