From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
I didn't intend to start a debate on the pros and cons
of fox-hunting when I happened to mention that I'm not
going to the Countryside Alliance march, but since one
started up anyway, I suppose I owe some of you a reply. I
would have replied before, but I've had almost no spare
time lately, as I've been doing both a full-time day job
and an evening job (plus extra hours at weekends plus
evening classes). I can't reply to everyone individually,
so I'll have to do it all in one go.
First, I am aware that foxes are a vermin species and that
their numbers have to be controlled. But I also believe
that it should be done in the most humane way possible, and
I don't think chasing them across the countryside qualifies.
I can believe that once the dogs actually catch the fox,
it'll be finished off quickly, but the chase itself has to
be extremely stressful. Cage traps don't strike me as any
better either, possibly worse. Shooting seems to me to be
the most humane method. Someone said that once hunting
with hounds has gone, there will be an outbreak of poor
marksmen hunting foxes with unsuitable weapons, causing
terrible injuries. That's possible I suppose, but it
doesn't seem to happen with other quarry species. A couple
of people also asked if I'd ever ridden with a hunt. No I
haven't, and I'm not sure what I could learn if I did - what
would I see, galloping on horseback and looking at the
backsides of a bunch of hounds? Most likely, I'd learn what
it feels like to fall off my horse and break an arm or
something. I'm an urban dweller, I'm not comfortable with
any form of transportation that doesn't have a set of wheels
and a seatbelt.
Second, I also realise that there will be some very
unfortunate effects in the short term, such as all or most
of the fox hounds having to be put down, and people in
support services being put out of work. None of this is
good news, but it's only a short-term problem. People who
made their living from fox hunting one way or another will
find new employment. People are very adaptable. You have
to balance that against the long-term benefit of reducing
cruelty. It's an imperfect world, it's almost impossible
to do anything without there being no harmful side effects.
Third, the shooting associations and magazines have been
saying that the march isn't just about fox hunting. Maybe
not, but that's the issue that's going to attract press
coverage and that's how the general public will see it. It's
not a march to get the pistol ban repealed, and the
participation of a few thousand shooters won't change that. If
the march does affect government policy it'll be to put the
fox hunting ban on the back burner - it won't scare them into
laying off persecuting shooters. So I don't see how it's
worth my time and probable loss of earnings to go down to
London to support it, and I'm sure a lot of other shooters
will feel the same way. I'm sure you could get more shooters
to support a march purely in favour of shooting than to
support this unfocused march which will be generally
perceived as just a front for the fox hunters' lobby.
That's what I think, anyway. I could be wrong (it does
happen occasionally), but I have to do what I think is right,
even if everyone else seems to disagree(including people who
I respect). If anyone would like to post any counter-arguments
I'll read them, though I can't guarantee a reply, for the
reasons already stated - though I can guarantee to consider
any sensible argument. But unless you can persuade me I'm
wrong, the position at the moment is that I'll be spending
18th March in Manchester, same as usual.
Stuart Heal
Quiet loner with an arsenal of weapons.
http://olympia.fortunecity.com/naseem/170/
--
The reasons I'm going are:
(a) this clearly is more than about fox hunting, we see already
arguments for banning other things on the back of it;
(b) I can think of other more humane ways of controlling foxes
too, but there won't be any foxes left to control if hunting them
is banned simply because there is no profit in maintaining their
habitats otherwise, not to mention that if the other methods are
more humane and efficient, foxes will be decimated;
(c) Hmm, it's not _supposed_ to be a march about the handgun ban,
but I cannot think of a better forum or a more sympathetic audience,
can you?
Steve.
Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org
List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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