Ellington

In the things mattering most to Democrats such as health care and opposition to the war, John Edwards has been much more unambiguous and straightforward than the candidates noted for their novelty as much as their positions. As far as Rudy Giuliani taking the South, the guy has a personal life that makes Bill Clinton look like a monk. And the poor guy can't even pander well. On his southern tour, while genuflecting to the Confederate flag, he was unable to recognize it. Finally, stop making a devil out of the man in the John Deere hat. Howard Dean showed that he matters, too.

Mississippi Health Hopeless?
During the last 15 months of following the tobacco-for-food tax-swap bill and its veto, I have noticed the news of Mayor Frank Melton of Jackson. What passion this mayor manifested in improving the life of his citizens, even though his style of enforcement of justice got him arrested.

After reading of his acquittal, I was wondering: What if he applied his energy to fighting tobacco? But after a quick Google search, I discovered that Mayor Melton is a "heavy smoker," and as CEO of WLBT, he blatantly continued to smoke after the office went smoke-free. My hopes for him to fight tobacco were blown away.

Is the health of Mississippi hopeless with tobacco friends and addicts in high places of state and local government? I can't imagine how difficult it is for a health advocate to be employed in Mississippi.
— Mike Sawyer, Birmingham

Baiting is Not Hunting
In the 1970s, I was very impressed when I saw the trophies mounted and displayed in one of New Orleans' top doctor's executive offices. The heads and skins were from all kinds of animals he had killed on his many hunting trips. I thought, "This guy's a real hunter!"

Then I learned the rest of the story. That doctor's "hunting trips" were very clinical visits to farms and ranches where those beautiful animals were bred and reared domestically, much like pets. They did not fear people. People fed them and lovingly cared for them. When that doctor and other would-be hunters paid a fee and arrived at these animal sanctuaries, the animals were then called and lured out into the open by the staff, and shot by the inept "hunters." There is nothing sportsmanlike or manly about that kind of senseless slaughter.

I was surprised, angered and saddened that a doctor pledged to save lives derived pleasure from killing anything. I lost all respect for him as a man and as a doctor.

Now some "hunters" in Mississippi want to do the same sick thing. They want to feed deer, causing them to develop a dependency on the feedings and drawing them back to the same area repeatedly until hunting season when the evidently inept "hunters" can easily slaughter them.

Baiting is not hunting. Baiting is not sporting. And baiting is not manly. Baiting is attracting and senselessly killing beautiful animals just for the joy of killing. And that is sick.

Anyone who gets excited and derives pleasure from such a senseless cold-blooded slaughter of defenseless animals is potentially dangerous to other people and society, and his or her loved ones should insist that they get good professional counseling ASAP.
— R. T. "Dan" Hanchey, Madison