RIP Cecil

[J-Ro]

In two days, the petition to the White House requesting the extradition of Palmer has hit almost double the required amount. This speaks volumes about how we view our relationship to wildlife. Cecil's murder is about much more than one person killing a lion. It is about how we view ourselves in relation to the natural world. For many years, trophy hunting has been condoned and viewed as an exercise in proving one's manhood. It probably reached a high point somewhere during the British colonization of various African countries. One was free to kill with abandon without consequences, personal or environmental. The prevailing view was that man had the right to kill any non-human animal. And it was primarily done by men--rich white men. However, times have changed. The petition and outrage on social media illustrate that as a society, we have moved beyond blood "sport." So the killing of Cecil is about how we view our relationship to animals and the environment. We can not ignore this. Palmer is of the old order. But times have changed. Most people understand the importance of conservation. Most people also understand that the killing was by no means a fair fight. All the killer wanted was a trophy to hang on a wall. It's blood lust combined with the rich white male's overdeveloped sense of entitlement. And right now, the socio-political climate is running against both animal cruelty and white male privilege. So for $50,000 he felt entitled to perform animal cruelty. . If he had killed a stray cat, he'd be arrested on cruelty charges so why is the cruel hunt condoned? Please extradite this man. For American citizens, here's a link to the White House petition:

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/pe...tan-walter-james-palmer-face-justice-Zimbabwe

 

[Really]

While some may see the following as callous, I believe the message is an important one. It's the tweet that's the message not the headline in the mic.com article.

http://mic.com/articles/123095/one-...ponse-between-cecil-the-lion-and-sandra-bland

 

[Vash01]

While some may see the following as callous, I believe the message is an important one. It's the tweet that's the message not the headline in the mic.com article.

http://mic.com/articles/123095/one-...ponse-between-cecil-the-lion-and-sandra-bland

Police violence against African Americans is an on going problem that our society needs to deal with in the years to come. It doesn't mean we cannot care about the wild life. We don't have to choose between the two. We can be sympathetic (and active) for both the lion and the unfortunate people that were gunned down.

 

[Japanfan]

While some may see the following as callous, I believe the message is an important one. It's the tweet that's the message not the headline in the mic.com article.

http://mic.com/articles/123095/one-...ponse-between-cecil-the-lion-and-sandra-bland

Plenty of people do care about police injustices committed against African Americans .

At any moment in time there are many injustices and rights violations occurring in the world, and many people suffering. Unfortunately. Very few of these situations garner the level of attention and outrage that the death of Cecil has, but this doesn't mean that the attention and outrage are unwarranted. Every once in a while a situation of injustice comes to the fore of the collective conscience, but those instances are the exception rather than the rule. There are just too many of them - but at the same time, there are plenty of people who care about a lot of different injustices, and plenty of organizations dedicated to addressing them.

I don't agree that the attention given to Cecil is 'too much' because ____ warrants more attention and concern. There is a philosophical error of logic in that claim, though I don't know the name of the actual fallacy.

Have there not been protests and public expressions of outrage regarding the injustices police have committed against African Americans in the US? FWIW those injustices get plenty of coverage on Canadian TV. In the past week or so a Canadian news network broadcast a story of a white officer who was committed for the murder of an African American. It occurred in the course of a traffic inspection and was recorded on the police officer's own camera.

And I think the public sentiment in Cecil's case was that expressing outrage could have an impact. There were two attainable goals: extradition - a maybe- and making life completely miserable for Palmer - easily done.

Does the public have the same perception of injustices committed against African Americans by police? That by voicing collective outrage it can combat corruption in law enforcement and the courts? What has the American public done? What else can it do?

 

[Really]

Given the response to petitions and the like it would appear that white guy shoots lion garners more general outrage in the US than white guy shoots Black guy.

As I said in my post, the message is in the tweet itself. If African-Americans perceive there is an imbalance, it's their perception that matters, not the news coverage we get in Canada.

 

[Japanfan]

Given the response to petitions and the like it would appear that white guy shoots lion garners more general outrage in the US than white guy shoots Black guy.

So, white guy shoots lion should should therefore garner less outrage?

Animals should matter less, because some people should matter more, or don't matter enough?

