I am frequently struck by one of the many double standards endemic in western culture. If a roughneck teenager goes out into a public park one day armed with an air rifle and shoots a swan, the whole of ‘decent’ society bays for his blood. Press and public alike demand that the police catch him, lock him up, and throw away the key. A smartly dressed man wearing the uniform of the shooting party, on the other hand, can take his shotgun and slaughter as many pheasants, partridges, grouse etc as he likes, and be regarded as a respectable, upstanding citizen.
Human beings are unique in the animal kingdom. We have power, high intelligence and the potential for ethical consideration. We can choose to abuse and exploit the other animals, or we can choose to protect them. I wonder when the human race is going to mature sufficiently for everyone to realise that the latter is the only proper option. Until we do, I will continue to list hunting for recreation as one of the great perversions of human society, along with warmongering, slavery and paedophilia.
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