One Year Later, Flock Returns with Powerful Message....

Photos: 1-- Admonishment of new goose by Buster [lower right corner]. 2-- "Diving Duo" geese returned to Meer. 3-- Buster, loud and proud.) 

 

Almost as if to mock the powerful human forces against them, as well as mark the one year anniversary when every last bird who could fly was "harassed" from Harlem Meer, the geese showed up last night to the site of their previous banishment in sizable, proud number.

 

I didn't know what to expect when going to the Meer last night.

 

Would it be a repeat of the previous year (as written about yesterday)?  Or, would it be relatively quiet (as has been the case in recent months) with few if any geese present?

 

But, it was obvious almost immediately that things were very different from either one year ago or the eerie quiet that has represented the fall this year.

 

Descending the hill that leads to Harlem Meer, I could see immediately that the "diving duo" geese had returned, their sparkly, clean white butts sticking upright in the water like cheerful welcoming signs.

 

But, they weren't the only ones.

 

A number of other geese were gliding peacefully in the water, as well as a colophony of mallards.

 

Stepping onto the familiar Meer path with my two dogs, suddenly a chorus of loud honks emanated from the far east side of the lake.   A gaggle of geese rose a few feet from the water and enthusiastically flew in my direction!

 

It didn't take long to figure out the gaggle was Buster and his rag-tag crew of seven loyalists.   They and a bunch of mallards followed in the water as I made my way to the familiar gathering spot.

 

And behind them, other geese followed, including the diving duo geese.

 

As usual, Brad, the flightless Rouen duck was the first on the grassy embankment, followed closely behind by Buster, his shy crew and the forever greedy mallards.

 

Bold and brash as always, Buster walked up to me and started to tug at my sleeve, as Brad stood at my feet, patiently waiting for his nightly treats.

 

After tossing some seeds to the other birds, Brad and Buster gently shared treats from my hand together.

 

As dominating and sometimes ruthless with the other geese as Buster is, it is quite extraordinary how gentle and sharing he is with Brad -- the duck I told Buster he cannot mess with.

 

And although Brad is often intimidated by the more aggressive drakes of the Meer, he has no fear whatsoever of Buster who is at least three times his size and has no compunctions about throwing his weight around.

 

Meanwhile, in the water directly in front of me were the diving duo, who, as it turns out are not just "two" geese, but actually a family of four.

 

Apparently, one of their grown two goslings has also taken on the "bottoms up" posturing and three of them were tails up in the water.

 

I quickly whipped out my small, point and shoot camera and was able to get a shot of the parents, "bottoms up."

 

By this time, another goose family of six had climbed onto the embankment and took up position about 20 feet from Buster and his bunch.

 

But, Buster would not allow them to trudge any closer.

 

The family of six, seemingly knowing me, tried to approach several times, but each time, Buster aggressively went after them as if to say in no uncertain terms, "Know your place!"

 

Feeling a bit sorry for the family of six and trying to figure out if I recognized them, I slowly approached them.

 

Sure enough, several walked right up to me and even ate from my hand. But, I did not recognize them as either the Turtle Pond goose family or geese I knew from the Reservoir over the summer.   I think, rather, they are part of the resident geese who used to live at Harlem Meer over the spring and fall of past years -- like the "diving duo" suddenly returned to the Meer with their two grown youngsters.

 

It was funny how the geese readily recognized me, but I not them.  Perhaps geese have better memories than humans?

 

But, Buster wasn't having any of it.

 

Carefully guarding some invisible line, he kept admonishing and pushing back, the new family of six.  And they, in seeming deference to Buster's power and position respectfully retreated back.  (See photo.)

 

Meanwhile, the "diving" family of four found a safe spot along the embankment at least 30 or 40 feet from where Buster was and were quietly nibbling on the grass.   Buster did not bother them.

 

I counted a total of 17 geese along the embankment.  But, I could tell there were others further out in the water.

