Save the rats!

[Re: Man Bites Dog, “This one’s called Willard,” Sept. 22]: The inappropriateness of the way the authorities handled those poor rats [who were found nibbling on their owner] and the unfortunate man [who is mentally handicapped] ought to astound everybody.

If it had been 200 cats, and not 200 rats, would they have called in an exterminator? Hell, no! They would have called in a rescue group —there are many (but not enough) of us out there, and we are always in need of temporary and permanent homes for unfortunate pets, in order to help situations like these. These animals are not “vermin,” as misinformed-everybody says they are, but delightful companion animals for people who are responsible and committed to caring for them. As it should be for any other pet.

Unfortunately, this man did not have the capacity to care for his pet rats, and his social worker or family or both must have been sufficiently negligent or prejudiced against his pets to deny him, and them, the help they all needed. I doubt the rats tried to eat him any more than a pack of starving dogs or cats would have. Though a bite from a rat can hurt, it’s hardly a mortal danger. And would you punish the dogs and cats? No, you’d evacuate them to safety, too, and hopefully find enough people with the capacity to care for them, or at least kill them humanely. But let the story be a lesson to anyone who thinks that letting animals breed is natural, good and right. It’s inhumane hypocrisy.

Need I even add that helping and caring for animals is integral to caring for our fellow man? Actually, as it is timely, the feast of St. Francis was on Oct. 4. He is the patron saint of animals, against dying alone, and, by extension and history, patron of the mentally incapacitated and the poor. Based on the scepticism of the average person on the topics of rats and religion, I would be tempted to add lost causes to his patronage. But that is another saint [Saint Jude Thaddeus], and caring for all of the above is not a lost cause.

» Jane Sorensen

Morals in Quebec

In your Sept. 1 issue, Kristian Gravenor provided some worrisome statistics about the low-birth/high-abortion rates in Quebec, in which he made some careless remarks referring to us, the immigrants, as “suckers from poorer countries” [Kristian Perspective, “Abortion in Quebec”].

In many of our cultures we, the first generation of immigrants, still have a clear view of the distinction between “liberty” and “libertinism”—words which here seem to be synonymous. We, the “suckers from poorer countries” Gravenor refers to, have to put up with the vastly damaging impact that such a lifestyle may have on our values and our children, among other things. They learn from what they see, not necessarily from what we try to teach them at home.

Curiously enough, the solution to the problem Gravenor has addressed lies implicit within the first lines of his own article: a more responsible and moral sexual activity of men and women alike. Being responsible with our reproductive powers is not a matter of prestige; it’s a matter of principles and values.

If unwanted pregnancies, and therefore abortions, are the result of men “unadvisedly” ejaculating into women’s’ vaginas, then the problem is the irresponsibility of those men, and not the lack of information or resources. Irresponsibility holds no particular nationality, and is not exclusive to poorer countries. The problems harming Quebec society need to be addressed and solved by everybody concerned.

We, the immigrants, are part of the problem, but not the reason for it. Don’t try to put the blame on immigrants for the irresponsible behaviour that had existed in Quebec society before we even got here. We’re already been eaten alive by it.

» Victor Martinez R.

Long song spin

In her review of the Dandy Warhols album, Odditorium or Warlords of Mars, Lorraine Carpenter asks the question, “As usual, the band manages a handful of would-be singles, but do they need to be six, seven, eight minutes long?” [Discs, Sept. 29].

What narrow-mindedness possessed her to say something like that? Or does she know nothing at all about music? Let me answer her by asking another question, “Why couldn’t the songs be eight minutes long, or even longer?” There is more to music than three-minute jingles. I have albums at home that feature songs lasting between 10 and 15 minutes, and they’re among the best I have ever heard. You can do so much more with longer songs, starting with a change of pace. Maybe Ms. Carpenter has heard of a song titled “Evie” by Stevie Wright? That song is pretty long, and as far as I can tell, it’s considered a classic.

I know everybody has their own musical tastes, but people should be a little more open-minded to stuff that is different. And when I say people, I also include radio stations. If they didn’t keep on feeding us the same types of songs day in day out, we would be better off.

» Marc Genest

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