awareness

  How is it we still allow a rodent, held in captivity, to be pulled from his nest by the scruff of his neck. Held up like a trophy in front of glaring cameras, they expect him to prognosticate about the arrival of spring. A whole club of men dressed in 19th century clothes celebrate this event every year. Yesterday was no exception. Where is the outcry, the outrage, about this cruel treatment to a member of the animal world? Are we only to be kind to elephants and panda bears? Why should the ground hog be singled out for discrimination? Just what has the ground hog, Marmota monax, done to deserve such treatment? 

 The ground hog has many other names as well. It lives in North America, Canada and into Alaska. One of those names is a wood chuck. When known by that name we have taken to mocking this little furry creature. How much wood, would a wood chuck, chuck, if a wood chuck could chuck wood? Rather reminiscent of the rhyming school yard bullies wouldn't you say? So the creature is challenged, can't throw a piece of wood, is that any reason to tease? All in all I'd say Marmota monax deserves recognition, respect, and in general humane treatment. If all the other animals in this kingdom, the animal kingdom, warrant that, doesn't he? But society has turned a blind eye to the plight of the ground hog, choosing instead to imprison and mock him. And that is just one of the them, Phil, the most famous of them all. These handlers of Phil make the claim that all other groundhogs are just imposters! They make the claim that Phil is the only one that has the ability and has been kept alive since 1886 by giving him groundhog punch and another dubious concoction called the elixir of life.

 Did you know there are at least ten other Marmota monax being held in captivity? It's true and they get nothing more than local recognition. They are maligned by their Punxsutawney Phil cousin declaring them all frauds. Yes, it's true, the practice is spreading. No longer content with just abusing a single groundhog more are captured and exploited all the time. They are being displayed like some freak show! Ironic isn't it? The very state of Pennsylvania, so closely associated with freedom, with independence, and the equality of man, houses this captive and what's worse, they take pride in it! So much so, this "tradition" of abuse is spreading like a cancer throughout the land. where is the voice of the groundhog, who will speak for him? Shouldn't we all wear a brown ribbon to raise awareness? It only seems just. And repreparations, how to restore the Marmota monax? Shouldn't he be given his freedom and a few acres of ground. He deserves to be free instead of being held and force fed, God only knows what, to keep him alive, to deny him even the comfort of death, for what, our own amusement, because we want to know the weather? Humanity should be ashamed. Well, I'll wear a brown ribbon for you Phil, I'll be your advocate. And I'll stand for all your brothers too, Staten Island Chuck, Jimmy the groundhog, Buckeye Chuck, General Beauregard Lee, Chattanooga Chuck, Dunkirk Dave and Thistle the Whistlepig, a particularity offensive name, I'm aware of your plight. I'm starting a fundraiser, free the Marmota monax! Donations are being accepted @ Https://free philandothers.com. If that link doesn't work inbox me for instructions.