More Chickens Than Common Sense

Every once in a while, even though I’ve lived here 14 years, I feel like a “Stranger In a Strange Land.” The current controversy over the Government’s culling of chickens from illegal chicken farms, illegal slaughterhouses and backyard pens is a case in point.

The most recent instance of a definite disconnect was the announcement that the owners of an illegal chicken farm were suing the government for seizing their 300 chickens. They were doing this with the cooperation and support of Heung Yee Kuk, an association mentioned in a previous entry. Their reasoning was that they couldn’t afford to run a pig farm, for which they did have a license, so they switched to chickens. Somehow, the government has become responsible for insuring that farmers who can’t make a living doing what they are licensed to do are free to make a living doing something illegal.

What am I missing here? These people are endangering the health and economy of Hong Kong, doing something illegal and they feel aggrieved? If I got caught, I’d feel ashamed. I love dogs but if my dog was the possible carrier of “Dog Flu,” a disease that threatened my family, my neighbors, my country and maybe even the world, I wouldn’t wait for someone to come and take the dog away. I’d have it put down.

This is one of the times; I realize I have along way to go before I understand the way my Chinese neighbors think. I plan to explore the issue over a couple beers with some Hong Kong Chinese friends tonight. Hopefully, I’ll be able to explain the logic tomorrow or if I’m too hung-over, the next day.