Fresno article on small flocks, is this much negativativity common?

Josie, based on my reading of Fresno Bee article comments, I'd say the negativity is very common.  Even my cousin who is a die hard Fresno Bee fan, has commented on this phenomen in the past. 
Fresno does have some county islands where chickens are legal -- Tarpey, is one, however the city is using all sorts of tricks to remove the county islands to increase their tax flow.  My parents neighborhood is in the court system, I think, over these tactics right now. 
There are chickens in the Tower District, which is probably where the photo in the article was taken, and maybe they (Tower District area people) could try to work with the council to get chickens approved there first.  I would expect the most resistance to the idea of chickens would be by the Fig Garden and North of Shaw people.

It will always be an uphill battle--no matter where you live---but especially if you live in an "upscale" neighborhood.  I went from being a friendly, beloved neighbor, to enemy #1 when I put 3 chickens in my 1/2 acre yard.  You won't believe how many people HATE the thought of chickens in residential areas.   The reasons why?  Nothing specific, they just don't want to live next door to any, no matter what the benefits are.

I agree with you on the county islands issue.  Why would any one want to join the city to increase their costs, get fewer services and have more rights taken away??  Hopefully your chickens will be grandfathered in -- you may want to increase your flock to 50 or so before the island is absorbed -- although, if you are the chicken owner next door to my parents, please limit your roosters to 2 or 3.

It is funny, with all the influx of foreigners over the decades, you'd expect the city would allow a couple of hens.

The best way to fight the naysayers is by making them feel foolish for even speaking up. This isn't particularly hard, since most of their objections are based on lack of knowledge or even outright myths. Now I'm not saying make the fence sitters feel foolish . . .just the naysayers. It's always best to note the difference. Keep in mind most foks really don't care too much, one way or the other. When ya cans shut the naysayers up, the majority of citizens won't put up much objection, and may even get overall supportive.

This is not a tactic that I approve of.  Generally speaking, those who attack the messenger are the ones who lack information and compassion.  When ever I see this tactic used I think, Cult mentality and quickly assume they are brain washed. 

Get a discussion going on what is true.  That is good.

Terribly sad we live in this sort of society.  There are sooo many offensives being done to our basic human rights and nobody objects.  Sigh.  Sure wish the politicians/corporations/etc didn't use this sort of logic so much.  If we are going to improve our society, we need to rise above it to show other people how it should be done.

Guess I'm too much the naysayer on too many issues to allow this type of thinking to go unchecked.

Well, I'd suggest not using it then. I've used it, and used it quite effectively.

That kind of sounds like it makes sense, but that isn't really the case, more often than not. It depends on who . . . and how one attacks. Keep in mind that the anti-chicken folks who want to interfere with our right to keep chickens attack us with myth and even lies.  The best way to deal with them is give their myths the respect they deserve . . . which is to say "none".

  To 'respect their opinion' is to lend it some credence. To lend it credence gives it some legitimacy. Always a bad idea to let the opposition opinion come across as legitimate, particularly when it isn't. Not sure why I should try to come across as "compassionate" to a group that holds my right to keep chickens on my own property in contempt. I'll give one of them a kidney if we are a match. I have compassion . . .where compassion is due.  But I won't respect their opinion that I don't have a right to keep chickens, nor should I be expected to.

Well, then you likely wouldn't want to come up against me on an issue, because you would quickly learn I don't have a cult mentality.

Get a discussion going that exposes naked just how ridiculous the oppositions myths and untrue statements are. That is what works.

That's what I'm doing. Showing people how it should be done. Not how, in a perfect world, we wish it could be done. The world isn't perfect.  The political world in particular. Anyone who thinks rational argument and facts will win the day merely need to peruse this very forum and see the literally dozens of stories where Chicken keepers put up solid, sensible and polite arguments for their cause, addressed every concern by the opposition . . .and still got their butts handed to them on a plate.  In the real world, ya play hardball, at least in the political world, to get your way, even if we wish it wasn't so.  A wish that politicians didn't use the logic they do and .79 cents will get us a candy bar. Wishes don't get it done.

Hmmm . . .  My "type of thinking" . . . you can't allow that to "go unchecked" . . .  Well, see how that works for ya. I'm not so easily put into check.

anyone know if there is a group/movement in place to legalize city hens in fresno?