The following parable has been told many ways. We found this version on something called the Parables of Gary.
It is at the entry of an old medieval town. There is a blind beggar sitting there as people go about their business. A man enters through the gate and walks up to the beggar.
“Hello. Can you help me? I am moving to this town. What kind of people live here?” he asks.
“Let me answer your question with a question. What are the people like in your town?” says the beggar.
“Well,” says the man, “that’s the problem. The people are all very nice, trustworthy and helpful. They are pleasant and courteous and always willing to lend a hand. We are going to miss them.”
“Ahh,” says the beggar, “I have some good news for you. You will find the people in this town are very much the same.
The next day, at the same place the same beggar sits. A man enters through the gate and walks up to the beggar.
“Hello. Can you help me? II am moving to this town. What kind of people live here?” he asks.
“Let me answer your question with a question. What are the people like in your town?” says the beggar.
“Well,” says the man, “I am going to be happy to be rid of them. Those people are never very nice or helpful. They never have a good word to say and are always looking for favours. You can’t trust any of them.”
“Ahh,” says the beggar, “then I have some very bad news for you.”
And here reframed as the parable of the chickens
It is at the City Hall of a popular coastal town, the type place where urban amenities meet small-town living. There is a homeless man sitting at the base of a statue called "Nobody's Listening" as people go about their business. A man enters from the parking lot and walks up to the homeless man.
“Hello. Can you help me? I am moving to this town. Do they allow chickens in town?” he asks.
“Let me answer your question with a question. What are the chickens like in your town?” says the beggar.
“Well,” says the man, “that’s the problem. The chickens there are great, productive and easy to care for. They are beautiful and entertaining and they cackle once a day when they lay an egg. We are going to miss them.”
“Ahh,” says the homeless guy, “I have some good news for you. You will find the chickens in this town are very much the same.
The next day, at the same place the same homeless man sits. Another man enters through the parking lot and walks up to the statue.
“Hello. Can you help me? I am moving to this town. Do they allow chickens in town?” he asks.
“Let me answer your question with a question. What are the chickens like in your town?” says the beggar.
“Well,” says the man, “I am going to be happy to get away from them. I've heard those birds are noisy and smelly. They are some stupid farm animal fad and I suspect they spread disease and attract vermin. That's why I'm moving.”
“Ahh,” says the beggar, “then I have some very bad news for you.”
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The Sarasota City Commission has a choice -- it can listen to critical naysaying people, many of whom have no or very limited direct experience with chickens, people with decidedly negative expectations of our citizens and whom prophesize doom, OR listen to people with long experience with chickens, people who have successfully raised chickens in neighborhoods and can't understand why Sarasotans should be any more dysfunctional and irresponsible than the citizens of more than 75 other well known cities that allow backyard hens.
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