Sound off for March 25, 2007

Batch Data Processor | Saturday, Mar 24 2007 10:05 PM

Last Updated: Saturday, Mar 24 2007 10:08 PM

Reader: I've been a Californian reader since childhood (many, many moons), but just had an unprecedented, happy experience -- reading your entertainment section nearly cover to cover. A 16-year-old punky-activist moved by altruism; sold-out Big House C&W reunion; jazz-vernacular iconoclast Skip Heller; driving and rambunctious "Stomp;" historical Willie, Merle and Ray project; "Vagina Monologues;" Cajun-Zydeco from Prime Cut; Happy Rooster Peruvian; Tony's Pizza: the roots are traditional, the scope, inclusive.

It sure seems, at least today, that "Backwardsfield" is recognizing diverse and exciting, down-home and hearty cultural events. Reading it furthered my thought that this place will one day be more like Austin, Texas, combining "country" friendliness, independence and rootsy musical culture with an welcoming, progressive spirit that inspires community.

-- Jenny Gia-Briggs

Jenner: I'm not sure how long it will take before we rival Austin in the hearts and minds of lovers of music and art, but I certainly do agree with you: we have a diverse and thriving cultural scene. There's a lot to cover, but we're committed to making our Thursday Eye on Entertainment section the most complete local resource available. Thanks for your note.

Reader: Nice story on former Driller Jake Varner and his second place in the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. Thanks also for the mention of Darrell Vasquez and Nathan Morgan. The many local wrestling fans appreciate your efforts. One very small item in the article for future reference: College matches are seven minutes in length. The first period is three minutes, followed by two two-minute periods. Thank you again.

-- Bill Kinnett

Jenner: Thanks for your kind words, Bill, and the lesson.

Reader: I am truly doubtful that you realize the hypocrisy of Dianne Hardisty's column criticizing the efforts of Assemblyman Levine to curb pet overpopulation. I am unsure that a mandatory spay/neuter law is enforceable, but we must start somewhere.

The number of throwaway animals overwhelms our county and city animal control workers. The Mt. Vernon Kern County Animal Shelter euthanized over 20,000 animals last year. Additionally, animals were euthanized at animal control facilities in Wasco, Shafter, Ridgecrest, Taft, etc. Privately run shelters are equally burdened by these cast-off cats and dogs.

You are quick to criticize Levine's effort to stop the flood of unwanted animals yet The Bakersfield Californian continues to help perpetuate the problem of pet overpopulation by accepting backyard breeder advertising. As long as there is a method of advertising these "fundraiser" puppies and kittens, people will be less likely to spay or neuter their animals. Wasn't it $1,000-plus Labradoodles that you recently featured in an article? A great way to make money? These dogs will be in the shelters soon next to the Dalmatians that everyone had to have!

So step up to the batter's box. I challenge you to make it a policy to not accept repeat ads from the same overbreeders. Become a leader on this issue. Let The Californian become an advocate for these voiceless creatures, make the tough choice to not accept these ads. Please, help take the profit out of animal overbreeding.

How about The Californian sponsoring a one day spay/neuter event?

-- Laurie Weir

Jenner: We've hardly been sitting on the sidelines on this issue. Since we first published our "Throwaway Animals" package four years ago and informed our readers about the shameful amount of pets our county must euthanize each year, I think we indeed have been an "advocate for these voiceless creatures."

I spoke with our advertising managers about your suggestion that we stop accepting ads from "backyard breeders." They're at a loss to see how we can detect "overbreeding" and differentiate in a fair way the responsible breeders from those who are not. If you have any ideas, we'd love to hear them.

As for your comments on Dianne Hardisty's column, here is her response:

"My column acknowledged the benefits of pet owners spaying and neutering animals. But likely a law mandating this will not or cannot be enforced. We do not have sufficient animal control officers to go door to door to enforce existing licensing and vaccination requirements.

"Until local elected officials, including Bakersfield City Council members, are willing to provide sufficient financing for enforcement programs and exhibit the political will to have officers go door to door to enforce such laws, adding mandatory spay and neuter to the requirements is futile.

"The point of the column was to encourage development of a nonsurgical, inexpensive alternative sterilization that could be administered free of charge, or administered to every stray that falls into government hands."

Reader: Dianne Hardisty's last Sunday column makes me ashamed to live in Bakersfield -- OK, it's one of the reasons I'm ashamed to live in Bakersfield.

Obviously the writer of this article is a Bakersfield native and has no exposure to the outside world and has not done the research to see how these programs work elsewhere.

Yes, sterilization is costly, but in Sacramento the SSPCA has a mobile spay van, several programs and vets that will sterilize a dog or cat before they are 6 months old, which in many cases is too late. I do not know if Bakersfield vets do not have the skill or knowledge or are just plain greedy. In Sacramento, Dr. Laura Warner with City Animal Control has spayed thousands of animals when they reach three pounds for females and when there is something to neuter for males.

In Riverside County, the director of Animal Control/SPCA knew how many cats were housed at his facility when I toured the facility, and have you seen the SFSPCA?

The problem is Bakersfield won't enforce the laws they have, so adding new ones does seem like a waste of time. Bakersfield has grown at the staggering rate, but its leaders do not have the capability of keeping up with the growth -- let alone enforce animal control laws. For example, Arnold makes big headlines by passing the law that prohibits an animal to be chained for more than four hours. I waited and waited for this law to take effect and when it did I reported a dog that I had to look at every day chained in a 4-by-6-foot area and a dog that is chained 24-7 and howls 24-7. Well, that was months ago -- the dog is still there and the other one still howls. Additionally, how we can expect anything from Bakersfield when they won't even enforce state and federal rabies laws?

SHAME ON YOU BAKERSFIELD!

-- Suzanne Honey

Editorial Page Editor Dianne Hardisty responds: I regret making Suzanne Honey ashamed to live in Bakersfield. But I am a bit confused by her reaction to my column. I wrote that spaying and neutering dogs and cats is the best approach. The "successful programs" she cites in other communities do not mandate spaying and neutering animals. Those communities still struggle with the overpopulation of unwanted animals. We even seem to agree that mandating sterilization might result in yet another law that is not enforced. So, I am confused why my column provoked such feelings of shame. As to my birth: I was born in Detroit and raised in Claremont, Calif. If I had been born in Bakersfield, I would be proud of that fact.

Reader: Last Saturday, your paper published a column by Valerie Schultz titled, "Appreciate grammar, even if some don't," which contained the following sentence:

"No iron can pierce the heart with such force as a period put just at the right place,' noted the Russian writer Isaac Babel, itself a sentence so surgically elegant that it pierces my heart, and with which I completely agree."

I submit that this sentence is, ironically, ungrammatical.

-- Brett Reynolds

Professor of English for Academic Purposes

English Language Centre

Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning

Toronto

Reader: Wow! Finally someone who cares about the English language.

It was a pleasure reading the column by Valerie Schultz describing her love of it.

I usually read the Orange County Register, which employs columnists who are learning grammar from their middle-school children: people who don't know the difference between bring and take or say me and you instead of you and I.

Unfortunately Schultz's job at the paper is not to teach, but one can hope that readers will pick up a thing or two as they read her columns.

-- Lou Lang

Jenner: Valerie Schultz is indeed a teacher as well as a marvelous writer, and readers can learn a lot from her column, which I think is one of the gems of the Saturday Californian.