Thursday, March 23, 2006

Wily Coyote versus the Police State

Hal the coyote has been captured. Hal's only crime was to wander around New York's Central Park. He was a particularly enterprising dude, having had to cross railway bridges, swim the river to reach Manhattan Island and finally find his way to a sensible stretch of green where he might find a bite to eat. He wasn't doing any harm, going about the business of making a living just like many other inhabitants of that city. His crime was just being there. It took a sizeable portion of NYPD's manpower to chase him and finally shoot him with a tranquilliser dart. Talk was that he would attack dogs being walked in the park. With that many humans around I doubt he would have done so unless he was suicidally desperate. Doubtless there were other animals resident in the park - like squirrels, rats and mice - which would have satisfied his appetite. Meanwhile crimes were still committed in the city. But the police were too busy chasing an innocent animal to deal with those.
In the UK we have foxes. They have urbanised to a great extent, taking advantage of small open spaces right in the middle of cities. They have learned that the waste bins near restaurants can realise rich pickings to feed themselves and their young. Urban foxes are now accepted as normal inhabitants of most cities in the UK and people no longer even find it unusual to see them crossing roads and dodging the traffic. So what's wrong with a coyote in Central Park? It's not the American way. It doesn't swear allegiance to the American flag (God bless it and all who sink with it). So - it must be BAD!!!!!
What a load of balls! Wake up and realise that coyotes were there long before most of your ancestors (they came from Europe, Africa and Asia mere centuries ago). Thus you have less right to be on Manhattan Island than Hal.
Such is life . . .

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