On celebrating the death of a hunter

Increasingly, comments online display two concerning trends: a significant portion of the general public seem to celebrate the death of law abiding people that they disagree with, and that same portion seem to value animal life above the life of their fellow humans.

Diagnosing the root cause of these realities is not the focus of this piece, though I am sure that secularism and the anthropomorhizing of animals by media companies has powerfully contributed.

Either way, we have entered a new cultural space in the West where the concept of human life as sacred appears to have widely evaporated. My belief in the sanctity of human life is rooted not in any particular religious faith but in my observation of the magical and miraculous relationships that humans have with their loved ones. One would think that even the smallest amount of empathy would lead a human to feel sad at the death of another human, especially for those humans who have followed the laws of our society and avoided harming their fellow man. And, indeed, it is the case that many humans feel sadness at the death of humans who have violated the sacredness of human life and societal laws simply because that person is a human and part of what John Donne calls 'the main' of humanity's metaphorical whole.

But, the sad case is that we have now arrived at a place where people joke, rejoice, revel, and applaud the death of people with whom they disagree solely on a moral level. What this displays is a concerning callousness to human death and the associated suffering for loved ones, but, and perhaps more concerningly, this phenomenon displays that a large portion of today's Western population feel that their concept of moral rectitude is absolutely irrefutable, and that their conviction is so impenetrably true that they believe a person ought to die in the protection of it. This is a worrying societal development and one that increasingly unsettles me as a person who believes in truth but is also aware that people are entitled to act as they wish, without my wishing for their death, despite the fact that their actions might violate my set of moral codes and beliefs.

I do not know I am right to kill animals, but I believe I am justified to kill an animal as long as I am not endangering a species, breaking a law, or deliberately causing unnecessary suffering to a creature. The purpose of this piece is not to explain my belief but to say that I am aware that I may be wrong and that I respect the opinion of people who disagree with me and judge my actions as wrong: I passionately believe that they have as much a right to think hunting is wrong as I have a right to think it is right. However, this fundamental principle of liberty and classical liberalism has evidently been cast aside and replaced with a set of absolutist, misanthropic perspectives that are held by a large portion of our society.

Do those who celebrate the death of a fellow human not have the empathy to imagine that the deceased might have been their loved one? Do they not imagine the intense and life changing pain and suffering felt by the deceased person's family? Do they have the remotest awareness that their consumption of farmed animals can in many cases cause more suffering than the well-placed bullet? Do they take a second to consider that the rat poison they pay to have placed in their homes is vastly more torturous and indiscriminate in its killing than the hunting of an animal? Are they so intolerant and lacking in empathy that they believe a human should be killed just for taking to the field with the intent to kill an animal? Or, are they simply dehumanized by the separation that a comment section on social media provides, and would they feel differently if they were presented with the warm realities of a dead human and their grieving relatives?

I don't know the answers to these questions, but I have been disturbed by what I'm seeing, and, as such, I felt compelled to write it down.

When I was in the sevice I realized that the other guys ( enemies ) had a chance of killing me and my crew- we did every thing we could to stack the outcome in our favor. Fortunately in my carreer we nevr fired warshots or were fired on. It was always in the back of our mind. I believe hunting dangerous game is similar in mind set to this amd the realization sometimes things dont go as planned which I am sure is part of the excitement. Sometimes you win ( most times ), somtimes you dont. Yes I feel sorrry for the humter and thier family but that hunter I believe should understand the risk of the game he has chosen. I will also say that I have always had a lot or respect for the animals I killed wether it was a white tailed deer or a beef steer.

Thanks for the heart-felt post.


Like you, I don't understand the dichotomy of those who wish death upon humans (who have no intention of causing harm to fellow humans), just because of disagreement about political matters.

I also don't understand those who value animal life above human life.


To a large extent, I believe there is a separation between many people with having an "urban" mindset verses those with a "rural" mindset.

IMO, those with a "rural" mindset have the most genuine care of animals at heart, but have a better understanding of the difference between humans and animals.

