The Coyote is in Charge

It was one of those beautifully warm spring days in New Mexico that makes you feel that everything is right with the world.  The sky was crystal clear with the slightest of breezes passing through the newly emerging leaves in the cottonwood trees. 

I was expressing my usual views and comments of the world in my glorious singing voice making sure everyone knew how wonderful of a day we were having.  The farmer’s wife had provided us a wonderful breakfast of organic grains with a special surprise of meal worms.  In my daily foraging of the yard, I uncovered a colony of roly-pollies that my hens ravished in short order.  They love it when I can provide them extra treats like these round little bugs and they show their appreciation by filling the nest boxes with fresh eggs.

The chicken yard the farmer had provided us had been a safe haven for several years.  A tall block wall to the south that provided shade and protection from those wind-storms the spring frequently brings. The north fence was a beautiful latilla structure that provided shelter from wandering dogs and coyotes along our road, affectionately and appropriately call Coyote Run.

Structures such as these strong fences provide us chickens a sense of safety and security.  All societies need these infrastructures erected in order to maintain peace, harmony and a sense of well-being.  Without them chaos rules the day and the lives of those they protect become endangered.

About 2:30 that beautiful afternoon, chaos arrived in our yard.  The video camera the farmer had installed showed it all.  It was amazing how quickly our peaceful life was destroyed.  A coyote suddenly appeared in the yard and in less than 3 minutes two hens lay dead and another one was carried away in the jaws of the beast.  Over the next few days, four more hens died from injuries they received or from the pure shock of the ordeal. 

It has been a year now since this tragic ordeal and I have to say, I still do not feel totally safe. Once the structures of safety have failed you, it takes a long time to recover the sense of peace and well-being they once provided.

I share this story for you humans in order to warn you about the destruction of your safety net that I’ve heard my farmer bemoaning about this week.  All I can tell you is that once you have allowed a coyote into your life you will never feel peace again… for good reason.  They will return again and again.  Unless you do a good job keeping those structures firmly in place you will always be at risk of losing the freedoms you enjoy and rely on.  Peace and good luck – Ollie

What my good friend Ollie is referring to when he says I’ve been "bemoaning" the loss of our safety net this week has to do with how Attorney General Barr has turned upside-down the Justice Department functionality and purpose.  It is supposed to be an independent body that establishes and maintains the Rule of Law in our society and our government.  It is to be that safe structure, fence if you will, that safeguards the constitution.  Instead, the Justice Department has now been weaponized by the President to protect his allies and attack those who dare to rise up against him.  The Rule of Law is under attack; an attack more deadly than a coyote in the chicken yard.   

What is the Rule of Law?  According to the American Bar Association, “The rule of law is a set of principles, or ideals, for ensuring an orderly and just society. Many countries throughout the world strive to uphold the rule of law where no one is above the law, everyone is treated equally under the law, everyone is held accountable to the same laws, there are clear and fair processes for enforcing laws, there is an independent judiciary, and human rights are guaranteed for all.”

It is a fence to protect the freedom and rights of everyone.  It is a structure to keep the “Coyote” from running around destroying everything he can touch.

Bemoaning?  I’m not sure this situation calls for a little discontent and sorrow.  I would say, instead that our country is being raped and pillaged by a President who can no longer be contained.  Stand up against him and you will be destroyed.  Run for cover and everything you hold dear will be taken from you with no hope of return.

We are officially living under an authoritative regime.  Congress and the Justice Department have proven that they do not have the backbone or ability to restrain the President in any way.  If you think Ollie’s coyote attack analogy has no bearing on the what has occurred this past week in Washington D.C. then I ask you one question:  If the President loses the election in November, exactly who do you think has the ability to actually remove him from office.  If he chooses to deem the election illegal regardless of the outcome, who, name one person, that has the ability to force him out of office.  Barr has proven this week that the Coyote is in charge and we do not have enough fences in place to keep him from completely destroying our democracy.

Chaos now reigns in America!

- Gary