I’m always interested in hearing about how someone loses their faith in humanity. However, I found Leslie Rogers’ May 25 letter “Humans can be heartless” disappointing. Of all the terrible things in this world, what was it that caused Rogers to lose faith in her fellow man? Was it political corruption? Environmental catastrophe? Tyrannical dictators having their own citizens killed? Underground dog-fighting circuits? Mass rape in the Congo?
No. It was because no driver would take a break from their commute to help a family of ducks cross St. Johns Road.
Obviously, it would be nice to see someone take time to stop traffic and help escort the family. But the fact that nobody did doesn’t make their inaction cruel. It simply means that, like many people, they don’t care much about ducks. Nonetheless, Rogers was “horrified” at everybody’s reluctance to stop. “Horrified,” huh? Surely she must be using that word loosely. There are millions of refugees, prisoners and victims who know how it truly feels to be horrified. How can she consider the drivers “heartless” for not stopping when there are people like Moammar Gadhafi and Kim Jong Il in positions of power?
Suffering ducks are a bummer. Human suffering is a tragedy.
It’s time for people to get priorities straight.
Nathan Nulph
Vancouver
