The shooting of the hunters story

Ok, I know I should feel bad for these hunters. I wish harm on no one (remember, I am a Democrat. We really do think that way). With all the injustice in the world, this situation doesn't make me feel bad at all. That is how bad a person I am. I understand what hunting is. I understand it is ecologically a necessicity. I understand that I am a meat eater and this is where food comes from.

However, I think hunting is a stupid and barbaric and a murderous undertaking. Too many times I have wandered across the upper regions of cable and come across the Outdoor Living Network, or whatever they call it. If you stay on that channel more than a minute or so, you will see some of the earth's finest creatures. You will see an old buck deer with a huge amazing 15 point antler rack. I stop to watch the animal, because I saw them all the time living in Flagstaff when I was going to school and have such a positive association with them. I spent much of my time wandering in the woods with my mountain bike (Otto) and came across them often.

Then, you hear the voice of the two inbreds working the camera... and within seconds - BAM. A scrappy noise and you see the animal fall in the distance. I don't find that satisfying on any level. Like I said before, I understand people's postive feelings about hunting and animal control. I understand them, but I don't agree with them.

When I was a kid sneaking out to toilet paper houses, I remember coming face to face with an Owl sitting a few feet from my on a 'for sale' sign. I opted not to kill it. I remember a night in Palma Sola, Mexico where I wandered from the hotel through the jungle half a mile to the beach just before sunset. I walked into a cow, literally. I hit something fat and hairy, aimed my flashlight up ( I was just focusing on the ground, see) and only seeing the reflection of two huge eyes a foot away from me. I opted not to kill it. Fortunately for me, the cow seemed to be of a similar mindset.

I remember four wheeling with some good friends up in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. A bear crossed the road in front of us. It was the coolest thing I had ever seen in my life. I had always wanted to see a bear in person in the wild. We stopped, the bear stopped and looked at us. We waited as it cruised around the side of the truck. It soon seemed the bear might be coming around the back of the vehicle. Knowing what a bear can do to a car (think of what Edward Scissorhands could do to Saran Wrap)... we sped along. We opted not to kill it.

The point being, if you see something wonderful in life... and your first thought is to get the gun... you, my friend, are fucked up!

* one last note. The gun that the bad guy used (SKS 7.62 mm semiautomatic rifle), is what us in the outside world called an 'assault weapon' and tried to ban. However, your precious NRA thought such a gun was an inalienable right for hunters. If the bad guy had a single shot rifle (the only thing real hunters use), the vicitms would have had a chance to defend themselves easily. Good job NRA, thanks for protecting us again!