Myth or Movie

Dear UTW:

I just love journalists who don't bother doing research before they make asinine comments like "There is controversy amongst animal activists because a.) the film casts wolves in a realistic light -- try petting one" among many others (Joe O'Shansky, "The Eating of Scenery and Wolves," UTW Feb. 2-8).

Such statements do damage in the sense of increasing the erroneous mythology of wolves at a time when wolf pack survival is at an all time low thanks to delisting from endangered species lists in order to make money rather than any legitimate science. Slaughters are going on in a most inhumane manner.

Films like this, and writings based on ignorance don't help save these amazing animals. A better and far more interesting film can be found here [on YouTube].

--James Christjohn

Joe's Response: The Grey finds a group of men stuck in the wilderness being hunted by wolves (who pick them off one by one), so I think it's entirely fair to say that petting one of them would be a bad idea. It's not an asinine comment (btw, what were the "many others"?). It's a review of film. A fictional one. What I write has to represent what I've seen. So within the context of the story itself they are being cast realistically. If it were a documentary you would have a point.

While I understand your ire (I actually think wolves are noble, lovely and should not be slaughtered -- though again I wouldn't want to be stuck in the tundra with a pack of them) the film itself isn't meant to address the issues you raise. It's entertainment, pure and simple.

Thank you for the links, for your comment and for reading!

Right On, Sista

Dear UTW:

Agreed ("Occupy Sexual Freedom," Feb. 2-8). To an extent. I don't believe that people should hide who they are in this day in age where being different is normal. Prostitution is illegal and what he was conducting in was prostitution. That's the end of that. However, why should Larry Craig have to resort to the dirty deed in a bathroom because he has needs and desires that, at some point or another, most of us have? Why did he have to pretend like it was a detriment to his political career, when so many people would've supported him in his aspirations?

Why is it that we must hate homosexuals for what happens in the bedroom when many heterosexual counterparts are all for getting down in dirty into kinky love-making? Oh, that's right, a book that has been written by the hand of men, than translated from a DEAD LANGUAGE to English by the very same people we broke from BECAUSE THEY WERE LIARS AND THIEVES.

It's time people stop hating what they are told to hate and accept that gay people aren't going anywhere. They're going to be here no matter what we do, say, or beat at them. Get over your bible-thumping selves and use some of that Christian Charity that God teaches all of us and get some common sense. Maybe if we read the whole book and focused on the good of GOD'S CREATIONS, than we would stop having senseless killings and children killing themselves for not being accepted.

God is my father, and I might not do everything that my father likes, but he loves me. No father who truly loves their children is going to hate them for what is done behind closed doors. Now that I offended most Christians, back to the point. It doesn't matter if you're a Right Wing, left handed, two acorns in a tree house political party member, it's time to stop dividing ourselves and come to some damn common ground. The War on Iraq was senseless and violent. Doesn't mean for one second if I saw someone protesting a soldier's funeral, I wouldn't have punched them in the face. It may be your right to petition, but that person died for your right to petition, rather you agree with the cause or not.

The deficit our government continues to pile upon our heads is our faults as well. We let them take control of something that WE were supposed to monitor. We stopped educating our children and ourselves on our political world. Rise up people, if we're not careful our government will take our lives over and keep us well-fed, broke, and so miserable that we can't see straight. Stop grand-standing behind the elephant and donkey and start being the country we were once all proud to call our home. Believe that we can make the difference, don't doubt that we have power. Don't forget who won the Revolution, it wasn't our military who we let do our dirty bidding, it was the farmers, blacksmiths, and field-workers that this country was founded on that gave us our freedom. Remember it.

--Jazmond Murphy

Editor's Note: Some good points. But prostitution is illegal only as long as it is important as a moral course. Ever been to Nevada? Ever read any history of the world? There isn't enough time and laws. We don't need any more lawyers. Police yourself and raise your family right and we can change the world.

Righting the Wrong

Dear UTW:

There is an old joke where a guy said he spent six years in the third grade because he did not want to pass his father. Is this the scenario that is being set up by the meddling new laws of the Oklahoma Department of Education? They also are now denying a teacher's right to protect her job through the courts -- this is direct violation of the constitution and those that voted for this should all be prosecuted.

This is a dictatorial attack on school districts and on public schools to take control from local citizens -- big brother on steroids. Everything being done by the conservative theocrats is to get taxpayer money from the public to pay for their private and parochial ideologies. Theocracy is never Democracy -- theocrats are the enemy of freedom and human rights, not right, not righteous, not good-evil bullies. Oklahoma was stupid to give them power -- they are wolves in sheep clothing and shaming the name of Jesus. Recall them all -- they are fascists.

--J. Ray Hunt