Silly kids should grow up or go home
N.C. State is considered a place of higher learning. Being that it is a land grant school with strong ties to science and agriculture, people come to this University to learn about civilizing and caring for the physical world that we all inhabit. We learn a higher level vocabulary to help us to think more clearly and broadly about topics which include innovation, humanity, and the attainment of the elusive concept of truth in order to be more productive and to live well in general. Upon this basis, one would likely be shocked to see the senseless act of cruelty that took place outside of Burlington Labs Tuesday. I was definitely shocked, and disgusted.
A group of little boys, likely to be mistaken for as men based their age and stature, thought it would be prudent to trap an opossum and beat it to death. This group of man-sized children trapped the animal under an air conditioning condenser and waited there until it tried to escape at which time they proceeded to stomp and kick the creature, likely breaking its back. I try not to speculate, but I base the animal’s condition on the contorted manner in which it laid there motionless while these foolish boys beat the opossum in the head with a large stick. When they had enough, like most children do, they left their mess for someone else to clean up.
It should be mentioned that the animal was not dead. Nice touch guys. If any of you who did this stupid and juvenile act are reading my letter, I have a couple high-level words that you might want to look into: depraved, infantile, reckless, brutish, malicious. This describes you and we adults do not appreciate your ignorance and stupidity. Do yourselves a favor and try growing up. You might learn how to enjoy your lives in a way that doesn’t involve killing defenseless animals for no good reason. Otherwise, go back home and foul up your own place. We grownups have enough messes to clean up without your silly contributions. If any of you have questions about my feelings on this matter, please respond to this letter. I would love to talk about.
As for the opossum, it was taken to a shelter to spend its last hours in a warm dry place. If the animal can be restored, the people who run this shelter will do their best to help it. I realize that the opossum is usually thought of as a nuisance, but it should be pointed out that it is a marsupial and this infraclass is immune to rabies and is usually very private. In spite of all the horror stories of opossums stealing babies from their cribs at night and their committal the slanderous gossip and hurtful comments, these animals pose no real threat to us. Their lives, among other animals that live on campus, are tough enough in urban areas without having to worry about being trampled by senseless sadists.
In closing, be good to your surroundings. We are stewards of the land not kings.
Richard Howard
graduate student, nuclear engineering
