Opinion: Bubba's acquittal gives approval to atrocious stunt

It was with disbelief and outrage that I read of the acquittal of 98 Rock DJ Bubba the Love Sponge Clem in the animal cruelty case involving him, his producer and two listeners. How, I thought, could judge and jurors let this action of unspeakable abuse be dismissed so quickly and without the slightest regard for future ramifications this atrocity could incur?

Not only has this sent a message out that this type of behavior is acceptable but it also has discounted the life of animals as being without feelings, as pawns to be used in society's never-ending quest for shock media to draw ratings, money and power.

May I suggest to Clem that perhaps he himself needs to consider the pain of being caged, prodded, dismembered and tortured while onlookers cheer and 98 Rock and Clear Channel Communications celebrate their newest ratings stunt. That is what it's all about, isn't it?
-- Mary Eckert, St. Petersburg

How much will we tolerate?

Tampa shock jock Bubba the Love Sponge Clem and his three co-defendants were found not guilty of charges of animal cruelty on Feb. 28. The three-day trial followed a year of legal maneuvering and wrangling that mostly avoided the most important question: What are the limits to what can be done to animals in our society?

The charges arose out of a parking lot stunt at the studios of Clear Channel Communications radio station 98 Rock on Feb. 27, 2001. A wild boar was captured by a hunter near Arcadia, driven to the Tampa location where the on-air personalities joked and laughed about the pending slaughter. Then the animal was jerked out of his cage with ropes, thrown on the ground, castrated and slaughtered while conscious as the assembled crowd cheered and made sport of the suffering of the pig.

A Hillsborough County jury ruled that there was no cruelty involved in this disgusting and disgraceful event. Thus it appears that our community values are tolerant of such behavior. We agonize over what this says about the values of our community. One of the arguments used in defending the individuals charged following this event is that what happened is what is done every day by hunters and in the places where meat is processed. Both hunters and meat producers have expressed disagreement and even outrage at what happened and fear that the event and its outcome have hurt the image of their activities.

It is about time that we all consider our individual values and decide when enough is enough. How much will we tolerate? Possibly then we can take action and bring changes that will elevate those values so we can translate this senseless tragedy into a positive outcome that will transform our attitudes toward animal cruelty.
-- Bob Baker, Ruskin

A poor reflection on our society

Mark Twain once said, "It is just like man's vanity and impertinence to call an animal dumb because it is dumb to his dull perceptions." Based on the insensitive remarks of the defense attorneys, this quote is very descriptive of the outcome in the trial of Bubba the love Sponge Clem.

Bubba and his crew may not have broken any laws in a legal sense, but when it comes to ethics, that's another story. In a truly civilized society, ethics should be above the law. It is so depressing to see that the crude, vulgar and barbaric "good ol' boy" mentality has won over the values of human kindness, empathy, decency and compassion. What a poor reflection on our society.

If, as Mohandas Gandhi once said, "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated," then this is indeed a sad day for the community of Tampa Bay.
-- Angela Nunziata, Seminole

Tripping over community standards

Re: Boar's death is but a part of the radio boor's act, Feb. 28.

Mary Jo Melone maintains that the Bubba the Love Sponge trial wasn't just about animal cruelty, it was about "community standards" and "what we in Tampa Bay will tolerate."

Her views of the purposes of the criminal justice system have frightening implications. How long would it be before Melone is put on trial for her consistently trite column because the community could no longer "tolerate" it?
-- Doug Saguto, Tampa

A questionable set of priorities

I'm glad to see that Mary Jo Melone has taken a day off from defending professor and small time hatemonger Sami Al-Arian to weigh in on the Bubba Clem trial. It's enlightening to read how outraged a person can become over the broadcast of the death of a pig while at the same time championing the First Amendment rights of someone who advocates the destruction of an entire nation. Good set of priorities.

I would at least respect her words to some extent if they were based on vegetarian principles, but my guess is that Melone has enjoyed her fair share of Big Macs and barbecued ribs.

I have found an effective tool for ignoring Clem's sophomoric stunts. It's called a radio dial. If you don't like what you're hearing, turn the dial to NPR. When Clem starts advocating the extermination of a race or religion, I'll join the chorus to run him out of town. The pig prosecution was an utter and total waste of taxpayer money.
-- Dave Askinas, Tampa

Two of a kind

It would seem that Robert Pettyjohn and Bubba the Love Sponge Clem have one thing in common -- both would appear to get a great deal of enjoyment out of torturing animals and to delight in their suffering.

