What’s up with Kanab?

Well, what is up with Kanab? Kanab is a small city in a beautiful area of Utah. The local government has passed two laws under the guise of “Natural Family Resolution” that seriously invade personal freedom.

First, they decided households can have two – and no more than two – dogs. Anyone with more than two dogs is covered by a grandfather clause and can register two extra dogs. If anyone has more than four dogs, they have to choose which ones to discard. After four, the dogs are unregistered and therefore under the jurisdiction of Animal Control.

What if the dogs are well-behaved, don’t bother anyone, but bring joy to their owners? Are there more than two? Some have to go.

It mentions only dogs. Maybe they just don’t like dogs. I think most communities handle the perceived problem with regulations such as leash laws and designated areas like dog parks. There has to be a better way.

Now, to the people in the family –

A political think tank drafted a resolution based on a church document and sent it to all Utah cities. Kanab is the first to adopt it, word-for-word.

The natural family idea guides the local government in public policy and action. Their “first responsibility” is to protect “the natural family.” That’s nice -- if you fit the definition.

But only the traditional two-parent (man and woman) family with a “quiver of children” fits the definition. Is there a number of allowed children? It mentions a “quiver,” but does not say how many that is. Maybe numbers work only for dogs.

My understanding of a community is a diverse group of people, each with value, some with problems, some with solutions, everyone contributing and a local government that works for everyone. Naïve? Maybe, but fun and interesting and free.

So what's up with Kanab?

technorati tags: traditional_values, single_parent_family, divorce, church_and_state, same_sex, childless, Animal_rights,