Who Knew?

Earlier this week or maybe it was last week, an alleged criminal fatally shot a police dog. I think that is a sad situation. I realize these dogs are trained to protect the officer that they work with, as well as simply being loyal animals that are trained to be placed in harm's way. These animals do not choose to wear a badge or carry a gun, but they are working dogs, and they are in a dangerous line of work. So, for the police dog, I am sad, for the officer that was his handler, I am sorry, but what I want to address is something that came as a complete surprise.

I have heard the conservatives gripe about PETA and "those liberals," but it has not been PETA or "those liberals" that have made the decisions that have caught my attention. The decisions of these past few days have been made by a conservative government, and specifically a conservative governor.

First, people wanted to donate puppies, which is nice, but of course the powers that be, didn't want that, because the special dogs were purchased in Europe to the tune of $15,000.00, so the request became, "please send money." Then came the announcement that there would be a memorial service for this dog, and the time and place were publicized for the past few days, and at the end of the public service announcement today, I noted hearing that the $15,000.00 had already been raised and the excess would be donated to "the police dog fund." Now, this started because some well meaning people wanted to give a sad policeman a puppy. We were told the police budget had not included replacing the dog, of course, so now our police department has excess over the budget from the kind hearted already burdened tax payers of this community. But that's not all. Now, please keep in mind there's been no mention of PETA, and I think "liberals" is a bad word in this part of the country, but after all the donations, and the memorial service, our governor; the conservative governor of Missouri granted the request that flags fly at half mast. Again, I'm sorry for the dog, but the reports these last few days asking for money, pretty much indicate these dogs are born and bred to live and die this life, they know nothing else. And I'm sorry for the police officer, dogs are referred to as man's best friend. And I have animals that I trust more than most of the people I know, but really . . . People die every day and the flag remains at the top of the poll. Isn't it just paradoxical that the conservatives are so sure the liberals want animals to have more rights than people, and it is the young conservative governor, with a conservative daddy in Washington, declaring more respect for a dog than most people will get at the time of their death?

And G~d said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over . . . all the earth, and over every thing . . . upon the earth. Torah of Holy Scripture