Deer

Deer, deer, deer. Kill them or feed them?

Mostly, Husband and I just watch them.

Husband defends deer rights, saying the deer were here before we were. Indeed, our builder told us his crew had to shoo a small herd off the concrete foundation every morning before work could start. And the deer still hang around--to nibble at my red-tipped fotinia and anything else that doesn't have a fence around it.

I don't agree with Husband's argument; after all, he wants to clear off all the cedar even though it too was here first. The reason I vote thumbs up is that deer are a part of nature and, personally, I enjoy watching them and occasionally interacting with them--from from a distance, of course. I'd never touch them. They're not pets and haven't been checked out for lice, ticks, mites, or rabies. And the stags, one of which once tried to confront my car in the driveway, can be dangerous.

But I think deer, as sentient beings, deserve to live. I want to preserve their lives the same way I want to feed Wendy Dog, care for people who are down and out, and make everyone's life better.