Editorial
The following is from an article in 2018. Animal Control Officer John Morgan informed Do you ever have those times when you’ve been working toward a goal — such as a presentation, competition, negotiation, or performance — with such dedication that all you can hope for is you get a moment to catch a breath before the big showdown? Thank you, Rotan City Council, for teeing one up for me, and while it’s not exactly the breath of fresh air I would prefer, at least I get to momentarily put down my pen, take off my thinking cap, and do a little painting by numbers with fatter brushstrokes.
If you haven’t read the front-page article briefly covering Rotan's proposed animal control ordinances, then do that first... seriously. I’ll wait. Context matters.
Now that we are literally on the same page, let me go beyond today’s story and share how what you read here is only half opinion, the other half is prediction depending on the course chosen, and I’m metaphorically spelling it out that the sign marking the path the council is on now spells DANGER.
Stepping into the Wayback machine, the City of Rotan’s animal control problem is one of the longest-running issues officials have chased each other around the mulberry bush about, but like any other important decision the council has needed to make: A little bit of talk and even less action.
Taking over the news cycle in 2015, we covered Rotan Council meetings like any other entity, and dog issues were simply a check mark beside an agenda item for most of those early meetings. However, those early monthly reports escalated in concern and severity, until the late John Morgan, the city’s former animal control officer reported the first string of animal attacks.
the Rotan City Council about an aggressive dog that attacked local residents, sending some to the hospital, terrifying others, and leaving many residents feeling they have few options.
“Someone is going to get hurt up there,” said Morgan, as he has been reporting a disturbing rise in aggressive dogs for several months.
Dogs were attacking people five years ago, and it wasn't the only — nor was it the last — article I wrote on the subject. And it’s not like I can’t appreciate a governing body taking time before acting, but the sense of urgency to pass these new laws is so out of character for this group, it would be irresponsible not to ponder what the motivation is to act so fast and with so little thought?
And while it might not be apparent to the occasional Rotan news reader, but as the author of many of those tidbits of info and the person who’s attended most of the gatherings, it is a certainty for me: “This council has not given their actions the slightest degree of responsible thought.”
Give me three minutes and 20 questions with any one of them, and I’ll prove it.
When a government acts “in the best interests of its citizens” by omitting alternatives for the people outside of compliance with laws and the obedient acceptance of punishment for alleged violations void of defense just screams: “Danger, Will Robinson.”
I know it’s a mess out there, but I don’t believe we’ve gone so far off the rails here in America — even in Rotan — that not having a court to adjudicate protests between the people and their government is a good idea, right?
Here’s a new law I wish legislators would pass. Before taking their oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution — which all elected officials, at all levels, do — they should be required to take a pop quiz on why the first 10 amendments are important to basic government functions.