 

There may have in fact, been up to 25 or 30 geese last night at the Meer -- or about the same number that were chased from the lake, along with all the other birds, last year at this time.

 

I had to wonder:

 

Do the geese keep a calendar?

 

Did they return to the Meer exactly one year to the day of being banished, as if to deliver some kind of message to us humans who so relentlessly persecute them?

 

"You can demonize and vilify us.  You can harass and chase us. You can hunt and shoot us.  You can even round up our brethren and decimate our numbers.  But, you will never, ever dominate, control and destroy us.  We will find way to prevail and overcome all of yours and life's adversities!"

 

I of course, don't know the answers to these questions, as being human myself, I seem to lack the smarts and memory of the geese.

 

But, I do know for a fact, the geese indeed are keen of memory, vision, recognition and intelligence. 

 

What's more, they learn quickly and are capable of great stoicism and resilience.  

 

They may acquiesce and bow to their own leaders, fathers, mothers and mates. But, they will never yield to or be done in by the demands and whims of humans.

 

All was beautiful and peaceful last night (unlike the previous year) when I finally left the Meer last night.

 

The flock had returned and seemingly with a very powerful message of hope, renewal and resistance. -- PCA

 

 

 

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Wandering Nomads

Today marks a kind of "anniversary."

 

But, not a particularly pleasant one.

 

It was one year ago today that I encountered "goose harassment" at Harlem Meer in Central Park.

 

I remember the incident as clearly as yesterday:

 

It was around 6:30 in the evening.

 

I set out to check on Brad, Angelina and Joey, the three domestic, flightless ducks at Harlem Meer during that time.

 

Autumn to that point had been chilly in New York City.   Half of the lake was already frozen.

 

A number of migratory birds had congregated at the Meer.

 

There were groups of Northern Shovelers, lots of mallards and other ducks, one swan ("Hector") and about 30 mostly migratory Canada geese.

 

When arriving to the Meer that night, Joey, Brad and Angelina immediately rushed to me eager for their nightly treats.   A number of mallards joined them.

 

Tossing seeds to the ducks along the grassy embankment, I noticed someone on the far side of the lake alongside a white van.

 

The person appeared to be tossing something heavy on the ice.  It made a loud noise when crashing on the sheets of frozen water.

 

"Hm, that's interesting," I thought naively. "Must be a park ranger breaking up the ice for the birds!"

 

But, my wishful thinking and naivete were soon torpedoed by a hard dose of reality.

 

The geese positioned in the middle of the lake started to honk loudly -- a warning call presumably to each other and the other birds in the water.

 

Startled, Joey, Brad and Angelina, immediately bolted and jumped in the water, swimming as rapidly as possible to the center of the lake.

 

What the hell? I thought.  What's going on?

 

Then, before I could even contemplate an answer to the question, the geese rose up in one large and panicked swoop from the lake.   The other birds quickly followed....shovelers, mallards and whatever other waterfowl had been languishing on the still unfrozen, open water.

 

The birds flew high in the air and seemed to head in disorganized fashion towards the East Side of Manhattan -- or in the direction of Laguardia Airport.

 

Confused and angered, I hurriedly rushed to the east side of the lake to investigate and confront the person terrorizing all of the birds.

 

Passing the white van, I noticed the words, "Geese Relief" on the side of the truck.

 

"What the hell are you doing?"  I furiously inquired of the woman repeatedly tossing the loud noisemaker on the ice.

 

"I am here to chase away the geese." the woman answered dispassionately and matter of factly.

 

"That's INSANE!   You're sending all these birds up in the sky in a panic when you've got planes flying overhead!  That is ASKING for a potential disaster!  We need the geese here to help maintain open water!"

 

Apparently instructed not to get into arguments with protesters, the woman packed up her apparatus and stepped inside the van.   But, rather than leaving the Meer, she drove the van some 100 or so feet away and simply parked near the park drive.

