Minister Leroy Swailes of Oxon Hill, Maryland put on quite a show at the Washington DC gay marriage hearings last week as he put forth his arguments against same-sex marriage, citing bestiality, pedophilia and the anti-Christ in a nearly 4 minute rant. While some may find his words disturbing, it also borders on the ridiculous and absurd. Watch the freakshow below…

Just one thing I want to know… who the hell applauded Swailes at the end of his remarks? Those are the ones I’m really worried about.

Never  in a million years did I think I would be on this topic again, but in another case of horrendous animal cruelty, a Bronx teen was arrested yesterday for throwing her ex-roommate’s kitten into the oven until it burned to death. From the NY Daily News:

“I hate cats,” Cheyenne Cherry, 17, allegedly told investigators when asked about the heartless crime.

She and an unidentified juvenile allegedly broke into Valerie Hernandez’s Tinton Ave. apartment on May 6 and trashed the place.

Then in a shocking act of animal abuse, they tossed the woman’s kitten, Tiger Lily, into the stove and cranked up the temperature, ASPCA assistant director Joe Pentangelo said.

The duo bolted from the apartment with DVDs and packages of noodles, Pentangelo said … “She didn’t want to hear the cat crying and scratching at the oven door.”

Firefighters found the female cat’s remains smoldering in the oven after neighbors complained of smoke coming from Hernandez’s apartment.

After being charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, burglary, arson, reckless endangerment and criminal mischief, Cherry was released into her mother’s custody.

Released? Cherry is 17 years old. She knew what she was doing. She should be in a jail cell or at least be forced to post bail.

This incident brings back some painful memories of a local case a few years ago where girls set a kitten on fire just for kicks. Little Adam, his ears and tail nearly burned off, ultimately survived. Tiger Lily unfortunately, did not.

A few weeks ago I posted a story on a kitten that was found burning alive in small cage in Sonoma County north of San Francisco. As a cat owner, and a concerned human being, I have been anxiously following the story, and I am happy to report that Adam is now doing very well considering all that he has been through. While he still needs more surgery this week, he is doing all the things kittens do and that’s a very good sign.

And on an equally sunny note, two girls in relation to this incident were charged with killing, maiming or abusing an animal, and will be appearing in juvenile court today.

Couldn’t happen to a nicer pair of teenagers, let me tell you.

In Santa Rosa, CA late last week, a small kitten was found burning to death in a small cage. While still alive, the kitten, now named Adam, is barely hanging on. As a pet owner, and a cat owner in particular, I was moved and angered by the story. Apparently two girls watched, laughing, as the kitten was burning alive, and thankfully Adam was soon rescued by a kind neighbor.

While a small local story, much smaller than navigationally-challenged whale story that unfairly dominated the news some weeks back, I still feel compelled to write about it. I’m saddened that people will sit idly by, even worse, take pleasure in a defenseless, tiny, animal crying for life in front of them. Speaks ill of the children, and frankly of the parents as well, oh, and society too.

Part of me hopes that the girls and whomever decided to end Adam’s life that day, are caught (there is $6000 reward and counting), and given more than a small taste of what Adam experienced that day.

If you wish to donate to the welfare of Adam or find out how he is doing, please visit Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County. I am sure any support you can provide would be of great help to Adam and those taking care of him as they do a great service for our community.