Three weeks ago, right here, I commented on proposed legislation that would help to mitigate the growing problem of feral chickens rambling around these islands. I certainly had some fun writing the column, with some obvious double entendres and wordplay, but I also thought that the suggested solution of using birth control feed to render hen eggs infertile was interesting.
But here come vocal ova-omitting opponents, shedding some new feathers on this chicken tale with testimony given during the early-April legislative session. “Save Hawai`i Chickens” spoke about how chickens eat centipedes, provide fertilizer via their droppings, and provide eggs for food; they say that feral chickens could provide a sustainable food source, and there’s a contamination risk to other birds and animals with specially-formulated pellets. There might be risk to our groundwater as uneaten chicken feed leaches into the soil. Who knew? Well, certainly not me.
Wow; civic-minded individuals coming forward to defend feral fowls. The chickens, who speak loudly (that’s part of the problem) but were too chicken to gather forces at the legislature, surely wished their human advocators good cluck…
Unlike some of the bewildered bird brains who disagree with one another ad nauseum on myriad issues befuddling our nation, this was all done via common sense arguments based on facts, not half-truths, alternate facts, social media chicken feed or omnipresent, digital bird poop rantings so rampant in our tribalistic nation nowadays.
National squabbles today evolve around ego, power, control, fear, and not getting egg on one’s face. But this local poultry powwow revives my sense of hope for humanity because, yes, political discourse can actually be presented reasonably, civilly, and can ultimately be decided upon by focused leaders elected to decide great debates, whether locally or nationally.
In days of yore, reaching across the Congressional aisle might mean accommodating, actively listening, compromising, and/or keeping in mind the bigger picture. Nowadays, reaching across that same aisle is likely to be met with a virtual viral slap, condescending comments, grandiose accusations, or we witness tired, redundant retreats to predictable sectarianism. Voters grow weary, remain wary, and too often, we witness nothing productive getting accomplished.
But this well-presented, local debate about the fate of foraging ferals can be celebrated as an example of how “the system” works when cooler heads prevail. So, why did the chicken really cross the road? Perhaps to actually listen to the other side.
Think about it…