Spring is upon us; the annual spring seal hunt is in progress and with it the predictable anti-seal protests. The arguments both for and against will no doubt continue; some based upon reasoned arguments and at the other extreme on sentimental, media and often pop-culture fuelled reactions to the soft-eyed cuddly appeal of the victims. Unfortunately, an increasing number of animals are drowning due to a lack of sea ice. This could well affect the situation and will serve to limit the annual quotas. Perhaps the protesters should consider supplying fleets of rescue boats to pluck the pups from an icy demise!
My own view is one of dismay at the illogical inconsistency of the protesters who seem oblivious of more egregious examples of cruelty which exist across all sectors of the animal kingdom. The most obvious example is of course the huge animal food empire which on a continuing basis, subjects animals to a horrendous few weeks or months of cramped, shackled or restrained existence, many without seeing the light of day before being mercifully put out of their misery. Other than serious humane attempts to improve the quality of the short lives of the “crop” it’s difficult to see a change any time soon so long as we continue to eat meat and eggs (-myself included). However distressing the seal hunt might be, at least it is for the most part justified on the basis of commercial gain or economic necessity. This is particularly true in indigenous communities where hunting forms the essential (-in many cases the only) access to fresh meat and fish as well as providing income from the pelts. A similar argument can be made for farmers and others living in remote rural areas. Finally if sadly, the argument for culling can be made in some cases.
Apart from these exceptions, there exists an area of totally unjustified bloodletting which for some reason continues to be accepted. I refer to the activities of the hunting community which for some inexplicable reason basically continues its massacres unquestioned and above criticism. Indeed such activities are generally approved of and “blood sports” regarded as acceptable despite the fact that its sole justification appears to be merely satisfying a lust to kill or maybe just to appear machismo. The British Royal Family sets a particularly distressing example.
Arguments to the effect that the hunting impulse forms part of the human psyche are all bogus. It is to be hoped that cultural development over the millennia would have reduced the barbarous and less civilized aspects of behavior. In the developed world we no longer need to be hunter gatherers. One assumes that the intrepid “sportsmen” no longer feel the necessity at days’ end to drag their wives by the hair into the matrimonial cave!
I have experienced both sides of this. For the first twenty years of my life, I was fully immersed in gun culture. My father was the head gamekeeper of a large estate in rural England. I was taught gun culture at an early age and even had a .410 gauge shotgun at my disposal. Later on I graduated to the ubiquitous 12 gauge weapon.
During the shooting season as a young lad, I found lucrative employment as a “beater”. My duties involved flushing pheasants from the undergrowth to meet their destiny at the hands of a number of wealthy members of the aristocracy who had paid handsomely to slaughter them -or anything else that moved! Since many of the feathered victims had been reared by my father specifically for the purpose, many of the unsuspecting and essentially tame birds, thinking that food was in the offing, ran towards rather than away from the beaters. They then had to be noisily encouraged to fly or run towards their executioners where they were dispatched -often at point blank range!
At school I was a member of the cadet corps and taught to shoot Enfield .303 rifles. I was even successful enough to achieve the exalted status of “First Class Shot”. Later I became one of the very last of the RAF’s Air Gunners and my artillery education was expanded to include the aircraft-mounted Browning .5 machine gun and 20mm Hispano cannon as well as Bren and Sten machine guns. Target and skeet (clay pigeon) shooting also formed a part of ongoing training. As aircrew, a .38 Smith and Wesson revolver formed part of my equipment.
All these pieces of machinery (the Sten excepted!) were beautifully designed and manufactured pieces of hardware. However, I could not help but reflect that they were all produced with the express intent to kill and maim. This chilling realization was something that caused me increasing discomfort. Prior to my militarization, somewhat to my father’s disappointment, I had already developed an aversion to the shooting fraternity. After returning to civilian life my distaste for guns in general and blood sports in particular escalated to one of abhorrence.
As an alternative to hunting, target or skeet shooting require great skill -and are mainly benign. The only real difference in the target -is life. I wonder why a clay facsimile of a bird is not an acceptable substitute for a sentient creature. To witness the beauty of any creature happily living its allotted span in its natural habitat is truly a joyful and uplifting experience. In contrast, how anyone for some form of personal gratification can willfully snuff out of the life of a deer, duck or whatever crosses their line of sight is entirely beyond my comprehension. Killing for fun is not only morally wrong; it says little for a society that accepts or is apathetic towards it.
Well said!
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