(I've seen farmers and hunters actually risk harm to themselves to save animals in peril)


I work for a Game & Fish agency, and have seen "urban" mindset people, try to save a fawns by taking them away from their mothers (that had left it in what the does thought was a safe area), putting them in a box and driving it 50+ miles to our office, having meltdowns when we are forced to euthanize an animal that has has been injured beyond any possibility of recovery, and, literally, lie down in the road to prevent us from trapping and relocating bears that are breaking into houses, thinking that seeing bears eat dog food on their back porch is a good thing.


People cheered when Charlie Kirk was assassinated.

I didn't cheer when I learned that Osama Bin Ladin had been killed, but I thought the world might be better off for it.


I try not to get religious about these types of things (because I'm, in no way, a theologian), but:

Isaiah 5:20 says -
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter.


We are definitely calling evil good and good evil now.

Safari Dave said:

Thanks for the heart-felt post.


Like you, I don't understand the dichotomy of those who wish death upon humans (who have no intention of causing harm to fellow humans), just because of disagreement about political matters.

I also don't understand those who value animal life above human life.


To a large extent, I believe there is a separation between many people with having an "urban" mindset verses those with a "rural" mindset.

IMO, those with a "rural" mindset have the most genuine care of animals at heart, but have a better understanding of the difference between humans and animals.

(I've seen farmers and hunters actually risk harm to themselves to save animals in peril)


I work for a Game & Fish agency, and have seen "urban" mindset people, try to save a fawns by taking them away from their mothers (that had left it in what the does thought was a safe area), putting them in a box and driving it 50+ miles to our office, having meltdowns when we are forced to euthanize an animal that has has been injured beyond any possibility of recovery, and, literally, lie down in the road to prevent us from trapping and relocating bears that are breaking into houses, thinking that seeing bears eat dog food on their back porch is a good thing.


People cheered when Charlie Kirk was assassinated.

I didn't cheer when I learned that Osama Bin Ladin had been killed, but I thought the world might be better off for it.


I try not to get religious about these types of things (because I'm, in no way, a theologian), but:

Isaiah 5:20 says -
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter.


We are definitely calling evil good and good evil now.

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Very well put, and I agree with pretty.much everything that you wrote. The one place where we.might not be in total agreement is that I believe that those that kill humans should be put to death. In the prison system I.knew a young female officer that was working in the chapel. After closing she walked down an aisle. An offender (Byron Sherf) had hidden himself in a cabinet, and when she walked past, he came out with a Mic cord and strangled her to death. Her name was Jayne Biendl. Sherf was already in prison for life without possibility of parole. He was.sentenced to death. The liberal politicians in this state have.now abolished the death.penalty, so his sentence has been commuted to (you guessed it) Life Without Parole. In other words, Jayme was.a freebee for this killer. I am tired of hearing that "we should keep them in prison where they can't hurt anyone." Jayme along with other staff and even offenders that aren't in for life are someone. If I ever hear that Sherf is killed in prison, I.just might celebrate a little.

It’s pretty simple….
Leftism has caused a serious erosion of our Society…our values…it is a disease and is intentionally spread and propagated. They have relentlessly driven God, tradition, family values, and morals out of our schools, fathers from homes, and controlled media.

“Evil may have its hour, but God will have his day.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen.

Doug Hamilton said:

Very well put, and I agree with pretty.much everything that you wrote. The one place where we.might not be in total agreement is that I believe that those that kill humans should be put to death. In the prison system I.knew a young female officer that was working in the chapel. After closing she walked down an aisle. An offender (Byron Sherf) had hidden himself in a cabinet, and when she walked past, he came out with a Mic cord and strangled her to death. Her name was Jayne Biendl. Sherf was already in prison for life without possibility of parole. He was.sentenced to death. The liberal politicians in this state have.now abolished the death.penalty, so his sentence has been commuted to (you guessed it) Life Without Parole. In other words, Jayme was.a freebee for this killer. I am tired of hearing that "we should keep them in prison where they can't hurt anyone." Jayme along with other staff and even offenders that aren't in for life are someone. If I ever hear that Sherf is killed in prison, I.just might celebrate a little.

