Readers of this publication may already know that I was born and raised in Orange County, California. It has everything one would expect, including a pleasant climate, high taxes, beaches, a high standard of living and a large population of immigrants, both legal and illegal.
The local park, like all suburban areas, was a gathering place for families. It offered a few acres greenery amid a vast expanse of concrete. We were no different. My family would frequent the park on a regular basis. My little sister and brother would spend hours on the playground and playing pigskin on the lawn with other kids. They also did all kinds of fun, kid-friendly activities. We always brought a few pieces to feed to the ducks in the park’s pond. The heels of the bread or anything that was going to stale were perfect. The pond was small and poorly maintained, with trash lining the banks. Occasionally, a grandfather or teen would go fishing to kill time while their children or grandchildren were running around.
The sight of a plastic bag will attract the ducks to the edge of the water when you feed them. There were some nasty ducks with temperaments to match. But there was never a problem.
Around Thanksgiving a few years ago, we were also feeding ducks, when a Hispanic couple from across the pond started doing the same. We didn’t pay them any mind, as Hispanic families are found all over Southern California.
We started to pay more attention when we noticed that most of the family members began to move away from the edge of the water and crouch. One of the family, who looked like a teenager, began to lure one large white duck away by dropping food in a straight line. He guided the duck up the grassy bank and out of the water. My father said “no, they won’t …”” as I responded “what?” The family set their trap. The family members who were closest to the water circled the duck and yelled in Spanish. A male middle-aged family member (possibly the father) pounced from behind on the duck as it turned.
The man picked up the duck and tied it with a knot as the duck quaked and flailed under the bedsheet. The man then shook the bagged duck on the floor, either knocking it out or killing it. He threw it over his shoulder, and the family went to their white minivan that had a missing bumper. They stuffed in the duck for dinner.
My father asked, “Did it really just happen?” “What will they do with the duck?” asked my little brother. My little sister was too smart for age, but she said that they would probably kill the duck and eat it.
Since then, I have paid more attention to the behavior of some of our younger community members in neighborhood parks. I learned that even though the water may look gross, pondfish are perfectly safe to eat and can be caught using any method. Public fountains in parks and other public areas can also be used as swimming pools.
After “better-educating” myself about the diversity of my community, it is no longer surprising that three teenagers, refugees from Myanmar would eat and kill a park Swan in New York.
I don’t know the codes in my state or local jurisdiction that would govern this type of behavior. It’s hard for me to believe that they aren’t illegal. What I know is that they are not crimes of poverty. I can assure you that the hispanic family in the park wasn’t starving. The U.S. Government and many international charities and governments are looking after the wellbeing of the teenage Myanmar refugees because they have refugee status.
They are crimes of convenience. Why would you pay for duck at the butcher or grocer when they are available for free in the park? The fish in the park ponds are used to being fed by children from the area and will eat almost anything. It might be easier to fish there than shoot fish in a jar.
Unfettered immigration, whether illegal or legal, has grave consequences, as the history of America has shown. President Joe Biden and his administration have made this clear. We discuss the issues it causes at the national level, whether they are national security concerns or wage depression. It can also cause strains on social services and safety nets, as well as simple public accounting. These conversations are important and give a federal push for immigration restriction.
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We often underestimate the impact of runaway immigration on communities by focusing only on national issues. The impact of the current immigration policy on the American public is much more visible when your children see a duck being rounded up at a park and thwacked down.
Could I dare to suggest that the hunting of the park ducks in our neighborhood might not be the most heinous crime committed by our new neighbors?
The commons suffers as our communities become less united.
