Wants are not needs or rights
By Lee Cataluna
Advertiser Columnist
A few years back, I overheard a father chastising his young son. "You're not special," he told his boy. "You're just like everybody else."
At the time, I thought it was the most horrible thing a parent could tell a child. Of course the boy was special!
Looking back, I think I missed the meat of the message. The father was trying to tell his son that he had to prove himself every day, that he had to work hard for everything he wanted in his life, that nothing would come to him just because he was cute or charming or really, really wanted it. "Special" is something you earn.
At least let's hope that's what he meant.
If there's one word to sum up the ills of our community, it would be "entitlement" — the pervasive false belief that we should have what we want just because we want it.
I am going to race my car on the freeway because I'm free and I have a need for speed.
I am going to supersize every plate lunch because, yeah, Doctor says I'm killing myself, but I LIKE to eat.
I am going to run the faucet, dump the motor oil, drive my gas-guzzler because I want to. It pleases me.
The latest manifestation of this was extended to animals in the form of a Senate bill that would prohibit landlords from putting no-pet clauses in rental contracts.
The first draft of the bill actually said:
"It is a discriminatory practice for an owner or any other person engaging in a real estate transaction, or for a real estate broker or salesperson, because of race, sex, color, religion, marital status, familiar status, ancestry, disability, age, animal companion status, or HIV infection....
We're not talking service animals or guide dogs. Those are already allowed by law. This bill was about pet ownership.
The cold, hard truth is that pet ownership is not an entitlement. There are too many people who say they love their pets but do a rotten job of looking after them. If a household is not appropriate for a pet, there shouldn't be a pet in there. Landlords should be able to exclude animals on their property. Reasonable landlords and tenants should work out their own pet clauses specific to their situations that would describe remedies should Fluffy rip up the place.
Yes, pets are an integral part of many families, and yes, people with pets have a hard time finding housing. But people without pets have a hard time finding housing, too. The problem is a housing shortage, and secondarily a dog- and cat-overage.
The bill was essentially killed in committee this week. But the legislative work remains. Thousands of families need affordable homes. Thousands of animals are born unwanted and live without proper care.
Humans are entitled to live in decent homes. Animals are entitled to live decent lives.
Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach her at 535-8172 or lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com.
