AGRICULTURE
Bigger hog numbers
diminish small farms
I so appreciate Jay Bookman’s wake-up call to small family farmers (and to the rest of us) regarding the proposed increase of hog numbers per farm (“Don’t weaken hog farm rules that have worked,” Opinion, Nov. 6).
Large corporations would love to see the numbers of pigs produced per farm area increased so they can “buy you out and eat you up.” For evidence, travel the Midwest in search of small, family owned working farms. It’s comparable to looking for living dinosaurs.
ELIZABETH SULLY, ATLANTA
MISTREATED KIDS
Warning signs ignored,
now a little girl is dead
Regarding the death of Emani Moss, as a society, we have failed miserably. A precious little girl is gone — thrown out like trash, after being abused and neglected. Not only was this incident foreseeable, it was preventable.
Let us never forget that we have a duty to watch over all our children. In this case, friends, teachers and relatives all sensed that something was wrong. The little girl even asked for help. And someone — maybe several people — didn’t respond.
If we don’t have the proper number of people to follow through on these reports, let’s do something now. We can ask for volunteers to supplement the staff, if necessary. Look at the ineffective flow of information. Speed up the process. Let us never see a tragedy like this again.
MEL MATUSZAK, DACULA
If you won’t save life
of child, quit your job
How sad and inexcusable is the death of Emani Moss.
Without a doubt, DFCS could have prevented this tragedy — and, probably, many more. The case worker who “screened out” her case, as well as his or her supervisor, had a responsibility to know daily what cases were being “screened out.”
I don’t care if DFCS is overwhelmed with cases. I have worked with our most vulnerable population: children and the elderly. No one ever went home for the day knowing one of their cases was in danger. You have an obligation to perform follow-up with your supervisor, a co-worker, the next shift or the police. You never leave an innocent in mortal danger to go home and have dinner with your family.
Everyone knows what “burn out” is when it comes to working with people, especially children. If you can’t do the job, get out.
STEPHANIE RUBY, MONROE
HEALTH CARE
We shouldn’t pay for
unwanted coverage
E. J. Dionne Jr. exhibits typical “liberalthink”: if you don’t agree with me, you are mean-spirited (“Health care is really a right-to-life issue,” Opinion, Nov. 11).
The problem is not that people do not want others to have coverage; they do not want to have to pay for it, especially if they don’t need it. I think all policies should offer all coverages if you want to pay for them — just like car insurance offers what you are willing to pay for. For example, why should a 55-year-old woman who has had a hysterectomy be required to pay for maternity coverage?
ROBERT W. PEPPEL, TUCKER
