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Cago and the other surviving Canada geese of New York City finally have something to celebrate.
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One of only two politicians (the other has been Eric Adams) to courageously speak in defense of geese won city wide elective office last night.
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Congratulations to Letitia "Tish" James for her decisive and landmark (because she is first woman of color to hold city wide elective office), runoff win for Public Advocate. (And special thanks to any reading this blog who supported Ms. James.)
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Despite being outspent 3-1 by her opponent who also had the backing of the political elite and newspapers, James marched to victory with the backing of the people (and surely the geese if they could have voted)!
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Only 187,000 voters actually participated in the costly runoff election -- each vote costing the city $69.00 (13 million dollars in total.)
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The office itself only receives 2.3 million dollars in funding to work with.
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With little money or direct power, Letitia James will sadly not be in position to stop or even curtail goose massacres in NYC.
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But, the thing that makes Tish James so special and extraordinary, is that she took bold and decisive position on an issue that was (and still is) very controversial.
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Tish James was defending geese and condemning their slaughter at a time most people, politicians and news media supported "cullings" based on the "Miracle on the Hudson" incident. There was zero political advantage for James to speak at goose rallies and that she did so with such passion and conviction indicates someone very gutsy, unique and inspiring.
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Others have been swept up by politicians promising to end the carriage horse industry in NYC or create shelters in every borough (The latter especially won't happen due to city economics and owed pensions). But, these are the animal "hot button" issues in New York City and that some politicians take advantage of that for votes, doesn't really say much.
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Personally, I am still burned by the one time I called Bill de Blasio's Public Advocate's office only to be practically hung up on. It was the very worst of the political calls or letters I made on behalf of the geese being so ruthlessly rounded up and slaughtered in NYC. (When later questioned on the goose issue by animal advocates, de Blasio provided double talk, non-committal response.)
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But, such is unlikely to happen with Tish James.
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Though as Public Advocate, James will not have personal power to stop goose culls, she has voice -- a very powerful voice she has used much in the past to defend justice for geese and for humans. (The official job of Public Advocate is to be political "watch dog" to the mayor and other city politicians.)
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But, we have to hope Tish James eventually becomes mayor to actually be optimistic that goose massacres will finally end in NYC.. The real power of the Public Advocate position is that it is springboard for eventual run for mayor as de Blasio obviously knew.
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The difference is that James is a true advocate for justice for its own sake, rather than just political.
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As for Cago, still living life in New York as a widowed, loner goose, one has to be in awe of this animal's amazing resilience, courage and adaptability.
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After losing her mate and family over the summer, Cago has managed to "make lemonade out of lemons." Though she still grieves her losses, this gutsy goose has incredibly carved out a sweet life for herself at Harlem Meer and made many duck and human friends in the process.
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"As one door closes, another opens" as the saying goes. Incredible how the animals seem to know this without experts telling them.
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One cannot help but speculate that the real reason Tish James so admired and connected with geese as a child was because, deep down, she and the geese had much in common.
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Both, the geese and James are models of resiliency, courage, integrity, independence, loyalty, persistence and compassion.
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And last night one special goose at Harlem Meer was celebrating finally getting voice in city wide elective office in the form of one special human who has never hesitated to be a goose's best advocate. -- PCA
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