Harold Keller / L’Observateur / September 25, 2000

I have been tempted to write an article about what some people (certainly not me) think is the most important issue in St. John Parish – that being,animal control and the animal shelter. I’ve hesitated writing because myspirit and motives in the past hae been anything but Christian. Today, I writeseeking wisdom as I give my opinion.

Last week, I listened to an old tape dated Dec. 27, 1984, by Lester Sumrall.He was a missionary in the Philippines before he said that God spoke to him about coming back to the United States, because America was a mission field that needed to be harvested. In the tape, he shared some predictions.He said that soon in America, homosexuals would take to the streets, unashamed and proud of their lifestyle. That has come to pass. He alsoshared that in the near future, people would be more sensitive to the needs of animals than to the needs of children.

Today, society advertises as much services for animals as for humans – hospitalization, burial plots, organ banks for transplants, etc. You name it,and society will provide it.

Let me say loud and clear, before the animal activists would like to think about abusing me, that I have never abused an animal and consider animal abuse repulsive.

Having said all of this, I am more concerned about human rights than animal rights. The Bible says that we are made in the likeness and image of God. Wehave a body and soul, unlike an animal that is only flesh. Injustice aggravatesme and I don’t apologize for my feelings.

Last Saturday, there was an article in the L’Observateur by Erik Sanzenbach with the headline: “Animal shelter is a ‘political hot potato’.” The articlestated how people were concerned about the treatment they get when they go to the animal shelter to see what kind of treatment the animals get. Thearticle also said that Kenneth Hicks, the animal control officer, had been charged with 55 counts of animal abuse. I understand these have beendropped.

Let me repeat that I hate injustice. Kenneth Hicks is my friend and I neverapologize for friendships. I think the people who are concerned about animalshad no problem abusing Kenneth. He was embarrassed in the newspaper and Iam sure that his family hurt with him and for him.

The Kenneth Hicks that I know has a past for which he’s not proud, but God forgave him. He has become a good husband and father. He helps me with abasketball league, which usually has approximately 125 children. Yes, I trustKenneth with children. My concern is that in the heat of what some call a”political hot potato,” a human being’s feelings and reputation were not considered.

Have we become more sensitive to animals than humans? If so, that’s scary.

HAROLD KELLER writes this column as part of his affiliation with the Get High on Life religious motivational group.

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