A recent incident aboard a flight reveals so many deeply disturbing aspects and questions about today's society, and those who walk among us. A woman was given her marching orders after her havoc-wreaking hog began walking up and down the aisles. The airlines confirmed it was taken on board as an emotional support animal. Even attempts to strap it to an armrest failed to settle the farmyard animal on the flight from Connecticut.
This begs these questions. At what point in time did so many of our citizens become so broken in mind and body that they require an emotional support animal to make it through their daily existence?
When did it become acceptable that they inconvenience and put others at risk to accommodate their highly suspect need for emotional support? When did it become conceivable that a major commercial airline would even consider letting a pig aboard one of its planes? What's next, a grizzly bear? And why would the other passengers aboard the plane be so passive and compliant that they would have let the pig board the plane without a revolt?
Has our society been reduced to such a low common denominator mental state, and so intimidated by the tyranny of the minority that the airline felt compelled to let a passenger bring a pig aboard one of its planes? Safety was overtaken by the fear of offending someone. And the pig didn't disappoint in that it became uncontrollable. And to the dismay and disgust of the passengers, it wasn't wearing a Depends - and they paid the price. Who with half a brain couldn't have seen this coming? Not the pig's fault. To me, all of the brain-dead humans involved were guilty of animal cruelty.
Like so much else today, the whole emotional support animal concept has become ridiculous to the point of insanity. A pig on a plane crossed the line. The woman who owns the pig doesn't need an emotional support animal, she needs a straitjacket. And the poor pig needs an emotional support human.
Steve Hyle
Lewes
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