Re: “Nelson fails the bear test,” Letters, August 24
I live one block away from the incident with the bear in Fairview and was quite concerned, first with the noise and police that were roaming the area earlier in the evening.
Then, once I was told by my child that a bear was in Fairview and that the sound I was hearing was not a gun but a “bear banger” (my child’s words), I went to pick her up and saw the crowd one block from my house, and a bear in a tree.
I did stop and chat with people there. I must disagree with Wendy Horan on her comments regarding the crowd’s lack of empathy.
The five or six people I spoke with all commented on how we hoped the authorities could tranquilize the bear and relocate it. I could not hear anyone else’s conversation regarding the bear nor do I think Ms. Horan could — she certainly didn’t hear mine.
Her broad comments and assumptions that everyone who was there lacked empathy and should be ashamed is just that — a broad comment and assumption that is not true. I am not ashamed, but I am upset that Ms. Horan would feel she could make such statements. I do wish the bear was saved — that is the real issue of the story.
As far as the youth that were there that did not have empathy either. Well, how old are we talking here? My 18-year-old daughter and several others in their teens and 20s were standing with us, and not one made a comment that hinted they lacked empathy for the situation. They watched and chatted like us older folks. My teen was very sad to learn the bear had been shot as opposed to tranquilized and moved.
Pat Henman
Nelson