In an age of activist politics you can
trust no one in authority to protect your rights. Do you really
think the fact that you pay someone's salary makes them obligated to
you? Do you really think they are obligated to follow the law? They
are not. Activist politics means that, they take your money and
proceed to do whatever they want. There is no rule of law: The law
is what THEY say it is. Enforcement agencies, executive boards, and
courts are stacked with ideologues that have ONE priority – promote
their cause at all costs. They make up rules and regulations to fit their ideology, and if any extant rules don't fit, just ignore them!
The above is not a true conflict of
interest. A conflict of interest indicates that one has competing
interests where one interest may outweigh the other. In many cases,
authorities have NO conflict of interest – they are motivated ONLY
by ideology and their job mission / description is far below
consideration.
I got "flamed" on Craven
Desires the other day. Stow the kleenex... I can handle it.
Apparently, somebody got a bug up their ass because I indicated they
should protect their livestock from at large dogs (pit bulls).
Short version: Somebody had taken ownership of a miniature horse and
it was on their property for barely a couple of hours before the
neighbor's pit bull ripped its face off. I then suggested they
should gun up and shoot every mauler on their property. The flamer
was incensed that I suggest they take affirmative action. Well, if
YOU don't who will... the pit nuts running your AC, LE and circuit
court? Bwahahahaha! You will see me ice skate in hell before THAT
happens.
Seriously, what did they think was
going to happen? Dog owners don't restrain their dogs, nor are they
expected to. The government does not restrain dog owners, nor are
they expected to. Therefore, if you are a horse owner you are
completely on your own. Before somebody flames me again... listen, I
did not create this regime nor do I contribute to it. Please do not
shoot the messenger.
As I have noted in the past, I am
forcibly prevented from housing a horse on my property. According to
the activist ideologues, one horse is worse for the community than 30
dogs (or whatever the backyard breeder du-joir can handle). Even if
horse ownership were legal, I would be foolish to do so as
neighborhood dogs are free to kill it via unlimited means. Sorry pit
bull haters, I have seen MANY horses literally harassed to death by
non-Pits. Is running a horse into a fence or a road full of cars
really that worse than ripping its face off? You are debating
velocity, not trajectory.
In any case, the reality is that NO you
cannot house a horse or any livestock unless you are prepared to kill
any potential predators 24x7. Why not? Because you are OWNED, that
is why. Authorities are firmly on the side of those who want to
KILL your livestock. You think they are going to jail them for
killing your horse? Think again... all they care about is promoting
the interests of dogs and dog owners.
Hey, I'm teh flamer, and I'm on your side, but you've got to realize the rural reality. We've been fighting this war way longer than you suburban folks and here's the deal, we can't be there 24X7 to shoot the dog, and have you ever seen what happens when a dog goes after a flock of sheep? The sheep bunch up and I guarentee the best shot in the world wouldn't be able to pick off the dog without getting a sheep in the process.
ReplyDeleteIt's easy for you all to tell us that we just have to shoot the dog, but you have to get a clean shot, and with more and more neighbors houses around, that's not always possible to do without endangering someone else.
Put yourself in my shoes, our muddy shit-kicking shoes, we get some city person telling us that "all we have to do is shoot the dog", and let me tell you I've heard it a dozen times, usually from someone whose never shot at a living thing in their lives. It's really annoying.
My most recent battle was with the neighbors chicken killer. In two years, I had only one clean shot at it, and guess what? Didn't have my gun for the 30 seconds it was in my sites.
So, please, don't take offense when you get someone telling you from their own personal experience that your advice to "just shoot the dog" is way effing harder than you think.
Oh, and I just read the rest of your post. You need to get out into the country and see what's really out there. NO ONE IS AT THEIR PLACE 24X7. ABSOLUTELY NO ONE. Except for the retirees that cant' see well enough to shoot anyway.
ReplyDeleteQuite honestly, if they have property big enough to support themselves so they never have to leave, they can't cover the property by sight.
I'm a member of the Back Country Horsemen, National Competitive Mounted Orienteering and on and off of a half dozen other equine and stock organizations and clubs. Nobody, I MEAN NOBODY is on their place 24X7.
I know of one farm, ONE, in a five mile radius that has someone there MOST of the time, but only days, and that one is owned by a rich chiropractor and is totally a hobby farm.
Small farming/ranching just doesn't pay the bills. It's been that way since the 70's at least, and even big AG isn't manned 24X7.
There's an old rural joke that goes like this:
"What do you call a farmer whose wife doesn't work?"
answer
"Broke"
and that's from the mid-80's. It's only gotten worse.
Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteA few things:
First, don't "appeal to authority". I grew up with horses, lived on a small horse farm through high school and college, and I worked for a veterinarian with a large animal practice all the way through high school. Perhaps I don't know everything, but I know enough. In other words, your credentials don't impress anybody.
Second, don't take what I (or anybody) writes so personally. You are going to give yourself a heart attack. What I write is not aimed directly at you, or even folks with your mindset. Take a chill.
Third, this is aimed at bubbleheads/bleeding heart fools who think we can all live together in peace and harmony, who thinks there is a peaceful resolution to every problem, who believe in the benign/fair nature of institutions, and who believe that anyone who owns a dog must be a great person. Again, if that doesn't fit you then don't worry about it. In other words, you are not part of the intended audience.
Lastly, I'm really just stating the obvious. Let me use this as an allegory - the local Mafia Don decides you owe him a $10,000.00 tribute. I then tell you, "look if you don't give him what he wants he will break your legs". You then proceed to get pissed at ME because its...not fair, illegal, you don't have the cash, etc... etc... etc... all those things might be true but are irrelevant. If you want to stay out of a wheelchair, you must modify your behavior. All you have in front of you is a set of bad options, all with bad outcomes.
This is the bottom line - I understand you can't patrol your place with a rifle 24x7. Again, I believe you but it doesn't matter. What matters is, under the current regime your local Doggers own you. If they see your animals unprotected, they will turn their dogs loose on them for sport, and most likely get away with it.
More on that later.
Thanks for writing.