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It Shouldn't Happen To A Dog!
by Marilyn Schnepp Fascinated by the spectacular array of blue-bloods passing in front of a Judge gave me hope of "something worth watching" on the tube. Putting down the Remote, I settled back for what looked like a Dog Show. With their aristocratic heads held high, exquisite coats brushed to a shine and groomed to a "T", I watched each make their final pass in front of the Judge. Of course each was AKC (American Kennel Club) registered, with stacks of credentials and documents to prove their impeccable ancestry. As thousands of viewers waited, watched and wondered who would be this years winner for the "Best In Show" - it suddenly dawned on me that this elitist Club for canines would be shut down tomorrow it it were a "people" club instead of a "doggy club" - it would be boycotted, picketted, protested against and perhaps even sued! (or a march on Washington, DC) The AKC reeks with discrimination. It accepts ONLY pure breds. If you're not AKC registered, you're nothing! As for mutts, curs and mongrels, they're nonexistent and unmentionables at best, and guttural expressions of four-letters words at worst. Just think! If AKC were to show "people" instead of dogs, they'd be out of luck. For how many people in America today are pure bred "anythings?" As for Me? I'm a European half-breed; part English, Irish, and who knows what else? I don't think I even KNOW a soul who is a full blooded, pure-bred individual. Sure, some have a degree, but not a pedigree. When the "Show" broke for commercials, I glanced over at Candy, my little beagle buddy, snoozing on the couch beside me. By AKC standards she was a four-legged "bleep bleep" just taking up valuable space here on planet Earth. I patted her little head, and automatically, as if head and tail were connected, her tail went into action. Poor little thing! Due to no fault of her own, she's banned from joining the American Kennel Club only because her mother had a rather shady and questionable past, and due to the fact she has no paper-proof of who was her father. How unfair! I guess that's where the expression...'It's a dog eat dog world." came from. Who knows?....but it shouldn't happen to a dog! As I stroked Candy's soft velvety ears, I realized how blessed she was, for God in His wisdom saw fit not to give her the feeling of inadequacy that humans feel, or to feel badly when rejected, shut out, or discriminated against because of lack of breeding, unknown back alley ancestry, or an impure blood line. Oops! I heard the announcer calling out the finalists, and it sounded like a Roll Call at the United Nations: "German Shepherd, Scottish Terrier, Chinese Pug, English Bulldog, French Poodle, Mexican Chihuahua"...etc, etc, etc, With the announcement over, the Judge stepped up and made his choice for 2nd, 3rd and 4th Place winners; and then he paused until the applause died down....and the room went eerily silent, the owners and trainers were holding their breath...."and the Winner for BEST IN SHOW is....Rocky, the American Cocker Spaniel who is owned by......," but the applause was so deafening nobody could hear the name, and we all watched as the little blonde Cocker made his way to the podium. Threading his way through the maze of human "well wishers", he almost got trampled on in the process - and I felt a twinge of empathy for him; especially after looking down to where Candy now lay contentedly at my feet chewing on a rawhide bone. There's no question as to who's "Top Dog" here...and always will be - until death do us part. "But not to worry, American Kennel Club, My little mutt has no intention of trotting off to Washington with Fido and friends to march, bark, arf, or bow-wow their demands for an "Open" Kennel Club for ALL dogs, no matter what their pedigree. You're free to run your Club as you choose, with no interference from man or mutt! At least for now. "However, take a few words of wisdom from The Citadel, The Elks Lodge, the U.S. Military, and the once private Country Clubs - when they say to you...."Nothing is sacred, and Nothing is forever! So, be prepared!" "Man's Best Friend doesn't feel like causing an uproar....but their owners? Well now, that's a different story...they feel strongly that this...." Shouldn't Happen To a Dog!" Ditto! " Woof! Woof!" Can be reached at [email protected] Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |