To the editor:

I wonder what about a democracy being based upon “the will of the people” that state Sen. Tom Casperson and our illustrious Gov. Rick Snyder don’t understand.
Even after presentation of almost a quarter million petition signatures demanding the approval of any wolf hunt be determined by the citizens of Michigan, they decided they alone knew better and took that right away from us.
Wolves in Michigan, who were here long before the current citizenry began taking their territory for financial gain (money is always what it comes down to), were hunted to near extinction and have only now, after a well-deserved reprieve from being hunted (legally), are making a comeback.
It is obvious Sen. Casperson and Gov. Snyder care nothing for our wildlife and the balance of nature but instead are blood-thirsty sadists who like to see animals maimed and die in suffering and pain in steel-jaw leg hold traps. I challenge both to allow themselves to be “caught” in a steel-jaw leg hold trap and claim with a straight face (and without crying like a baby) that it doesn’t hurt and is humane. These traps are not only a threat to the wolves but also to pets, non-game animals and even our children. What were they thinking?
I know what I’m thinking. While they may think they have outsmarted the voters, those same voters will have the last laugh at the next election when they will find themselves (and their similarly inclined cronies) packing their bags and leaving office.
Lois Karasek
Dowagiac