 

I too, moved back to the south side of the lake and watched, hoping the woman in the white van would finally leave.

 

But, she didn't.

 

There were still a straggly few birds on the lake, including Hector, the swan, a handful of geese and of course, Joey, Brad and Angelina who were incapable of flying anywhere.

 

I stayed as long as I could. But, the below freezing temperatures were getting to me and my hands were then frozen despite wearing gloves.

 

It was obvious the woman sitting inside a warm van was not going to leave until presumably every last bird was chased from the lake.

 

Eventually, I had to give up and leave.   There was nothing I could do to protect the few stragglers left on the lake.

 

I felt completely deflated and despaired.

 

The following day, I called the Central Park Conservancy to resister complaint over the incident witnessed the night before.

 

"Oh, they are supposed to use dogs to chase the geese," I was told. "We did not approve the use of any other methods.  We will check into this and get back to you."

 

"But, WHY would geese be chased at all now?" I demanded to know.  " We are going into winter. These are migratory birds!"

 

"I promise to get back to you later....."

 

As promised, later in the day, the same gentleman called back to inform me that Geese Relief had been fired and that all goose harassment was suspended for the winter.  A new company would be hired in the spring.

 

But, the damage had already been done.

 

Later that night, at the Meer, only Joey, Brad and Angelina still remained.  No geese. No shovelers. No ducks.  And even no swan.

 

"Hector," the swan who had been at the Meer since October had fled along with all of the other waterfowl with the exception of the flightless and totally terrorized ducks. 

 

It took a long while for me to find the traumatized BrAdgelina and Joey that night.

 

Even though it is now exactly a year later, Hector, the swan has never been seen since.

 

And even though Joey, Brad and Angelina were never specifically targeted by goose harassment, since last year, Joey was attacked by a dog in January and had to be rescued and Angelina mysteriously vanished this past spring and is presumed dead.

 

As claimed, Central Park Conservancy did suspend goose harassment for the rest of the winter, but it was resumed this past spring with the company, "Goosebusters."

 

As noted in this blog, last spring was the last time any sizable population of geese were observed in Central Park.

 

But, that of course did not last long.

 

Since that time, observances of geese in Central Park have been spotty at best.  And though normally, these are birds who survive best in large groups (as any prey species), it seems the geese have altered their behavior substantially by frequently dispersing and breaking up into smaller gaggles.

 

There were, for example, ten (very shy, nervous and people-wary) geese who molted at Harlem Meer over this past summer. There was the family of five geese at the Reservoir (including three goslings). There was the Turtle Pond family of geese and a few hangers-on who molted at the Boat Lake.  And there was another family of geese (including goslings who hatched) at the South Pond.

 

That was a grand total of approximately 35 geese dispersed in all of Central Park over this past summer.

 

But, since molting and gosling-raising was completed in August, sightings of geese in Central Park over the fall have been very few and far between.

 

Yesterday, I wrote of the dozen or so geese who miraculously appeared at Harlem Meer on Wednesday night.

 

But, even that was different last night.

 

Only Buster and his small troupe of 6 refugees were still at the Meer last night.  The dynamic "diving duo" and other geese seemingly returned to the Meer were gone again.

 

But, will Buster and his rag-tag clan be harassed tonight as one year ago, every goose, shoverler, mallard and even the one swan were at Harlem Meer?

 

I don't know.

 

I just know its a dubious "anniversary."  -- One I personally don't celebrate.

 

The lake water may not yet be frozen at Harlem Meer during what has mostly been a warmer than normal fall in New York City.

 

But, the atmosphere for the "unwelcomed" and constantly maligned geese is as frigid and frozen as the most northern points of the Arctic during the bleakest, harshest days of winter.

 

"Disperse, constantly move and reorganize" seem to be the modus operandi for the forever targeted geese these days.

