Letter to the Editor:
Do we have a fundamental right to eat the food we want to eat? By that notion, if we want to grow the food we want to eat, do we have that right as well? The Northwood City Council believes otherwise. The Northwood City Council also believes it is acceptable to terminate First Amendment Freedom of Speech rights.
On Friday, April 25th four individuals who asked to be added to the agenda for Monday, April 28th were asked to put in writing why they wanted to be added to the agenda by Mayor Jane Bloomingdale. This move was unnecessary and unfounded. No other individuals have ever been asked to do this. Why, might you ask were they asked to do this, then? These four individuals were asking for consent to be allowed to have chickens on their own property for which they pay property taxes on.
These individuals were within their rights to request consent from the Council. City Code 55.05 states: “It is unlawful for a person to keep livestock within the City except by written consent of the Council or except in compliance with the City’s zoning regulations.” At the City Council meeting on Monday, when these individuals were next on the agenda, the Council refused to allow these individuals to speak. They were denied their First Amendment rights. As a reader this should anger you.
The City of Northwood strongly encourages first-time home buyers to move to Northwood and even entices them with WCDA funding for their children. The Council then treats them as serfs, denying their rights, and further regards them with hostility, humiliation, and degradation. What have we, as Americans, learned when our rights are oppressed? That the downtrodden always rise up stronger and more passionate every time. Does the Northwood City Council think this issue is going to go away by denying Constitutional rights? If so, they are sadly mistaken.
This issue is no longer about chickens. It is about a fundamental right to live in a way you choose to live. Raising your own food is historically normal and socially, environmentally, ethically, and spiritually responsible. That is the way I choose to live. I have no desire to stop anyone from eating fast food, GMO laden ingredients, vegan, or however you choose to eat. The Northwood City Council does. They’ve shown they want to obliterate its citizens’ rights.
The Northwood City Council may be tired of hearing about chickens. The supporters they deny listening to are tired of hearing their pathetic excuses: coyotes running wild in town because of chickens, allergies, the smell… Need anyone remind the Council that one of the Council members has a herd of cattle living within city limits? Grandfathered-in or not, on any day a herd of cattle smells worse than a few well-kept backyard chickens no matter which way the wind blows. It’s also conveniently omitted that the herd is 30 feet downwind from an outdoor eating establishment. So, what really is the Northwood City Council’s motive?
So, to you readers, I ask for your help. I am asking for you to help the backyard chicken supporters to be heard and to help us convince the Northwood City Council a standard operating procedure for denying and/or granting consent be written into the City Code.
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Why not allow people to raise chickens in town? What’s the difference between a few chickens making some noise or all the barking dogs that their owners can’t hear? Add the dogs and the feral children that are running around vandalizing things and a few chickens might be the least of your worries.
Motive? Power and Oligarchy are always the motives of these small town players. Clear Lake suffers from its own group of social control power freaks. On another note, Northwood has a damn nice Frisbee Golf Course!
My official stance on food procurement: Communities should be designed for 1. Shelter from elements 2. Food & Water Procurement 3. On site energy 4. Medical Care.
The BASICS.,.or have we forgotten? You can’t eat a Bible people…roll up your sleeves and do it right.
I think this will be an issue at the Plymouth city council meeting tonight. They also have citizens who wish to raise chickens within city limits.
Is this an anonymous letter to the editor?
Yes it is. Sorry for the confusion.
To many people in northwood think they are better than others. People are rude and snobby. A farmer on north side used to have sheep in town. Just like the people of northwood didnt even get a choice about theyre aw enforcement. Mayor and others dont care about others. I grew up in northwood and left there 6 years ago and it was for the best. Whats wrong with having some chickens?
@Sigsaur69-there is not a thing wrong with raising your own chickens in town as long as you keep it clean. There are some people down the street from us that have chickens in their backyard and other that the rooster crowing once in awhile (which I kind of like) you wouldn’t even know they were there. Some people are just not happy unless they are telling folks what they can do or not do.
“Some people are just not happy unless they are telling folks what they can do or not do.”
Exactly why you want to tell people they can’t use cannabis.
The hypocrisy and ignorance runs too deep to bother with LVS…but I’m glad to see someone is still reminding him of his inconsistencies and sheer and utter bullshit double standard viewpoints and utterances. LVS has lost so many pairs of shoes wading across the mud fields of muck which make up his own ideology. But you got to love the big ape huh? Well okay, maybe you don’t. 🙂