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I think we might just be in total agreement.

@lawrence_court In order to understand why, you must first understand that the very people you don’t understand do not see you as human.

They (the people in question) are victims of a very well organized and very well funded psychological operation. You (we/all as hunters) have been dehumanized and placed on a level below “caring, compassionate, decent” people, below mammals/avians/reptiles/and fish, below even the cockroaches that they spray their homes with pesticides in defense of.

Someone so thoroughly brainwashed, so pitifully weak, so defiantly dull in their ability to research and find truth.., I unabashedly dismiss in likewise fashion as they treat others I truly have compassion for.

IMO, the death penalty is the best way to deal with pedophiles who have raped children.

I'm not talking about the 18 year old who had sex with their consenting 15 year old partner, but the absolutely perverted person, who has literally raped a child.

I don't think these people can be rehabilitated.




On the other hand, if I premeditatedly killed someone who raped my daughter, I think "time served" would be ample punishment.

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Safari Dave said:

IMO, the death penalty is the best way to deal with pedophiles who have raped children.

I'm not talking about the 18 year old who had sex with their consenting 15 year old partner, but the absolutely perverted person, who has literally raped a child.

I don't think these people can be rehabilitated.

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Must be at 16 years old with both the 16 year old's, and parental consent in North Carolina.

That's right. Several years ago too many NC male politicians were getting caught having sex with female minors. The politicians passed a state law to protect themselves and all other pedophiles.

Safari Dave said:

On the other hand, if I premeditatedly killed someone who raped my daughter, I think "time served" would be ample punishment.

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BIG PLUS ONE.
Same for wife beaters/spouse, child, parent, and patient abusers.

Will be interesting to see what is posted tomorrow on this thread following the unsuccessful assasination attempt on President Trump. Perhaps our friend from Ontario will be gleeful. I am sad that this is where we are as a nation, as a society, as a people.

'68boy said:

Will be interesting to see what is posted tomorrow on this thread following the unsuccessful assasination attempt on President Trump. Perhaps our friend from Ontario will be gleeful. I am sad that this is where we are as a nation, as a society, as a people.

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There are already gleeful jokes flying around and also suspicions it was all fake. The usual stuff.

It sickens me to think we are irreparably doomed as a country. Even after the Civil War we were able to still move forward. I remember 9/12. I have to try very, very hard to think of something that would, today, make us come together. So far I have come up with nothing other than mass revival.

Safari Dave said:

IMO, the death penalty is the best way to deal with pedophiles who have raped children.

I'm not talking about the 18 year old who had sex with their consenting 15 year old partner, but the absolutely perverted person, who has literally raped a child.

I don't think these people can be rehabilitated.




On the other hand, if I premeditatedly killed someone who raped my daughter, I think "time served" would be ample punishment.

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You are right. Pedophiles cannot be rehabilitated any more than a hetero man can be convinced that he doesn't want a woman. The mental health.professionals pat each.other on the backs for training the chi-mos to avoid being in a situation where children are present. Of course, when the pedos do not speak English it's harder to convince them.

It would seem that "the nine millimeter solution' might be the.most efficient method of ending sex crime recidivism.

A “rhino conservationist”’was gored to death today. Will the libtards decree him a hero as opposed to the villainous hunter killed by an elephant? Wait and see folks. I predict it will be so. Baxterb we are on the same page. Where the hell are we headed??? What have we done to deserve this upheaval of common sense?? When and how did we fall into this rabbit hole?? I think I need a beer!

We are at a very strange point in humanity. We have women celebrating how many abortions they've had. No matter how you lean on that issue, any rational person with a tiny amount of compassion would agree that shouldn't be a common occurrence that we treat like throwing out the kitchen garbage.