 

All have become wandering and scattered nomads without home anywhere.  -- PCA

 

 

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The Human Considerations of Geese! ;)

(Photo -- Buster requesting his reward for a job well done!)

 

Buster returned to Harlem Meer last night and this time, be brought some old friends with him!

 

His message to me seemed to be, "I know you have been worrying about these guys, so I found and brought them back!  Reward me!"

 

The "old friends" are a pair of geese who I videotaped last April at the Meer -- the last time a sizable population of geese were present there:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcFwbcMNdUo

 

At the time, I found the particular pair very unusual and amusing because of their almost constant tendency to dive under the water and flaunt their butts high in the air.

 

It had been many months since seeing these two particular geese and yes, the irony is that I had just thought about them in recent days......

 

Whatever happened to the bottoms-up geese?  Whatever happened to Bozo, Bonnie and all the other geese who were once at the Meer?

 

Well, last night, there were at least a dozen new geese at the Meer, along with Buster and his small troupe of vagabonds.  But, I suspect the geese weren't "new" at all, but rather the diving duo and a number of other returnees.

 

The geese were all gathered along with Brad and the other ducks near the southern portion of the Meer when I arrived last night.

 

Imagine the sheer shock when seeing at least a dozen geese!

 

At first, I thought the new geese to be migratory.  But, when they began to follow me along with the mallards to the usual gathering spot, it was obvious Buster had returned with his clan and apparently brought the new geese with him!

 

The newbies, for the most part, did not climb onto the grassy embankment, but rather elected to stay nearby in the water.

 

And that is when I noticed the two "diving geese" once again, performing their ritual in the water.   Over and over again, they spun over face down in the lake with their white butts high in the air like celebratory waving flags!

 

(Unfortunately, I did not have my video camera with me and am thus relying today on old video.   But, I am reasonably sure it is the same two geese.  Its a little unusual to see geese engaging in the diving behavior on such repeated, consistent basis. These two truly seem to have a "thing" together and their synchronization is nearly perfect!)

 

So where have the diving duo and others been hiding out all these months?

 

I have no idea.

 

But, it was real nice last night to see them once again back. 

 

And yes, I think the ever adventurous and inventive Buster might have had something to do with calling the Harlem Meer flock back. --  If for no other reason than to appease me and quell my fears.

 

I do believe geese are often quite capable of reading human minds.

 

And so, like last week, I offered Buster some extra treats for his hard work, which he gently took from my hand, while admonishing his other pals to stand back.  The one nice thing about Buster is that he is willing to share hand treats with Brad, my very special duck at the Meer.  Buster totally understands it is "beak off!" of Brad.

 

I of course, don't know if Buster will be at the Meer again tonight with the lost pals who he magically retrieved.

 

But, it was really thoughtful of him to let me know that the diving duo and other Meer geese have apparently and magically escaped the USDA onslaught on them.

 

Who said geese aren't considerate of humans? -- especially, when they know reward is waiting for them for deeds well done.  ;)  -- PCA

 

 

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Bull's Eyes on Their Heads

 How ironic and sad is it just prior to Christmas to have to recognize how the PR wheels of duplicity, ignorance and untruths just keep spinning?

 

About that "stay of execution" for the geese at Burns Park in North Little Rock:

 

It turns out that was not result of responding to public protest and pressure.

 

Rather, the Mayor of North Little Rock was apparently ignorant of both, state and federal laws that forbid the "hunting of baited" wildlife.

 

http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2011/12/14/goose-hunt-delay-a-cover-by-mayor-hays

 

Since the geese at Burns Park are routinely fed by soft-hearted park goers, they are considered "baited" under the law and shooting the geese would thus result in large and costly fines to the city.

 

Perhaps we should have considered more cynical motives for postponing the massacre when Mayor Hays told advocates for saving the geese they had "three days" to come up with non-lethal alternatives.

 

Three days is not sufficient time to fully investigate, assess to environment and situation, estimate and compare costs and figure into a budget.

