Roy Exum
As we move into the last weekend before Christmas, the “Scrooge of the Year” has just appeared in Aurora, Ind. Actually Connie Ley has just died. She passed away on Nov. 25, but in her wake left the worst will many around the country have ever heard – her last wishes included that her nine-year-old dog should be put to death, cremated, and buried with her.
Bela, a beautiful German shepherd, is a healthy, active dog and now the late woman’s attorney, Doug Denmure who crafted the outrageous will, is telling animal welfare groups and indignant pet owners Connie actually wanted the dog taken to a no-kill facility at Best Friends Animal Society in southern Utah.
The lawyer is saying Connie really wanted the dog to live out its final days at the shelter.
But the lawyer says the final decision rests with the executor, who has deemed to transport the dog would be financially prohibitive. Bela was scheduled to be euthanized earlier this week but a huge public outcry has postponed the dog’s fate and, as of yesterday, Bella was resting comfortably at the Dearborn County Humane Center with his blanket, his toys and the prayers of literally thousands of outraged pet owners.
Supporters have launched an online petition round a #SaveBela hashtag of Facebook and Twitter but attorney Denmure told CNN the “kill order” is legal as far as he’s concerned. “The dog was owned by my client and now it is part of her estate. Those are her wishes, as far as the future of the dog is concerned. Outsiders don’t have the grounds to rewrite the provisions of my client’s will and impose what they want.”
Denmure told CNN affiliate WCPO-TV that Bela “has a history of aggressive behavior and that he could cause damage and harm on strangers and, in particular, children.”
But the Best Friends Animal Society begs to differ and, in a post on Facebook, made the statement. “We want to save Bela’s life and bring him to our sanctuary, but the decision to send him to us or to put him down is out of our hands,” adding the hope was Ms. Ley’s designate will agree to transport the dog.
Prof. Edward Queen, who specializes in Ethics at Emory University, told CNN, “On the whole, people do not euthanize healthy pets,” he said but noted it is not uncommon for unwanted pets to be put down. “As a matter of policy, do we really want people to control the life of a pet on a whim? Assuming the dog is healthy and will be cared for, I’m not sure I want to encourage this.”
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If you took the “Top 25” college football teams at the end of the regular season and ranked them on academic achievement rather than gridiron greatness, Time Magazine and the New America think tank in Washington inform us that No. 6 Texas Christian is No. 1 in the classroom.
TCU has a 77 percent graduation rate for its football players. The Horned Frogs were followed on the academic list by No. 14 UCLA, No. 1 Alabama, No. 17 Clemson and No. 15 Arizona State in the top five. Rounding out the top 10 in academics are No. 4 Ohio State, No. 13 Georgia, No. 22 Utah, No. 10 Arizona and No. 11 Kansas State. (No. 19 Auburn placed 11th, No. 7 Mississippi State was 13th, No. 12 Georgia Tech was 17th, No. 23 LSU was 18th, No. 3 Florida State was 22nd, and No. 9 Ole Miss was 24th in the academic standings.)
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Fred Shapiro, a librarian at Yale Law School and editor of the “Yale Book of Quotations” has just declared “I can’t breathe!” as the most memorable quote for 2014. Shapiro compiles the list every year and, in this week’s Newsweek, he gives us his top Ten:
1. "I can't breathe!" — Eric Garner, videotaped exclamation while being held by a policeman in New York, July 17.
2. "Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee." — Bridget Anne Kelly, an aide to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, in an email to David Wildstein quoted in The New York Times, Jan. 9.
3. "Hands up! Don't shoot!" — Chant of demonstrators protesting the shooting death of Michael Brown, Ferguson, Missouri, in August.
4. "Mr. Commissioner, we found out by one phone call. You guys have a whole legal department. Can you explain that?" — TMZ reporter Adam Glyn questioning NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on why the NFL had not been able to view video of the Ray Rice incident, at a news conference on Sept. 19.
5. "It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you're associating with black people." — Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, in a remark to V. Stiviano on an audio recording quoted in Los Angeles Times, April 27.
6. "We came out of the White House not only dead broke, but in debt." — Hillary Clinton, ABC News interview, June 9.
7. "I grew up castrating hogs on an Iowa farm, so when I come to Washington, I'll know how to cut pork." — Iowa Senatorial candidate Jodi Ernst, campaign advertisement quoted in National Journal, March 25.
8. "I would call attention to the parallels of fascist Nazi (Germany's) war on its 'one percent,' namely its Jews, to the progressive war on the American one percent, namely the 'rich.' ... I perceive a rising tide of hatred of the successful one percent." — Venture capitalist Tom Perkins, letter to the editor, Wall Street Journal, Jan. 24.
9. "We have always conducted our relationship privately, and we hope that as we consciously uncouple and co-parent, we will be able to continue in the same manner." — Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin, statement on Paltrow's website announcing their separation, March 25.
10. (tie) "Isn't it a b****? I mean, ... this vice president thing?" — Joe Biden, response to student body vice president at Harvard College, Oct. 2.
10. (tie) "Great nations need organizing principles, and 'Don't do stupid stuff' is not an organizing principle." — Hillary Clinton, Atlantic Online interview, Aug. 10.
10. (tie) "Every time I get an opponent — I mean, every time I get a chance — I'm home." — Kansas Senator Pat Roberts responding to questioning about whether he actually resides in Kansas, KCMO radio interview, July 3.
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