On the way to Church this morning, I saw something interesting. A hawk swooped down on a dove that was sitting on a powerline. The hawk drove the dove to the ground, tearing it’s chest open. The hawk wasn’t much bigger than the dove… it was a small hawk. Not sure of the species. The hawk tried, but was unable to carry the dead dove off. So it feasted on it’s kill where it laid. One of my younger boys who saw this as well, declared that this was “COOL!”
The dove is the symbol of peace. The hawk is the symbol of war. These are the symbols that society placed upon them. In reality both just live to their nature. The dove, lives at peace, pecking up seeds and bread crumbs as given them. The hawk lives it’s life by hunting and preying upon what it can so it can eat… it doesn’t look for handouts. It doesn’t wait to be given something. It’s proactive.
There is a saying that I used to have posted… “Pacifism is a privilege of the protected.” This phrase was put to the test. The dove can’t protect anything. It lives at the will of the hawk.
I know some people like the Dove. They protest all violence and feel morally superior because they are all about “Peace” above all else. And that’s great, because they are protected. I wish I could be that way too… but I can’t. Because I have the Moral Responsibility and Obligation to protect my family. So until Hawks change their diet…
Wow. Hawks never had to deal with a MadOgre.
“Peace is a luxury few can afford. But there are those who would demand payment so they can spend that luxury at another’s expense. Gives a new perspective to the term ‘welfare state’.” -me
The imagery is good, but I am not sure I agree with your conclusion.
The dove is perfectly able to survive without any handouts. It survives in a world filled with hawks, and while it will take a free meal if one is offered, so will the hawk. When there is nothing but hawks, hawks will end up eating the bodies of other hawks.
I agree that I have a moral imperative to protect my family and my Nation. The Great Seal has the eagle holding both an olive branch and arrows. While they represent ideas that seem to be in conflict, the reality is it takes both to have either.
I enjoy your site.
Wow, that was such a perfect example of that attitude. The holier than thou peaceniks, never understand the hardship and sacrifices it takes, to keep them alive, and allow them to sing Kum bah yah!
The dove is the greater of the two birds because, through its sacrifice, both species can become stronger.
If not for the dove, the hawk would starve because it cannot digest seed.
If not for the hawk, the dove would starve because there would not be enough seed.
In exchange for its sacrifice to the hawk, the hawk promises not to take more doves than it needs to survive. Violating this sacred oath would destroy both species.
When the dove does well, the hawk does well.
When the dove does poorly, the hawk soon follows.
If the hawk does well, while the dove is doing poorly then hawk’s well-being is short lived.
If the hawk does poorly, it will eventually recover as long as the dove continues to thrive.
Or the Hawk can say “piss on the Dove” and hunt mousies and cats and robbins and everything else it wants… because it’s a freaking hawk.
When the dollar crashes, I will feast on both dove and hawk, not to mention duck, grouse, goose, deer and anything else (mmmmm, dog, cat…) I can take out after my supplies are drained.
…and Sloaths, and breakfast cereals…
Might have been a pigeon hawk, aka merlin.
Lovely plumage.
George,
By your description I’m betting the species was an American Kestrel. It is commonly called a Sparrow Hawk. Technically it is a falcon. I think it is the smallest falcon. Try googling that and see if it looks right. The Males can be quite colorful, but the females aren’t really.
Your son was right. That would be cool to see.