Letters and Comments for December 16, 2009

Fischer, Levine

Positive example

To the Editor:

My congratulations and compliments to Walmart and the La Grande Police Department on the program “Shop with a Cop.” This is another outstanding example of “Only in America...” considering that in some countries, the mere sight of a police officer can strike sheer terror into any citizen.

There are societies where badges are openly used as shields for sadism against anyone, anytime on the whims of officers, if nothing else. It is never the badge, but the person wearing it who makes the difference.

And the La Grande PD, among others, have provided an outstandingly positive example of such. Keep up the good work always, with or without badges.

Ron R. Fischer

Elgin

Change of heart

To the Editor:

I am a frequent visitor to the Wallowas. I hike its trails, frequent its stores, stay at its inns, support its economy. So do many of my friends. This may or may not be of interest to you but what should be is that I’ve had a change of heart — about visiting, about looking for property, about singing the virtues of this otherwise big-hearted and welcoming corner of Oregon.

The reason? Trapping. Until the ODFW gets serious about addressing trapping and the use of leghold traps on popular public land, I will pass the word that unseen danger lurks in the Wallowas under the auspices of the ODFW.

Earlier this week, a friend’s dog got caught in a snare trap up Hurricane Creek. No doubt you will now read from your script and tell me that trapping is legal, the dog must have been at large and my friend better not have damaged the trap. Thanks, I know the rap.

The fact is, there are ample public lands that residents do not frequent and roads that are not popular recreational sites for visitors like me. And though one could argue that the local district ranger might take it upon herself to close that part of Hurricane Creek, that action would fly right in the face of the ODFW. All roads lead back to you.

I realize that policies like the legality of trapping, the use of leghold traps and the ODFW’s unwitting (?) support of fur exports to China speak to policies that are a whole lot bigger than the few people who will read this letter. I blame no one in particular and I blame all.

While I can’t possibly affect the bottom line here — legal trapping — I can and will do what I can to protest leghold traps up Hurricane Creek.

Ketzel Levine

Portland