Valid point, poor argument

It appears as if Sherry Deeds (Letters, May 6) has some very strong and opinionated feelings regarding animal cruelty. I am an avid outdoorsman who can appreciate and admire the beauty of animals more than any person who has never hunted to provide for his or her family. I can see where she is coming from.

Just to set the record straight, I would never condone the physical abuse of any animal, whether it is a game animal or a household pet. But there comes a point in her letter that I feel Ms. Deeds was blatantly disrespectful and out of line. Due to the fact that Idaho is one of only four states in the U.S. that only recognizes animal cruelty as a misdemeanor, she describes the state of Idaho as having a “Third-World-mentality.”

I feel that everyone is entitled to their opinion, but is it necessary to belittle a state to that extreme? In my opinion, the issues addressed in her letter would have been more credible if she had been able to control her emotions and kept the argument professional.

Paul Lumsden

Cheney