The Snoop 2.16.2012

The Snoop sounds the death toll once again.
I just recently got word that Jim Mann, former president of the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association, died in December. Jim was well-known around Ava because of his association with the Fox Trotters. As president, he was very outspoken in promoting the breed.
James Parker Mann, of Fairdealing, Mo., was born Oct. 20, 1943, in Poplar Bluff and grew up in Van Buren, graduating from Van Buren High School. He received his master’s degree from the University of Missouri. He was a Vietnam veteran, a former trustee of Three Rivers College, and a deacon in the First Baptist Church of Poplar. Jim was a self-employed real estate appraiser.
Jim died Dec. 19, 2011, at his home.
He is survived by his wife, three children and four grandchildren.
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Now here’s one for the books! Legislation was passed out of committee in the Missouri General Assembly last week to define an animal.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying it’s wrong to pass the bill, or that the bill was filed in the first place. It’s just absurd that the bill, filed by West Plains State Representative Ward Franz, was necessary in the first place. In my opinion it’s about as ridiculous as having to define marriage as being between a man and a woman.
Certainly Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin never would have thought such an absurdity would be necessary.
Franz’ bill of course has the support of agricultural related organizations such as Farm Bureau, Missouri Cattelemen’s Assn., Missouri Pork Assn., Missouri Corn Growers Assn., and the Missouri Federation of Animal Owners.
House Bill 1513 states that an animal shall not have any right, privilege or legal status that is equal to or greater than any right, privilege or legal status of a human being. It also upholds laws that protect the welfare of animals in Missouri.
One would never have thought it necessary to pass legislation to assure humans of dominion over animals. In fact, that law was written thousands of years ago and is recorded the book of Genesis. “And God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth’.” (Genesis 1:26)
In supporting his bill, Franz said, “We must be proactive with measures like HB 1513 to help protect not only our rights as property owners, but to save agriculture – the number one revenue producer in this state.”