Back in 1969, I served in Vietnam with this good ol’ boy from Arkansas. About all he ever talked about was getting back home so he could start raising mules and enter one into the Kentucky Derby.

For 50 years now, I’ve always thought that was the stupidest thing I had ever heard of. That was until Wednesday.

When I cracked open the Salisbury Post to Page 3A and read, “Balloons released as symbol of mission to protect children,” I knew the Arkansas mule had moved to second place.

For Donna Fayko and Lisa Berger, of the Department of Social Services, both of you get the B.A.N.G.  (Balloons Are Not Green) Award.

For Jim Sides, on the DSS board, you get the Big B.A.N.G. Award.

Here is some paraphrasing that I really like, and I think it’s right out of the King James Version: “Sometimes it’s better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.”

For the rest of the DSS staff and board members, instead of grinning about doing nothing by turning all those balloons loose, you should hang your heads in shame for littering and for all the suffering and abuse you have caused for our wildlife families and babies.

So, the next time you people think that you understand how important the family unit is and want to release something, release some common sense. Plant a tree.

— Whitey Harwood

Rowan County