ARFEE: Seeing the bigger picture

When a Coeur d’Alene police offer dispatched an unarmed dog in a parked vehicle, he made a mistake in judgment and became the target of public outcry. It was a source of deep anguish for those who love animals and a source of disgrace to errant law enforcement personnel.

There is another lesson that the public has failed to learn, and it impacts on the lives of thousands of human beings as well as pets. When a person chooses to drive drunk or stoned or sleep deprived or “mad as hell” about life in general and has an “accident” that kills people or pets, that too is a mistake in judgment. The consequences to innocent people or animals should merit at least as much concern as the death of a dog.

Somehow, we the people are quick to point fingers at those who try to enforce laws that are written to protect us; yet we seem unwilling to obey the same laws that law officers try to enforce.

Consider this: If all citizens obeyed all the laws written by people we elect to represent us, we wouldn’t need law enforcement personnel.

BOB LAUNHARDT

Pinehurst