Killing of coyote is a red stain on humans | The Sacramento Bee

The natural world sustains us

Re “Officials forced to shoot coyote that was hand-fed” (Local, Jan. 5): The killing of an innocent coyote that had become accustomed to the hand of man is a growing red stain on nature’s tapestry.

Too often people think the wild is solely for their enjoyment, and they wrongly assume nature is their personal property. Man’s spreading intrusion robs life-supporting land from nature’s creatures, and our weapons are always quick to enforce our perceived right. Those who argue that people are too few to cause significant earthly change ignore the absence of so many species, flora and fauna, that dominated our past landscapes.

This lost life is a critical but disappearing component of the world’s genetic wonder and is part of the yet undiscovered codes that eventually can help man overcome disease and harmful mutations. We too easily discard what we think to be nature’s less capable experiments and forget to embrace the earth that sustains our life.

Bring back call-center jobs

Re “India’s call-center technology put to use swindling Americans” (Insight, Jan. 4): News about the swindling of Americans by overseas call centers should be a wake-up call for American businesses. Banks, telecom companies and credit card companies are only a few of those who laid off American workers and hired overseas agencies to staff their customer assistance positions.

Thousands of American middle-class jobs have been lost to these mills, to the detriment of the customers of firms who seek profit over customer service. If Trump is serious about bringing jobs back, he can start with returning call centers to the United States.

New parking policies needed

Re “Visiting downtown is problematic” (Letters, Jan. 4) and “Greed rules in downtown parking” (Letters, Jan. 3): Well said by these letter writers. I miss going downtown too. Convenient parking is difficult to find and too expensive.

I miss the cultural events, the shops and restaurants, but I no longer go. I hope our favorite established arts community, restaurants and retail shops can weather the situation until our leaders find a better way to manage parking, which will become worse with further infill development.

Legislature wastes taxpayer money

Re “Legislature retains Holder’s law firm to be a foil to Trump” (Page 1A, Jan. 5): Why is the state of California wasting taxpayers’ money by retaining a lobbyist group to do a political fight against the Republicans? This money could easily be used for veteran programs or road repair.

$25K a month from taxpayers?

Let me see if I can make sense of this. Donald Trump was elected president of the United States. The California Legislature is paying Eric Holder’s law firm $25,000 a month from taxpayers – both Democrat and Republican – to fight Trump. What am I missing here?

A light appreciated in the darkness

Before the end of the Christmas season, let me thank all those who have brought us “light” through their holiday decorations and strings of lights.

In this darkest and coldest time of an uncertain and divisive year, these colorful, twinkling, sometimes blazing displays have brought me, and others I’m sure, many a smile. As one who puts up no lights – not even one single, pathetic string – I appreciate those who go to the trouble and sacrifice on the altar of SMUD to share that warmth and joy.

May 2017 bring you the joy, warmth and light you have given to the community.