I've never seen the want and desire for harm or death of someone who disagrees with one's political point of view in our Nation until the past few years. I'm sure there was always a small lunatic fringe but now it has become common, blatant, accepted and even promoted by politicians and media.

kpoynter said:

It’s pretty simple….
Leftism has caused a serious erosion of our Society…our values…it is a disease and is intentionally spread and propagated. They have relentlessly driven God, tradition, family values, and morals out of our schools, fathers from homes, and controlled media.

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The problem is conservatives conserve nothing. And are basically libertarians in all but name. While the left keeps a unified front.

One thing that kills me about the anti's that celebrate the death of a hunter is that they truly have never done shit to help animals or wildlife.

They donate to the ASPCA or Humane Society and are oblivious to the fact that the donations collected from those sad videos of malnourished dogs and cats go to fund the executives of those organizations. All the shelters are locally funded and they do great work.

Plain and simple, if not for Outdoorsmen/Conservationalist, there would be no animals, fish or forests. I've told many people over the years, if you want to help animals then buy a state hunting and fishing license. Even if you never plan to use it the money funds the Biologist that study the habitat and the Wardens who enforce the laws.

If you've ever been happy to see a deer, elk, lion or elephant... thank a hunter, we're the reason they exist!

farmer_john said:

The problem is conservatives conserve nothing. And are basically libertarians in all but name. While the left keeps a unified front.

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100%. The left wants to win at all cost, the right bickers about purity of ideas etc.

Jonathan Haidt did a Ted talk on the moral foundations of the left/right many years ago where he asked people to rank 5 items in importance. It is a profound work in my opinion and it underscores many of the reasons why the left can unify and the right can’t. The fact is that the left prioritizes fewer elements in decisions making (don’t kill/be fair) whereas the right considers things like loyalty, patriotism, obeying authority, etc., which make it much harder for big groups of conservatives to agree on many issues. The left just thinks simply: win. The right thinks about the issues in a far more complex way. This all sounds counterintuitive, but I think it holds a lot of water.

Conservatives need to adopt the idea of win first (even with an imperfect candidate), then worry about details. Abigail Spanberger is an excellent example of someone who simply ran to win, her supporters did not give one shit that she was Ex-CIA, nor that she supported that idiot who said he wanted to shoot people. They simply lined up behind her and she won. That rankles a lot of conservative collars, but it’s effective. Conservatives have to learn the same method, and quickly.

'68boy said:

A “rhino conservationist”’was gored to death today. Will the libtards decree him a hero as opposed to the villainous hunter killed by an elephant? Wait and see folks. I predict it will be so. Baxterb we are on the same page. Where the hell are we headed???

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'68boy said:

What have we done to deserve this upheaval of common sense??

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Weeelllll....It started with lazy parenting and progressed through lazy learning and educational environments.

'68boy said:

When and how did we fall into this rabbit hole?? I think I need a beer!

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How that's easy.: poor, lazy, parental, educational, supervisory/guardian guidance, failure of a moral judicial system to respect responsible parents' rights over irresponsible parents' rights.

When?: since I'm going to guess around about the time any form of corporal punishment,; ie a proper spanking a child was considered child abuse.

When?: technology; ie television and electronic gadgets replaced actual parent child communications and electronic gadgets became babysitters.

When?: parents failed to ignore their child/children's out bursts, (or take a more straight forward approach by giving the child/children a proper ass wiping) and bought or gave into whatever the child/children wanted or demanded just to shut the child/children up.

And the lists goes on and on.

It's basically the more astute parents and education system giving way to the lesser lazy parenting and education system that allows unemployed, unmarried, low educated (child/children whom have no inkling of greater education than dropping out of or obtaining their high school diploma), having no work experience and ethics, and have allowed their children to live at home, sponging off their parents income with no respect or appreciation of their parents' sacrifices.

Leftists are losers who are genuinely miserable in life. They believe that glomming onto whatever the current and popular group think makes them morally superior. They fail to realize that their antics make them mere pawns and if the true Leftists ever were to take power the pawns would be the first against the wall!