Yachats Oregon Writer Rick Schultze

Sunday, June 08, 2008

Two Words Starting With “P” That Have Folks Talking.

Well there are many words that begin with “P” like Profit, Predictions, Perfection, Pottery and Poetry to mention a few. Profit can be viewed as good or bad depending on your perspective, Predictions are a lot of fun in many cases, Perfection can drive some folks crazy, Pottery can be beautiful and useful and Poetry for many is a pleasurable release and an enjoyable pastime.

However, currently there are two “P” words that raise eyebrows and spawn many opinions and those two words are Polygamy and Peacock. I’m sure everyone is aware of the huge and controversial battle being waged in Texas against a polygamist sect. The fate of more than 400 children that were taken from the Yearning for Zion ranch was decided by the courts and at this moment all but a few dozen have been returned to their parents but there have been charges and counter charges against the sect and Child Protection Services. One side says their rights are being violated while the other side says they were merely doing their job and trying to protect children. In any case if you say Polygamy to someone you are bound to get a reaction and more than likely into a discussion. It’s a highly debated topic these days right up there with the Political races which are entering the final sprint towards the election.

The other “P” word that in Oregon is causing uproar is Peacock. Specifically the Peacocks and Peahens that have been strutting their stuff while roaming freely at the Portland Zoo for decades. Recently a 4 year old boy scuffled with one and the bird landed on the boys head and scratched his face. The child did not require medical attention.

What actually caused the scuffle is somewhat vague although there were reports of other children cornering the bird which caused it to react in a defensive manner. So the zoo staff is now looking for suitable rural homes for the Peafowl flock which has dwindled from 30 to approximately 10 today.

This decision to get rid of the birds has ignited a firestorm of calls, letters, and protests from many, many zoo goers who loved the colorful birds. However the strongest sentiment has been directed towards the parents of children who apparently have very little control over the actions of their children. It’s a real catch 22 with parents wanting their children to experience the beauty of the birds yet being fearful that their children might be attacked.

So, like the Polygamist debate, it appears the Peacock debate will rage on with no clear cut answers or solutions. In these two cases I guess we can change the old axiom “watch your P’s and Q’s” to “watch your P’s”!

However, I’ll close with a good “P” word to describe life here in our beautiful coastal area; Perfect. Enjoy it!

To reach Rick Schultze email yarick@pioneer.net