 

So, once again we are looking at ignorance, PR ploys, "spin" and duplicity.

 

All the while, the 150 mostly tame and resident geese at Burns Park sit as unknowing, hapless victims to political games, ignorance of law and refusals to consider the facts.

 

One should surely question why 150 -200 geese cannot be tolerated in a large public park that is 1,700 acres (or twice the size of Central Park).

 

As noted yesterday, the few complaints about "goose poop" could easily be remedied by the purchase of a Naturesweep machine to clean up the park of all debris, both animal and human.

 

But, perhaps the sad reality is that the politicians are not really interested in responsible ways to address so-called, "problems" and grievances, as much as simply how to spin themselves out of possible criticisms and loss of political stature.

 

The North Little Rock Mayor claims the geese are a "health threat" and yet he wants to donate this bullet-ridden, "health threat" to hungry people.

 

What are we missing here?

 

Either the geese are a "health threat" or they are not.  But, surely we would not feed "health threats" to hungry humans -- or would we for the sake of PR spin?

 

As for all the blaming and scapegoating of those who "feed geese" for the so-called, "goose overpopulation problem," it turns out that those merciful folks feeding geese are actually the unsung heroes in this debacle.  Were it not for them "baiting" the geese, a full blown massacre would have ensued in Burns Park just prior to celebrating the birth of the prince of peace.

 

Perhaps now it is finally understandable why so many public parks erect, "Do Not Feed Wildlife" signs and arrest 80-year-old women for feeding domestic ducks and geese.  -- They want to insure that the public park can be turned into a shooting gallery any time of the year -- including before Christmas.

 

That may sound cynical, but considering what we know now about federal and state laws and one city's plan to "hunt" its park geese, it all makes perfect sense.

 

So, we can expect the "Do Not Feed Wildlife" signs to soon and hastily go up at Burns Park and all kinds of threats to go out to the little old ladies or young children who dare to drop a chip or crust of bread to the geese.

 

But, let's hope all the North Little Rock stores selling cracked corn, sunflower seeds and all kinds of picnic supplies are just as soon cleared out of their entire stocks.

 

It seems this is the time for banquets and non-stop picnics at Burns Park.

 

Finally, there is one more irony to this whole sordid mess:

 

While Burns Park, Arkansas whines about its "goose overpopulation problem" it seems a bit strange that other areas of the country are, at the same time, discussing the "decline" in Canada goose numbers:

 

http://www.wsiltv.com/news/local/Several-Factors-Lead-to-Fewer-Canada-Geese-135538918.html

 

Funny how in the discussion of various "factors" responsible for declining Canada goose numbers, this video and article never mentions, roundups, cullings, endless hunting and goose massacres in public parks. 

 

How is it that we constantly fail to see what is directly in front of us -- or in the case of the vanishing geese, what we have caused to no longer be in front of us?

 

We cannot see extinction for the few geese still grazing in public parks. --The geese with bull's eyes on their heads.  -- PCA

 

 

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Stays of Execution, Vanishing Geese and Flightless Ducks

(Photos:  New [domestic?] duck at Harlem Meer.  Brad, the domestic, Rouen duck)

 

While fantastic news that, due to public pressure, the North Little Rock City Council postponed the planned Dec 20 -22nd goose shootings at Burns Park, the geese are certainly not out of the woods.

 

http://www.katv.com/story/16310332/north-little-rock-delays-controversial-goose-hunt

 

With so much public and media attention focused on the controversy over the past two weeks, it is quite probable that city leaders simply decided that by postponing the massacre until after Christmas, public focus would die down. (In other words, a decision of political expediency and PR.)

 

What's important now is for advocates to present viable non-lethal alternatives that we know WILL work. Those include habitat modification, Border Collie chasing and in the spring, egg addling if necessary.  What seems most important in this location however, is addressing the "complaints" about goose droppings.  And for that, the Naturesweep machine seems the effective solution.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92ELjHmx2SA&feature=related

 

I posted this information to the FB pages and hope that others take note.  It is simply premature to celebrate any real victories until we know for a fact that goose shootings in this very public park are not going to occur at all.