Unfortunately, Bubba has been acquitted while Pettyjohn still awaits trial in his animal cruelty case. Fortunately, the public can still switch the dial from WXTB-FM 97.9 to another station to voice their opinion of Bubba's actions. We can only hope for justice from the courts in Pettyjohn's case.
-- C.M. Black, Dunedin

The ploy of the defense

Re: Cleared DJ vows political revenge, March 1.

Not only did eminent defense attorney Norman Cannella Sr. write new law for the jury in his closing argument, he coined a new word!

"Tormentation" doesn't exist in English -- the noun is simply "torment." Also, his statement that the case was about the law, not "the tormentation of an animal," is patently absurd. Aggravated abuse of an animal is prohibited by Florida statute, which defines it as a third-degree felony.

Cannella's co-counsel, J. Kevin Hayslett, echoed that sentiment (or lack of it) by employing empty rhetoric ("Please tell me this is not about the psyche of a pig"). In one respect, Hayslett was right: It was about the human psyche's attempt to empathize with the fear and agony of a dumb animal that was maimed and tortured to death.

The venerable defense attorneys used a ploy that I can only paraphrase: If you can't dazzle them with logic, then baffle them with . . . something else. But this is a public newspaper and the rest will be left to the minds of the readers.
-- Shane Hunter, St. Petersburg

Husband ignored wife's pain

Re: Fathers versus mothers who murder, by Ellen Goodman, Feb. 28.

Goodman presented an intelligent view of the debate. I feel strongly, however, that she neglected one glaring side of this sad tale. What of Russell Yates' responsibility? He willfully, selfishly, contributed to her downfall and should be considered equally guilty. He, along with his wife, heard the warning (from their psychiatrist) against them having any more children. He knew how fragile she was. Frankly, his tears on the witness stand cannot cleanse his guilt in my mind.

As one who lost a dear friend to suicide following the birth of her child, I know how serious postpartum psychosis is. We all must be aware of these mothers' pain. Russell Yates ignored his wife's pain.
-- Ethel Rosemont, Valrico

Insanity and barbarity

Re: Fathers versus mothers who murder, Feb. 28.

A friend with whom I discussed this article said she thought the state should simply execute this woman and get it over with. She said that a lot of her friends agreed with her.

Andrea Yates gave her reason for murdering her children as the response to Satan in her ear, but, as Goodman implies, we have no clue as to whether or not any being spoke in James Smallwood's ear when he murdered his three children or whether or not he was sane or insane at the time.

I still remember the horror I felt 70 years ago when I learned in Sunday school that the patriarch Abraham also heard a voice in his ear requesting the sacrifice of his only child to prove his religious piety. It's true that the same voice relented and Abraham spared Isaac's life, but I was haunted throughout childhood wondering what would have happened if God hadn't changed his mind.

Although I no longer consider this story to be understood literally, many people in this society apparently do. I personally fail to see how responding to an act of insanity with an act of state barbarity shows we've come very far since the old "eye for an eye" mentality.
-- Joanna Garrett, St. Petersburg

Mental illness is real

Re: Mary, Luke, Paul, John and Noah, March 1.

Shame on you, Debra J. Saunders! You have shown the world today that you and so many others are, indeed, living in the Dark Ages.

Mental illness is a reality. Even if you want to deny it, it exists. As surely as you woke up feeling okay this morning, remember -- it can happen to you. Mental illness does not discriminate.

I have no lack of compassion for Yates' children. I just feel that they, too, are victims of our society's ignorance and lack of concern for mental illness. Do you actually believe that she was sane when she heard "the voices of Satan" telling her to kill her children? Did she previously attempt suicide? For what reason? Maybe to gain attention?

Men and women everywhere are crying for help that can't be found. At least try to understand this as an illness before more have to die. I just hope that there is at least one juror who deals with the reality. Remember, too: There, but by the grace of God, go I.
-- Linda Walker, Seminole

A troubled youth and troubled schools

Re: Drawn to trouble, Feb. 24.

What are the schools doing? Granted, Michael Gonzalez, age 15, had a very difficult and unhappy childhood, and so he apparently vented his rage and is now accused of killing a 73-year-old woman. The note he wrote to the judge begging not to be sent back to live with his parents supports his unhappy mental state.

In that note of 28 words is displayed something else which is also significant: There are four spelling errors of simple words that a 9-year-old child should be able to spell correctly. How did Michael Gonzalez manage to pass along in the Florida school system with such a deficiency? Was he given social promotions like so many other students who then graduate with skills that make them functionally illiterate?

Michael is in deep trouble of one kind, but it is obvious that our school system in Florida has troubles of its own.
-- Lester Palmer, Largo

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