
The recent controversy over Haitian immigrants allegedly killing a wild goose has stirred up both significant childhood memories and emotions associated with it.
One of my favorite paintings is called the “Holiday Goose,” by famed outdoor artist Paco Young. It has hung in my living room beside my wood stove for years. The setting of the painting reminds me of my childhood home. Here is what the artist says about the painting:

Traditional American values have changed greatly in the past century, but family is still the cornerstone of all that’s important to us. Hunting, fishing and raising a garden are parts of this traditional background which are passed down from one generation to the next. After the garden has been harvested, canned and frozen, winter’s bounty again becomes plentiful. Bringing home the holiday goose is a very special occasion and a rite of the season’s tradition. These things are very important in our family. We should all give thanks for the warmth of friends, family, home and our own “holiday goose.”
Having been raised in a big family on a small farm, this painting has always spoken to me. Having goose hunted in Western Kentucky back in the day, I have proudly brought home the “holiday goose” time and again and much to the appreciation of my family. Times have changed; now, geese are everywhere and, in many places, are considered nothing more than a nuisance.
In our modern industrialized world, our food sources have become so centralized and consolidated that many people don’t know where our food comes from, and certainly don’t understand the process of how it appears in our grocery store aisles. We are so far removed from our natural food sources that many people wouldn’t consider harvesting a “holiday goose,” even when it is in their midst.
I live in a neighborhood with many beautiful lawns and flowers but few, if any, vegetable gardens. The number of people who hunt and fish declines each year, pushing us further from an understanding of where our food originates from and deepening our disconnection from nature — a loss that has significant implications for our mental well-being.
So, why should we be alarmed when a Haitian immigrant harvests a “holiday goose” for his family meal, as some have said happened in Springfield, Ohio? Perhaps this controversy says more about who we are as a society than it does the Haitian immigrants.
Sen. John Schickel, R-Union, represents the 11th Senate District in northern and central Boone County. He is Senate Licensing and Occupations Committee chair. He also serves as a Senate Banking and Insurance, Judiciary, and Natural Resources and Energy committee member.