 

Presently, the geese merely have a stay of execution.  But, that is certainly a better place to be than where we were 24 hours ago.

 

The passion and dedication of the animal advocates of North Little Rock, AR have been something to behold and admire. --  We all need to take a page from it.

 

In more local goose news, I have not seen Buster and his troupe of 6 vagabond geese for the past two nights at Harlem Meer.

 

Its obvious that the charges of those "feeding geese" being responsible for geese wearing out their welcome and staying too long in a location are just that -- charges that have no basis in actual fact.

 

Of course, I have personally known for ages that this accusation is completely bogus.  That was obvious in the summer of 2010 with the Turtle Pond goose family.  Scores of people and children fed the family of 8 geese daily.  But, as soon as the goslings could fly and the parents grew their flight feathers, the family took off.

 

No amount of "human handouts" could keep them in the gosling-rearing location, once the calendar changed and the goose family was able to fly.

 

It is appalling that those who feed geese or ducks in a park are constantly being blamed and scapegoated for the fact that some birds "stay" longer than what some people tolerate.

 

Perhaps the most egregious example of this allegation reaching insane and downright cruel proportions is this article out of Lynn, Massachusetts last week:

 

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57339649-504083/criminal-charges-for-80-year-old-who-refused-to-stop-feeding-ducks-officials-say/

 

It is obvious from the photograph that the birds Ms. Butcher had been feeding are domestic, Pekin ducks, who are usually flightless.  (Most likely, they were dumped in the park.)  That the city would arrest this 80-year-old woman and threaten jail time for performing what really is a charitable act is mind boggling. This seems to give credence to the charge that many park and city officials seem to have little idea on how to responsibly deal with animal and human problems in a park.  (The people who should be reprimanded in situations like these are those who dump animals in parks, not the one's who take pity on the abandoned creatures.)

 

The bottom line is that if waterfowl can fly, they do not stay in a location because some human feeds them.   And if the waterfowl cannot fly (such as domestic ducks) then efforts should be made to find safe sanctuary for them -- not penalize their human feeders.

 

Speaking of domestic ducks, I am suspecting, though am not certain, that there are possibly two other domestic ducks at Harlem Meer besides Brad.

 

Over the past month or so, I have discovered two brownish ducks (Perhaps Kacki Campbells or some type of hybrids?)  who are larger than the mallards and move differently. (Sort of herky jerky, awkward movements.) The mallards constantly and mercilessly pick on the two outcasts I have named, "Piggly and Wiggly" and I suspect from them constantly being ostracized, they are "different" in some significant way. 

 

At first, I only noted the one duck and felt sorry for him/her.  But, over the past few weeks, I have noticed the second one.  The two outcasts are now usually together. (At least they found each other.)  If true that they are domestic -- and flightless ducks, then Brad will have at least two other ducks to hopefully aid him in keeping open water at the Meer over the winter.

 

(As previously mentioned, Harlem Meer usually freezes almost entirely over once winter sets in.  Most of the mallards leave at that time to seek open water.)

 

Meanwhile, the Canada geese are a vanishing species in Central Park.

 

It is incredible that we are in the middle of December and so far, only a pitiful few migratory geese have been observed in Central Park.

 

This is extremely troubling indeed.

 

But, for now, I simply seek to see Buster and his little group of refugee geese and hope that as accused, they come seeking human handouts once again.  -- PCA

 

 

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BREAKING NEWS -- At Last, A Victory for the Geese!

Breaking news!

 

The planned Christmas "hunt" of 150 geese at Burns Park in Arkansas has been postponed in order to give non-lethal alternatives a chance.

