By Rick Jensen

A three year-old boy managed to escape his mother for a few seconds and fell into the Cincinnati Zoo’s gorilla pen.

The gorilla became agitated, dragging the boy around by his leg. Zoo officials were forced by the gorilla’s aggression to shoot him.

Then came the reaction from radicals:

“In mourning? You all killed him for protecting a child [whose] parents couldn’t contain their own children!!” said one commenter on the zoo’s Facebook page.

“According to news reports, the youngster managed to crawl through a fence before falling into the gorilla enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens,” PETA informed its followers. “Harambe reportedly picked up the boy and moved him around.”

“…moved him around.” Saying the 450 pound gorilla moved the four year-old around is like saying hurricane winds “gently reposition” a 12-foot sailboat.

A Change.org petition reflects the feelings of over 330,000 people angry that because the “gorilla was ‘perceived’ as dragging and throwing the boy,” it had to be shot.

The video is quite clear, beyond perception, the boy was being dragged and was in danger.

Dr. Jack Hanna, Director Emeritus of the nearby Columbus Zoo, said, “You’re dealing with either human life or animal life here. So what is the decision? I think it’s very simple to figure that out.”

So, what’s the mob reaction?

Blame the mom.

Yes, how dare she lose control of an energetic boy for a few seconds?

“We the undersigned want the parents to be held accountable for the lack of supervision and negligence that caused Harambe to lose his life.”

They want “Justice for Harambe,” which means revenge.

Parents are often held accountable for the actions of their children. When a child destroys property, purposefully or not, parents are often held financially accountable, as they should be.

If the Cincinnati Zoo chooses to hold the parents accountable for expenses due to rescuing their child, the justifiable case would likely be supported in court.

How does the “Justice for Harambe” crowd seek their justice?

They want to use government as a cudgel to disrupt and possibly destroy the family.

“We believe that this negligence may be reflective of the child’s home situation. We the undersigned actively encourage an investigation of the child’s home environment in the interests of protecting the child and his siblings from further incidents of parental negligence that may result in serious bodily harm or even death. Please sign this petition to encourage the Cincinnati Zoo, Hamilton County Child Protection Services, and Cincinnati Police Department hold the parents responsible.”

Keep in mind that if you support this effort, you are supporting any future calls for the full force of government bureaucracy to invade your home and separate you from your family should your child escape your attention for a few seconds and create a dangerous situation.

Imagine for a moment a petition signer’s preschooler ran from them in a grocery store and knocked over a display of creamed corn, breaking the toe of an elderly shopper. Would they invite Child Protection Services and the police to come into their own home and investigate their own “child’s home environment in the interests of protecting the child and his siblings from further incidents of parental negligence that may result in serious bodily harm or even death?”

Wait. I made a terrible mistake. I equated the broken toe of a human to that of an animal. How politically incorrect. Change that to “breaking the toe of a lovely Lhasa Apso dog.”

It’s not “justice” they seek. It’s revenge. They wish to see the whole family destroyed for this tragic event.

And to what avail?

Would breaking up the family and scattering the children prevent all future preschoolers from evading their parents on some foolish adventure?

When PETA tried to diminish people’s taste for fish by trying to rename all fish, “sea kittens,” it was recognized as a “wacky.”

Creating a precedent wherein families must be emotionally tormented for various misdeeds by preschoolers exceeds “wacky.”

It’s too liberal a use for overworked child protective services and police.

IS IT TRUE we are very surprised to find out that Deaconess Hospital admits to filing 20,000 collections proceedings in the past five years? …that they now say that their procedure for debt collection is changing?… the change came about because of investigative reporting by NPR and Pro Publica concerning seizing wages of low income patients rather than having them seek government assistance to pay? … the main focus of the investigative newspaper article was St. Joseph’s Hospital in Missouri, but we were taken aback that Evansville Deaconess was cited by name in the articles?…that Deaconess admits to having filed more suits than St Joseph’s?

IS IT TRUE  the City County Observer recently reported that it’s been alleged that the CEO’S of both Deaconess and St Mary’s Hospitals are earning well over $1.6  million dollars per year (not including benefits)?  …in the attached article a  reference was made  in 2015 that Deaconess Hospital CEO, Linda White was paid $1.74 million dollars.

IS IT TRUE we wonder who are member of the St. Mary’s and the Deaconess Hospitals Board of Directors who set the guidelines to how the CEO”S should run the financial activities of both not-for profit?

IS IT TRUE we encourage you to click the attached link to read that Deaconess Hospital admitted to filing 20,000 collections proceedings in the past five years?  …we also know you’ll find comments by a St. Mary’s spokes person in this article interesting?   …we believe once you read the attached (link) article you will  most likely ask the question how the working poor of this community can pay medical collection proceedings and also pay for food, housing, children schooling, house insurance and auto expensive and etc.?

IS IT TRUE this is a developing story because we would like to know why it seems like our local not-for-profits hospitals have lost their sight on the “christian mission” to help the poor?

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/nonprofit_hospital_stops_suing_poor_patients_will_others_follow_201160602

FOOTNOTES: Our next “IS IT TRUE” will be posted on this coming Monday?

Todays READERS POLL question is:   Do you feel that our local not-for-profits hospitals have lost their sight on the “christian mission” to help the poor?

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We are amazed at the results of our non-scientific but trendy “Readers Poll”. The person our readers selected as the most effective President of City Council was a man who has been gone from the local political scene for the past five years, Curt John.

Mr. John was a well-known name, from his politically connected family, his years as a UE basketball star,  and his past public service. We understand why people call Mr. John the “Dean of local Politics.“

We did find a common thread among the job performance of the top finishers, Curt John,  John Friend CPA , Dr. Dan Adams and Connie Robinson. All  of them presided over City Council meetings that were often contentious, but they did the People’s business in a way that showed respect for their constituents. People who came to meetings were always given a reasonable opportunity to ask questions and share their opinions. City Council meetings sometimes dragged on for hours, but people were heard.

Like many of our readers, we long for the good old days when dissent and diverse points of view were heard, even welcomed, at City Council meetings. Doing the work of the taxpayers isn’t pretty sometimes and it isn’t over with quickly, It seems that our current Council and its leadership just want to do the bidding of the Winnecke political machine, under the alias of “being collaborative”, before anybody knows, what hit them, In less than an hour some of our current “Collaborative Council” members adjourns to Haynie’s Corner for libations and interested taxpayers can go home and watch TV.

We wonder if the dismal ratings of BJ Watts and Keith Jarboe,  are not due, at least in part, to the condescending attitudes they sometimes displayed toward speakers who came before them.

The current President of the City Council, Missy Mosby may go down in history as the least popular occupant of that seat.  Her constant texting during meetings, adamant refusal to really listen to citizens, and shocking lack of familiarity with Roberts’ Rules are big minuses for her.  The decision-making process behind her hiring of a Republican as City Council attorney who lives in Warrick County has left a lot of Democrats mystified, too.

Bottom line,  it looks like our readers miss the strong leadership and collaborative style of past City Council member Curt John!