It is a well known fact that rural populations are shrinking and subsequently, urbansociety is unfamiliar or unaware of issues that concern people in rural and agricultural communities. 

I grew up on a ranch in Baker County and my family has been ranching for 130 years or more.  I realize that it is unrealistic for we cattle ranchers to expect urban dwellers to understand issues that are of extreme importance to us. In fact, it alarms us that it can take only one generation of separation from rural life to radically effect perception.  Perceptions have been changed, in no small part, by our formal education system, by the media, by the entertainment industry and by the concerted efforts of environmental organizations that are opposed to certain agricultural practices.

It’s obvious that much of this proposal is written from the urban perspective, this is to be expected, given the make up of our population in Oregon. I was trying to come up with some way to put the Wolf Issue in terms that could reveal the urgency and alarm that we in the agricultural community have towards wolves coming back into our lives and; if you will bear with me and indulge me in a hypothetical situation, I might shed some light on why we, who make our living off the land, are so concerned about issues that do not seem to resonate with others who make their living in a totally different environment.

Imagine a time in the future where theft and murder have been eradicated by a concerted effort of the government and the citizenry. However, there is a rapidly growing movement in society for a return to a more natural state of man whereby all behaviors traditionally known to man are deemed important to retain in our gene pool because of a belief that the natural state of man is far more desirable than some version that has been engineered by government or developed by society. 

Therefore, it is deemed necessary to reintroduce criminals back into society. Now, being that criminals need a population of fellow humans in which to ply their instinctual behaviors, reintroduction will only take place in urban and suburban environments. In addition, all regulatory commissions and advisory boards will be made up of 80% to 90% rural professionals and, if issues regarding criminal reintroduction need to be addressed by a statewide election, rural citizens will have an 8 to1 vote ratio to insure that their view receives proper weight in the voting process.

Details of the program will be similar to those of the wolf program. Individuals cannot claim compensation for theft or murder unless someone actually sees the act in progress or it can be proven within 24 hours. It will be the responsibility of city dwellers to patrol their own property and, if they do catch a thief in the act, they are only allowed to wave a flag and yell in order to frighten him away. If the thief persists and attacks the individual, you must allow him to actually put his hands around your throat or slip the knife into your ribcage before responding with lethal force. If the thief escapes but is subsequently observed sneaking around your backyard at night you cannot act until you have documented this behavior at least two more times or, until you observe him actually breaking and entering or driving off in your car. At which point the authorities will attempt to find the perpetrator and relocate him to the next town. If the criminal returns to your home or business and attempts to rob or kill, you are allowed to shoot and kill him.  An agency representative will then visit the site, collect the body and determine what, if any monetary compensation will be made for property stolen or damaged. No compensation will be made for sleep deprivation, loss of quality of life due to added hours of monitoring your home and place of business in addition to your normal work schedule

When a sufficient population of criminals has been established in your region, permits will be issued for a shoot to kill program of criminals invading your property.  It’s a matter of perspective.