Seeds of compassion
The real tragedy of the Bird Rock Bullies is that their series of cruel assaults and bullying tactics went unreported and unchallenged until it resulted in the loss of a life (“Cravens will stand alone in murder trial,” Village News, July 3, page 3). If they had been confronted earlier and charges filed against them, or held accountable for their actions, maybe Emery Kauanui would still have a life to live.
We all have a lesson to be learned from this. There is an old Chinese saying that no person is too big to be courteous, but some are too small. The seeds of compassion are part of our nature as a human being, and it is the responsibility of family and friends to see to it that neither animosity, prejudice or chauvinism stunts their growth.

Ray Steinwehe, Pacific Beach

Let freedom ring for the seals
Today my husband and I went for a July 4th morning walk in La Jolla. Seeing the seals is always a treat for us and today would have been no exception except for the man with the huge gut and the Speedo. Not a pretty sight and not because of his appearance. As seals were trying to haul in and rest, he would walk in front of each one, puff up his chest and get right in front of them, harassing and intimidating each one back into the water. He would walk in front of each seal up and down the small beach and puff up like Thor with his arms firmly at his side, as if this man was a god of some sort in charge of the sand.
Everyone could see this and a few reported him to the lifeguards. There were others there with “Beach Open” signs in the sand showing all intentions of being aggressive toward seals, also getting close to the seals at the shoreline to prevent them from hauling in.
When I talked to the Friends of Seals about this they said that the best we can do as an organized society is write to the Union-Tribune, marine protection groups and our council members to show our support for the sand at Children’s Pool to become a protected seal rookery. This letter is what I am doing with my Fourth of July.
The citizens of San Diego and really all of Southern California have been given a gift that these harbor seals are living and pupping on the sand. Because one swimmer decided to sue the city of San Diego to move the seals out (a suit which has not been fully resolved), some of the general public now feels empowered to harass these protected beings.
If it were up to me, I would say take down the entire wall, let the sand find its natural course again and let the seals land whenever they want.
Back to the man in the Speedo: I wonder what he would do if a seal was trying to rest in the backyard of his home? Protect his backyard, undoubtedly. The seal was trying to rest in its own backyard but to no avail.
Happy Fourth of July to the animal and marine lovers of San Diego and thanks to the Friends of Seals for all their unselfish volunteer work day and night as they try so hard to look after the seals. We are not getting enough help from the city of San Diego.
This is an open letter to the marine and animal societies engaged in animal and marine protection. Please help us in San Diego! Please help our seals! They desperately need federal intervention to protect them and they need help today. A flimsy rope at pupping season is not nearly enough.

Kimberly Dotseth, La Jolla