One cat death is a tragedy. 43,000 human deaths is a statistic

Source: Orange County Register
by Steven Greenhut

“For those who missed the internationally publicized brouhaha, a tabby named Kit Kat had lived in the city’s Mission, where he sauntered into bodegas and bars. Dubbed the Mayor of 16th Street, Kit Kat was by all accounts a charming character. Then on October 27, the unthinkable happened: a Waymo self-driving taxi ran him over. Kit Kat’s fans have erected memorials and took to social media to mourn. There’s nothing wrong with mourning the death of a neighborhood cat. … my problem isn’t with the upset, but with the proposed solutions. As The New York Times reported, ‘Jackie Fielder, a progressive San Francisco supervisor who represents the Mission District, has been among the most vocal critics. She introduced a city resolution after Kit Kat’s death that calls for the state Legislature to let voters decide if driverless cars can operate where they live.'” (11/21/25)

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