Let’s be better neighbors

12 months ago

To the editor:

In a letter published on March 27, frequent contributor and ruminator, Lou Ouellette, referenced a previous story about an elderly gentleman who had murdered a neighbor’s beloved family dog. 

He proposed that the author of the article was somehow biased in her approach and painted the elderly gentleman in a bad light; that we, as readers, were not hearing his side of the story.

And what side is that, Lou?  The side of a man who walks onto a neighbor’s land and shoots a member of their family?  Let’s forget, for a moment, that a dog is a living, breathing, sentient being, as I’m sure some are wont to do, and let’s just focus on the facts.  The dog was shot, or at least found with a “projectile” hole, on its owner’s property.  

I ask you, dear reader, that if someone came onto your property and shot your belongings, would that not incense you to call the authorities and protect what is yours?  And let’s not even get into the hilariously contrived “bullet hole” versus “pellet hole” argument that was put forth in Lou’s previous letter, either.  If it wasn’t such a funny and outlandish bit of detective work, it wouldn’t even bear mentioning, but here we are.  

I fear that dear Lou’s own biases are showing their face, taking the form of questions pertaining to the integrity of this fine publication’s reporting.  Perhaps it’s time to turn off the Columbo and say hello to a neighbor.

Jesse Davis
Former St. John Plantation Resident
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania