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I read about Chris Cunningham's idea to change our state bird to a chicken, checked out his Web site, and I think the idea of having the chicken as our state bird, because the brown thrasher does not contribute to the economy, is an absurd idea.
The history of having the brown thrasher as our state bird all began with school children in 1928. Mr. Cunningham was quoted as having a cocktail when he came up with the idea of having a chicken as our state bird. Frankly, I think he had several cocktails to come up with that idea!
The beautiful picture of the brown thrasher and the Cherokee rose painted by Menaboni is a part of our Georgia history and hangs in many of our homes, schools, libraries and at Callaway Gardens. The state Capitol had Christmas ornaments for sale with that same picture.
The brown thrasher is a gorgeous, bright-eyed, bird admired by all the bird watchers I know. I personally get great pleasure during the winter when I look out our kitchen window and watch the brown thrasher enjoying the suet block we provide.
Chickens come in all different breeds, and I wonder which breed Mr. Cunningham is suggesting as the state bird. Imagine having that plain white chicken the chicken industry prepares for our consumption as the state bird! Who wants to eat their state bird?
I would feel terribly guilty as I fried the state bird, boiled and made dumplings with it, barbecued it (imagine at the Capitol, our state leaders could have barbecued state bird fundraisers when they tired of the wild hog dinners), state bird fingers and all the other hundreds of chicken recipes we eat. Just "ain't right."
I don't know if Mr. Cunningham is a born-and-bred Georgian as I am, but the Georgians I know have always loved the brown thrasher as the state bird for its beauty, and we don't care if it contributes to the economy. That is not the purpose of the state bird.
Barbara Cwik
Gainesville