Making the wrong difference

Your analogy in the July 18 editorial ("One starfish at a time") was very appropriate. However, not for the reason you state.

Your recounting the popular story of throwing a beached starfish back into the sea is, sadly, a perfect analogy. Some years ago, fishermen discovered that starfish were decimating the clam and oyster population in many locations. To fight this, divers were hired to collect starfish and, when found, chop the starfish into pieces.

Unfortunately, each piece they chopped up grew into a new, individual starfish.

Shirley Barnes, trying to do good and make a difference, inadvertently created a bigger problem -- for herself, the dogs and the community.

Christopher Noah Sr., Evans