The killing of a hunter by a grizzly bear in Montana has been in the news for the last two weeks. I am glad to say that readers' comments have been overwhelmingly sympathetic to the bear. People argued that anyone who ventures into wild territory is putting his life on the line. If he loses it, then it's all fair and just. I agree, but I must stress that the hunters go in with a huge, if not decisive, advantage with their high power guns, camouflaged gear, scents, and the element of surprise or ambush. The animal only has its natural instincts to rely on; it isn't even out to kill a human but to look for sustenance. Essentially, it all boils down to limped-dick, small-minded ignorami out to refill their macho dreams at the expense of an animal.
Unfortunately, my schadenfreude was short-lived with today's news that the hunter, 39-yr old Steve Stevenson from Winnemucca, Nevada, was actually killed by his partner's errant shots and not by the bear. Nevertheless, it sounded like the bear made one last heroic struggle to survive by getting at the people who shot it and stalked it.
In one of the earlier reports, a relative praised the deceased as a hero who tried to distract the bear from his partner. Please, let's not add to the dumbing of America. "Hero" is one of those words whose true meaning have been blurred and degraded to mean anyone who committed an act of desperation. Stop the dumbing of America. If you want heroism, think Iraq, Afghanistan, or 9/11.
As an animal rights proponent, I'll take what I can get. One dead hunter is better than none.
If you don't like what you're reading, you can go on, surf the web, and land on one of those hunting forums that talk about the latest in gun technology and where they glorify the killing of animals for sport. You'd be happy there, but I am glad that I am not you.
And finally, no one is allowed to kill a grizzly bear in the lower 48 states. For these reportedly seasoned hunters to mistake a grizzly bear for a black bear, that's all baloney. You cannot mistake a grizzly bear for a black bear. That's what the authorities should be investigating with a fine-toothed comb. Why did they shoot the grizzly bear in the first place?
Here's the report:
http://news.yahoo.com/victim-mont-grizzly-attack-shot-friend-232212127.html
Unfortunately, my schadenfreude was short-lived with today's news that the hunter, 39-yr old Steve Stevenson from Winnemucca, Nevada, was actually killed by his partner's errant shots and not by the bear. Nevertheless, it sounded like the bear made one last heroic struggle to survive by getting at the people who shot it and stalked it.
In one of the earlier reports, a relative praised the deceased as a hero who tried to distract the bear from his partner. Please, let's not add to the dumbing of America. "Hero" is one of those words whose true meaning have been blurred and degraded to mean anyone who committed an act of desperation. Stop the dumbing of America. If you want heroism, think Iraq, Afghanistan, or 9/11.
As an animal rights proponent, I'll take what I can get. One dead hunter is better than none.
If you don't like what you're reading, you can go on, surf the web, and land on one of those hunting forums that talk about the latest in gun technology and where they glorify the killing of animals for sport. You'd be happy there, but I am glad that I am not you.
And finally, no one is allowed to kill a grizzly bear in the lower 48 states. For these reportedly seasoned hunters to mistake a grizzly bear for a black bear, that's all baloney. You cannot mistake a grizzly bear for a black bear. That's what the authorities should be investigating with a fine-toothed comb. Why did they shoot the grizzly bear in the first place?
Here's the report:
http://news.yahoo.com/victim-mont-grizzly-attack-shot-friend-232212127.html
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