The Cyberactivist

I have been following the deer killing incident that I previously wrote about that was going on in Akron. The latest information I received informed me that the group responsible for getting the footage and bringing attention to this wanton cruelty displayed by Metro Parks, SHARK, has finally gotten some of their equipment back. But, there is a problem with that. No surprise there.

You see, according to the email that SHARK sent me, not only did they not receive 2 of the 8 cameras that were confiscated, but of the ones that were received, there was damage done to some of them. Oh, and of course, the video footage has been wiped clean off of them. Of course. I guess that is to be expected when something as shameful and heinous as footage of the cruel and unnecessary deer killings were on them.

But, there is another interesting point to make here. See, when these cameras were confiscated, they were being held as "evidence" in the hopes that they could be used to charge SHARK with some sort of a crime for exposing the atrocities caught on video. Now, the thing is, since the Metro Parks tampered with them, this is "tampering with evidence," which is a third degree felony in Ohio. So, of course, SHARK is bringing charges against them.

This is an interesting story to follow, for sure.

Now, though, there is another plan to kill more deer. However, instead of this happening at Metro Parks, this is proposed to happen at the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Why? Well, they want to expand the runway, of course. And, since there are deer living peacefully where they want to put this runway, the best idea they could come up with is to kill them.

Well, an employee at the airport found out about this and wasn't too happy about it. So, guess what he did - he contacted our friends at SHARK. And, of course, SHARK was more than happy to help!

They contacted Airport Commissioner Fred Szabo and suggested that the deer could be easily pushed off the property and onto adjacent Metro Parks property. They even offered to do this, and so did some of the caring airport employees. Doesn't this sound like a much more reasonable way to deal with the problem? And, it wouldn't cost the airport a cent! But, do you think that Szabo was falling all over himself in happiness that there was a better way to deal with the problem, thus ridding him of it, and even saving him money?

Nope.

He avoided taking responsibility for this, instead trying to push off the decision on the USDA. I'm sure that they will act in the best interests of these wonderful animals. (Yes, I'm being sarcastic.)

SHARK contacted everyone that they thought might have the authority over this proposal - John Mok / Airport Director, Fred Szabo / Airport Commissioner, Andy Montoney / State Director of Wildlife Services and Mayor Jane Campbell. And, according to SHARK:

As usual, everyone wanted to point to someone else, but ultimately, the consensus was that Airport Commissioner Fred Szabo is where the buck stops and sadly ... probably the does as well.

SHARK even provided the contact information for the individuals that they talked to for citizens to contact if they want to express their outrage and call on them to allow the volunteers to relocate these deer. I wrote my letter. If you would like to do the same, here is that information:

Fred Szabo, Airport Commissioner
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
5300 Riverside Dr.
Cleveland, OH 44135
Phone: 216-265-6100
fszabo@clevelandairport.com

John Mok, Airport Director
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
5300 Riverside Dr.
Cleveland, OH 44135
Phone: 216-265-6022
jmok@clevelandairport.com

Andrew J. Montoney, Ohio Wildlife Services State Director
United States Department of Agriculture
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
6929 Americana Parkway
Reynoldsburg, OH 43068-4116
Phone: 614-892-2514 and/or 419-625-9093
Fax: 614-892-2519
andrew.j.montoney@aphis.usda.gov

Mayor Jane Campbell
Cleveland City Hall
Mayor's Office
601 Lakeside Avenue, Room 202
Cleveland, Ohio 44114
Phone: 216-664-2900 and/or 216-664-2220
mayorsactioncenter@city.cleveland.oh.us and/or Mayorcampbell@city.cleveland.oh.us

Let's see if we can save these deer. It is completely unnecessary to kill them when there is such a workable and easy humane solution to this conflict. If enough people put enough pressure on the authorities, letting them know that there are quite a few concerned citizens out there, we should be able to save them.

I want to take just one more opportunity to thank everyone that has been writing, encouraging me to keep on writing this blog to continue to educate the public. I am doing the best that I can to do just that, against all odds. I'm sure that the regular readers of this blog have noticed lately my absence from posting as often as I used to. I'm sorry for that, but I have been really busting ass lately to earn enough money to keep this thing alive. I am just not able to devote as much time as I used to to this endeavor, but I really am doing the best that I can to post at least every week, even if I can't do it every day anymore. I do appreciate your patience and support. Very much. And I really do need all the support I can get right now.

Times are tough, but I'm tougher!

I will keep fighting, and I will not stop!

Now, I'm off to spend some time with family that has come in town. It's going to be a beautiful day here, and we are going to get out in the woods.

I hope that you all did your good deed the other day. If you didn't, then you can still start fresh today. Aw, go ahead. It will make someone's day.

And maybe even yours, too.

Spread the smiles. Spread the joy. Spread the love. Enjoy your day. I will.