Ranger Rick: If city OKs chickens, what animals next?

I know I’m out of touch when I read people are so wound up about having chickens within the city limits. Being an animal lover myself, I respect the hard-working birds that produce one of my favorite breakfast meals.

But I also realize small city lots with neighbors close by is not the prime spot to raise and keep chickens. Hens are usually quiet and only when a rooster is introduced does the crowing start. I tend to like the sound, but I live in the country and have farm animals close by and hear and smell them and the odor from fields spread with their waste for fertilizer. That is the price for living in an agricultural setting with farm fields and animals.

The people opposing the chickens have a right to do so because they will be living with the consequences. They fear the noise of chickens in their daily chicken lives and communication with one another clucking and the smell of waste will intrude on their privacy and possibly devalue their housing.

How many people from Grand Rapids or Wyoming looking at houses in Wayland would like a chicken coop next to the house they are interested in purchasing? When anyone looks at a house to buy in a “city”, they don’t expect chickens next door.

I encourage the City Council to drop this issue. They have spent tons of time and effort on this and many are frankly thinking the City Council should bag it. Time to move on. If you want to keep chickens, buy property outside the city and do whatever you want (within township rules and regulations).

What will be next if this is approved? Someone might want to keep ducks. Or pygmy goats, just a few. What will the City Council say to that? Somebody wants to raise pot-bellied pigs. Why would anyone oppose that if they allow chickens?

Proposal 3 deserves a resounding ‘no‘

On another subject, Proposal 3, to allow voting registration when you get a driver’s license, is a boondoggle. It is my understanding, you must be a citizen of the United States and resident of Michigan to be a registered voter in the state. Has that changed? And if it hasn’t, how will this be addressed?

I don’t believe there is any restrictions to obtaining a driver’s license presently, just reside in the state. So if they are going to allow people obtaining a driver’s license, how are they going to make sure the person is even a U.S. citizen to be allowed voter registration?

This is a Democratic Party idea, where they can get people not even citizens to be registered to vote. They want more illegal immigrants allowed into the country, and this would certainly swell the Democrat voting rolls. Remember, this is the party of open borders, sanctuary cities, hating the constitution, attacking and belittling law enforcement and the military.

And, in the case of San Francisco, allowing homeless and drug-dependent folks to camp on the city sidewalks, dope up, and use the streets and sidewalks for toilets. The once beautiful and picturesque city is now a sewer. Store owners are disgusted with the urine and excrement in front of their businesses and the scarcity of customers wanting to visit their storefronts.

Look at the states and cities in distress with crime, economic distress, filth and corruption —California, Illinois, New York, New Jersey — all run by Democrats, in some instances, for years and years. California and Illinois are in severe financial distress and on the verge of bankruptcy. Their bond ratings are in the crapper, and anyone investing in their state bonds may be on the losing end.

The rotting of America from within continues…