Thursday, November 24, 2005
Why Chico is now Cicconetti
Michael Cicconetti is the judge in Ohio who sentenced Michelle Murray to a night alone in the woods because she had abandoned 33 kittens. Here's my letter to him:
Dear Judge Cicconetti:
I’m writing to thank you for your courageous — if somewhat unusual — sentence in the case against Michelle Murray, the so-called animal “rescuer” who abandoned 33 kittens in an Ohio Park. I’ve been visiting various websites, reading people’s comments about your ruling. It’s interesting to see how many people have interpreted your sentence as equating animal rights with human rights. I didn’t see that as an issue at all.
Rather, it is about human rights, and the responsibilities that come along with those rights. In this case, it is the responsibility of Ms. Murray not only to the kittens, as a self-described “rescuer”, but to the human (or humans) who left some animals with her, with the understanding that Ms. Murray would find those animals a home.
It is particularly disturbing to note that Ms. Murray has three children of her own as well as two step-children. What will happen when she’s overwhelmed by the responsibilities of parenthood, as she apparently was by the responsibilities of caring for these cats?
I am puzzled by the stipulation that she not have any more animals for at least three years; I don’t believe she has shown herself capable of caring for any animals, ever. Let alone her children. Perhaps it has something to do with Ohio law; I don’t know.
I’m sure you’re taking a lot of heat for this decision, but I want you to know that many, many people support you. And just for the record, I’m a Sunday School teacher and also serve on the board of an organization that supports adults with developmental disabilities. I hardly care for animals at the expense of human beings; rather, I would argue that my compassion for animals has taught me greater compassion for humans.
As it happens, I adopted a ten-year-old Siamese cat on Saturday, to join my seven-year-old Siamese and eighteen-year-old domestic shorthair. This cat came to me with the name of Chico, but I’m renaming him Cicconetti in honor of you. (You can find out more about my cats at my blog, listed below.)
All the best to you,
Rachel Silver
Dear Judge Cicconetti:
I’m writing to thank you for your courageous — if somewhat unusual — sentence in the case against Michelle Murray, the so-called animal “rescuer” who abandoned 33 kittens in an Ohio Park. I’ve been visiting various websites, reading people’s comments about your ruling. It’s interesting to see how many people have interpreted your sentence as equating animal rights with human rights. I didn’t see that as an issue at all.
Rather, it is about human rights, and the responsibilities that come along with those rights. In this case, it is the responsibility of Ms. Murray not only to the kittens, as a self-described “rescuer”, but to the human (or humans) who left some animals with her, with the understanding that Ms. Murray would find those animals a home.
It is particularly disturbing to note that Ms. Murray has three children of her own as well as two step-children. What will happen when she’s overwhelmed by the responsibilities of parenthood, as she apparently was by the responsibilities of caring for these cats?
I am puzzled by the stipulation that she not have any more animals for at least three years; I don’t believe she has shown herself capable of caring for any animals, ever. Let alone her children. Perhaps it has something to do with Ohio law; I don’t know.
I’m sure you’re taking a lot of heat for this decision, but I want you to know that many, many people support you. And just for the record, I’m a Sunday School teacher and also serve on the board of an organization that supports adults with developmental disabilities. I hardly care for animals at the expense of human beings; rather, I would argue that my compassion for animals has taught me greater compassion for humans.
As it happens, I adopted a ten-year-old Siamese cat on Saturday, to join my seven-year-old Siamese and eighteen-year-old domestic shorthair. This cat came to me with the name of Chico, but I’m renaming him Cicconetti in honor of you. (You can find out more about my cats at my blog, listed below.)
All the best to you,
Rachel Silver
