|
Of all the untruths mouthed about Canada geese, the one that is the most disturbing is that they pose "health threat" to humans.
.
That such phrase could be leveled against three geese in an 843 acre park (Central Park) is positively astounding and absurd.
.
I recall times only a few years ago, when at least a hundred Canada geese and two hundred mallards would be taking in the late summer sun and early fall breezes at Harlem Meer in Central Park.
.
I recall times when young, smiling children delighted in feeding the very social geese who gently and graciously took small bits of bread from the children's tiny hands.
.
I recall families picnicking on grass as flocks of geese wandered by, confident that no one met harm to them.
.
I remember a young rapper standing in front of wintering geese on a nearly frozen Harlem Meer singing out raunchy song to them. The geese appeared to enjoy it.
.
This journal is filled with entries and photos from those (and other) times, as well as videos posted on You Tube.
.
.
But, what happened to all those fun and easy times when geese and other wildlife were delighted in, rather than scorned?
.
These days there is an ongoing "health" war against three geese in the very same park that just a few years ago, played gracious host to hundreds of them.
.
When did we become a nation seemingly bent on living forever and never being exposed to a germ?
.
When did we become a nation of hypochondriacs who can seemingly be scared into agreeing to anything, no matter how preposterous, barbaric and unjust with the whispering of the words, "health (or "airline") threat?"
.
It is hard to believe that in roughly three short years, the geese in Central Park have gone from entertaining, graceful forms of wildlife to reservoirs of the most deadly disease "threats" known to humankind.
.
Did all the picnickers and children who previously delighted in geese take sick and die?
.
Funny, that we never read of these deaths in the newspapers or saw on TV news.
.
But, we do see the buzz words, "health threat" in just about every article and news piece on geese as we now hear them spoken by park leaderships and Geese Police.
.
We are just never presented with any actual proof -- just accusation and innuendo.
.
One should not of course be surprised that Geese Police (and other goose harassment companies) resort to extreme scare and goose demonizing tactics in order to drum up business.
.
But, one is surprised by Central Park and other park "Conservancies."
.
Perhaps the Central Park leadership has simply been swept up in a kind of extreme "health and fitness" craze that seems to have overtaken the entire country and forged a kind of paranoia of anything living that can't text a message on a cell phone.
.
Geese are highly intelligent animals, but they can't text on cell phones.
.
And though geese are natural part of nature and their droppings biodegradable and fertilizing of grass, somehow we have suddenly developed great fear of the natural environment and its animals.
.
One cannot help but wonder if we somehow "project" on to geese and other animals, the actions of environmental destruction and other very real "health threats" that are largely produced by and true of ourselves?
.
For example:
.
.
Those nearly "one million chickens and turkeys unintentionally boiled alive each year" cannot be good for either the environment or human health. And yet, due to faster slaughter lines, those "boiled alive" chickens and turkeys will undoubtedly increase according to the Washington Post.
.
But, it is three geese in an 843 acre park who are the real "threat" to human health.
.
One can appreciate the new emphasis on "health and fitness" and people's desires to live longer.
.
But, I for one won't be joining any running, cycling, or triathlon clubs anytime soon.
.
If the new world order is to "get rid of the geese" and all other animals who carry bacteria or occasionally throw up, then I am content to "go" in my allotted time.
.
This new world just ain't much fun anymore. -- PCA
.
**********
No comments:
Post a Comment