Out of balance

Re “Smelt ruling may cut into water supply,” Sept. 1

Is something very wrong with our society when animals and fish are held to be more important than humans? A federal judge has decided that human life is of lower value than the endangered Delta smelt, which has a life span of about a year. Obviously, water for those who live in Southern California is of less importance than the health of smelt. When a society has a recent history of such ill regard for human life, is it any surprise that a pontificating judge follows its lead? Maybe this is the path to population control.

Charles O’Connell

Stevenson Ranch