I have no particular argument with the view Illinois Senate Minority Leader Emil Jones Jr. expressed in his letter headlined “Fat cats and wolves” (Voice, Jan. 17). Sen. Jones suggested a temporary moratorium on special “tax breaks and benefits” for corporations as an aid to averting a state “budget crisis.” The latter is a fleeting issue, anyway, but I believe the senator chose an unfortunate metaphor in outlining his “pragmatic way to `slay the wolf’ that is currently napping outside the Treasury door.”
Sen. Jones’ analogy perpetuates a myth about the wolf–that the animal is evil, greedy and disruptive. I’m not a wildlife authority, but from what I read, the wolf is a skillful, fierce and relentless predator that seeks its prey for food and otherwise kills mainly to protect its territory–its family, if you will–from rivals. Not for fun, not for sport, but for taking care of wolf business. Among their own, wolves are playful, loving and protective–they exhibit “family values” that people in general would do well to emulate. Plus, they are stately, beautiful creatures.
Sen. Jones should have chosen some human being for his analogy–there are lots to pick from.