 

http://www.todaysthv.com/news/article/185038/2/Motion-passes-to-delay-Burns-Park-goose-hunt

 

There is no doubt that the immense public pressure and protest ultimately succeeded in stopping this barbarity -- at least for now.  (More than 1,000 people signed on to Burns Park goose FB page (37) Coalition to Save the Geese of Burns Park  and more than 1,200 signed a petition to stop the slaughter.)

 

Although the Mayor threatens that a hunt could still occur next month, presuming that the dedicated people of North Little Rock keep the FB and political pressure together and that NLR implements a non-lethal program, a massacre would not be feasible.

 

I am guessing the Mayor did not cancel the hunt all together as such might have seemed like too much capitulation to the goose loving community.   Hunting is big in AR.

 

This is extremely good news and like Saranac Lake, proves that when you can get enough public protest organized, we can ultimately save the geese.  (I know these people also worked politically behind the scenes.)  -- It is a significant victory for us -- and the geese!

 

We finally have a little something to celebrate -- though the real work is only beginning! 

 

But, for now, break out the champagne!  ;)  -- PCA

 

 

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"Reasoning" the Unreasonable ("Why Are They Killing the Geese?")

Probably the most common question we who advocate for protection of geese are asked is, "Why are they killing the geese?"

 

Whenever I am asked this, there is always a sense of disappointment or even slight insult -- even though fully understanding the sincerity or naivete of the questioner.

 

Last night, when walking home from the park after a visit with my feathered friends I asked myself why.

 

I think the reason is actually quite simple.

 

We normally would not ask those who oppose an injustice to explain the "reasons" for the injustice.

 

We would not for example, ask Lincoln to explain the rationalizations for slavery or Schindler to explain the Nazi rationale for murdering Jews. Indeed, we don't even ask the Occupy Wall Street people the reasons why some corporations abuse people or destroy the environment and why some on Wall Street are corrupt.

 

Put simply, it is not up to those fighting for justice to explain the excuses for injustice.

 

To do so, only puts us in the position of giving voice and "explanation" for things we patently and morally oppose (and thus, in some people's minds, a sense of credibility or "reason" for the unethical.)

 

We should only have to explain our reasons for opposing the injustice and striving to create or restore a more peaceful and tolerant world.

 

Nevertheless, the fact that we who work to save the geese are frequently asked, "Why are they killing the geese?" seems to suggest that many people apparently don't understand what is inherently wrong about invading a public park either to round up wildlife for killing or shooting animals as targets.   "If they are killing the geese in public parks, there must be a good reason for it." many people seem to conclude.

 

But, it is that thinking which is basically flawed.

 

Because if we have learned anything through eons of human history it is that while violence and injustice may have motivations and causes, they rarely have just reason.

 

When asked the question of why government is killing geese in public parks, I usually answer simply, "Because they can.   The geese cannot vote or protest.  And they are completely defenseless. They are killed because some people don't like them, as some people don't like dogs, cats or even children.  They are killed for convenience."

 

But, as noted, I don't like answering the question and don't feel I should have to.  I should not be the one compelled to give voice and "explanation" for things that should not (in my view) have voice and rarely have just explanation.

 

Its like having to "explain" why some people use the N word.

 

It is not the advocate for justice's place to have to "explain" others' bigotry or violent actions towards the innocent and defenseless.  Such is better left to psychiatrists or the perpetrators themselves. 

 

Prosecutors in court don't, after all, have to prove "motivation" for the crimes alleged.  They only have to show and prove that the crime has been committed and by the one accused.

 

Likewise, we who advocate for the geese only need to show that violent actions have been committed and be able to cite who they have been perpetrated by. (In many cases, we are also compelled to show peaceful and effective non-lethal alternatives to violence.) 

 

But, explain the reasons for the violence?  No.

 

Let the accused explain their rationalizations for what essentially is unreasonable and unjustifiable.

 

An excuse does not justice create.  -- PCA