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Ah, autumn.
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The season of beauty, agreeable weather, still bountiful food supplies for wildlife and changing colors.
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One might also say autumn is a season of relative peace for wildlife in urban parks -- though these days one would be compelled to put an asterisk aside such statement if talking about Canada geese.
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Current news articles about geese are mostly comprised of harassment measures used against them in various urban locations throughout the country. (Example: http://fox4kc.com/2013/09/25/geese-police-win-back-metro-fountains-from-pooping-birds/)
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It seems the idea is to "move along" or push geese into more rural areas where they promptly become targets for hunters.
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Speaking of which:
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The photo above of a grinning 12-year-old boy holding up two bloody geese he shot to death appeared as an "Outdoors" blog post from a Syracuse newspaper.
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Part of the caption read, "The look on his face tells it all."
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I found both, the photo and caption disturbing and promptly dashed off an email to the blog writer.
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Surprisingly, this has resulted in several email exchanges between myself and the column writer.
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Unsurprisingly, there is little agreement between us on the subject of hunting, though emails have been cordial and overall respectful.
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One can understand the requirement of a newspaper column writer to appeal to the general readership. Obviously, the "general readership" in Syracuse, NY would presumably be different from the generally more "liberal" audience of New York City.
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But, the subject or question of cruelty to animals is not really a "liberal" or "conservative" issue.
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It is more a matter of core values, reason and justice.
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The motivation for responding so passionately to the photo of the young boy holding up dead geese while grinning for the camera is because it appeared to me to be a type of brainwashing of children.
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The fact is, most children are not born with a desire to kill animals, much less delight in such destruction.
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On the contrary, children witnessed over the years (including, my own) seem to be born with a natural empathy and joy for animals that is unfortunately too often blunted and discouraged by society at large and by individual parenting.
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But, empathy is an important quality to nurture and encourage in our young.
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A society lacking in this core value can find itself eventual victim of seemingly random, unexplainable and ceaseless violence and injustice.
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In saying these things, one should not suggest or imply that all hunters are mindless, sadistic brutes who get their rocks off by blowing away animals (though this is surely true of some).
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Rather, I personally believe that most hunters were (like the young boy pictured), indoctrinated from the time they were very young to believe that it is "sissy" to empathize with other life forms and that animals are on the planet solely for our "use," "pleasure" or domination.
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This philosophy appears flawed because if extended outward to other humans, it results in all manner of injustice, self-entitlement, narcissism and "might makes right" attitudes.
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(It should be noted on the latter point, that according to the FBI, childhood cruelty to animals is one of the three ""red flags" for indication of later violence or maltreatment towards humans.)
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I am very grateful that when a young girl and taken on a fishing trip by my uncle and grandmother, I was not admonished or made fun of when reacting with distress to the gasping by the fish when caught and thrashing around on the deck.
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My uncle and grandmother accepted my dislike for the activity and I still loved and respected them despite our differences on the subject. We just didn't talk about fishing again.
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To this day, I do not like fishing, but accept that it is a favored activity among many otherwise, good and decent people. People who have been taught from a very young age that fishing and hunting, rather than being cruel to animals, are "tradition" and "sport."
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But, slapping a rationalization label on something doesn't essentially change what it really is.
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Bull fighting is considered "tradition" or even "art" in Spain and Mexico. But most people in this country (and many now in Spain and Mexico) simply view it (rightly) as cruelty and brutality towards animals. The bull never really has a chance as all odds are stacked against him from the get-go.
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By the same token, the uses of high powered rifles, blinds, decoys, "calls," and other hunting paraphernalia stacks odds in favor of hunters over the animals who are not willing participants in the so-called, "sport."
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True "sport" (as usually defined and perceived) involves the willing participation of two similarly skilled and trained competitors or teams. How exactly does this apply to hunting -- especially "canned hunting" in which semi-tame animals have little, if any chance of escape? (Example, "pigeon shoots" in Pennsylvania).
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I have a male friend who, though he does not hunt himself, has friends who do.
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I have heard all the arguments for hunting over the years so that nothing is "new" or surprising anymore.
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"The animals will starve to death is we don't shoot them." "We eat what we kill." "Hunting and fishing are means of parental/child bonding and/or bonding with buddies."
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I realize this is a core value difference and not one likely to result in "win" on either side anytime soon through intimidation, name-calling or revolution.
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One has to hope that education, enlightenment, the nurturing of natural childhood empathy and greater appreciation of nature and the world's wildlife are the keys to eventual change.
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One can, for example, be encouraged by the outrage expressed by thousands of people to the inexcusable airing on NBC Sports channel, ("Under Wild Skies") of an African elephant being shot in the face multiple times by so-called, "Big Game" hunters.
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The elephant obviously died in agony and there was no excuse for this horrific act of human cruelty, violence and domination.
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But, was there really appreciable difference between the hunters gloating over the death of the elephant and the child gloating over his killing of two geese?
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True, one species of animal is currently endangered and the other is not. But, the actions are exactly the same.
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Hunting is in fact, one of the primary causes for many species of otherwise "plentiful" animals eventually going extinct.
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One has to conclude that the two bloody geese in the photo did not die any more willingly or "humanely" than the elephant in the NBC video. Nor were the goose deaths any more justified than that of the elephant.
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None of the animals posed any threat to their killers.
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They were all killed simply for the "pleasure" of it.
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(On this note, it is no small irony that killers of the elephant also boast of later plan to "shoot some birds.")
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That is in fact, what needs to be challenged and ultimately changed if we are to be a society that truly and actually evolves.
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The killing of animals for the so-called "pleasure" of it or simply because we can (i.e. domination and attitudes of "might makes right" and self-entitlement).
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Still, we don't see self-proclaimed, "responsible" hunters speaking out against illegal poachers, the "big gamers" shooting African elephants or the wahoos blowing away defenseless pigeons in PA.
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One has to therefore seriously question if there is really such thing as "responsible hunters?"
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Whether the grins and celebrations are for blowing geese out of the sky or smashing up an elephant's face, the action and sadistic characterization (i.e. taking pleasure in another's pain and/or death) is the same.
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Autumn, though it may be arguably the most beautiful season of the entire year, is, unfortunately also, the season of the guns.
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Millions of animals the world over, now face their peril. -- PCA
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1 comment:
You're simply delusional. Hunters and fishermen actively report poachers and those who take game illegally. Hunters and fishermen are the first, and foremost activists with respect to conservation efforts in NYS, and nationwide.
You live in your concrete jungle, and cast stones at the morals and intelligence of a group of people whom you disagree with. Typical NYC housewife with too much time on her hands. You can name your furry and feathered friends all you want, but that does not change the fact that they are animals, they live and die every day without your help, and they will continue to do so, unaffected by anything you do or have done, long after you become fertilizer.
Go light a candle, sing some songs, and hold hands with others who think as you do. Please, do not ever think for even a fleeting moment that you do not know best for everyone out there - and please do continue to push your beliefs upon the unwashed, ignorant masses.
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