 

[judiz]

And two days ago my local paper quoted a Zimbabwe official who said he wished people paid as much attention to the lack of food and clean water in his country than Cecil.

 

[Southpaw]

I think American outrage may have dropped out of the "cop shoots citizen" channel after having watched Baltimore getting torched.

 

[snoopy]

I think American outrage may have dropped out of the "cop shoots citizen" channel after having watched Baltimore getting torched.

Only for people looking for an excuse to not care about African-Americans.

 

[Buzz]

Zimbabwe is a country that went through a lot of political upheaval a few years ago. The Mugabe government started to repossess white owned farms (a legacy of colonialism) and redistribute it among it's black citizens. Unfortunately not everyone who got hold of the land was capable of farming. A lot of people was displace, some killed and the end result was economic collapse. Food production dropped off dramatically and white owned farms are still being taken over.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-132504/Zimbabwe-white-farmers-fight-flee.html

 

[Southpaw]

Only for people looking for an excuse to not care about African-Americans.

And in two weeks Americans won't care about lions either when there's a new story to inspire their outrage.

 

[Really]

So, white guy shoots lion should should therefore garner less outrage?

Animals should matter less, because some people should matter more, or don't matter enough?

Wow....you really don't get the point, do you? I'm sorry about that.

 

[snoopy]

And in two weeks Americans won't care about lions either when there's a new story to inspire their outrage.

More excuses.

 

[manhn]

While some may see the following as callous, I believe the message is an important one. It's the tweet that's the message not the headline in the mic.com article.

http://mic.com/articles/123095/one-...ponse-between-cecil-the-lion-and-sandra-bland

But what if the lion was attacking the dentist? Or if the lion wasn't wearing that GPS tracker thingy or it wasn't as easily identified? Then there wouldn't be as much universal condemnation.

The shooting of the churchgoers in Charleston showed similarly widespread condemnation. It resulted in the Confederation flag being removed from statehouse grounds.

 

[rfisher]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/green/

 

[Southpaw]

More excuses.

Or maybe it's simply a matter of people picking and choosing battles because there's only so much time in the day and there are a gazillion issues out there. I've never seen you express any outrage over the indictment of Sen. Bobby Menendez. Why not? What's your excuse?

And speaking of the good and righteous senator, he's proposing a bill in honor of Cecil. I guess this will make up for all that nasty business with his pal the Florida eye doctor.

http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ss...s_legislation_inspired_by_c.html#incart_river

 

[snoopy]

Since as you note, Senator Menendez was indicted - what outrage am I supposed to express? He is being prosecuted for his crimes. Justice is working in the matter. But way to throw a red herring out there.

 

[Southpaw]

Not a red herring at all, just making the point that we all have our own issues that outrage us and if we are expected to be outraged at every thing that happens then we'd all live pretty unproductive and angry lives.
Menendez pisses me off. You don't care about it. So it goes.

 

[Buzz]

According to CNN Cecil's brother Jericho has been killed by an illegal hunter. It is all but certain now that all the Cubs in this pride will be killed by any lions who takes over. Cecil may have had as many as twelve cubs. I feel so depressed right now. In a generation or two so many species of animals will be all gone and too many people are failing to notice because of all the other problems in the world right now.

 

[BittyBug]

How terribly sad. That Jericho was tending to the cubs was a small ray of light, which apparently has now been darkened by some greedy f*cking asshole.

 

[Really]

FWIW, I am against trophy hunting of any kind. I'm not a hunter and neither is anyone in my family, but I have no argument with those who legally hunt and use their kills for food.


Just thought I'd clarify that...

 

[snoopy]

.....if we are expected to be outraged at every thing that happens then we'd all live pretty unproductive and angry lives. Menendez pisses me off. You don't care about it. And so it goes.

Okay, as you want it. The murders of unarmed black people pisses me off. You don't care about it. And so it goes.

 

[rfisher]

According to CNN Cecil's brother Jericho has been killed by an illegal hunter. It is all but certain now that all the Cubs in this pride will be killed by any lions who takes over. Cecil may have had as many as twelve cubs. I feel so depressed right now. In a generation or two so many species of animals will be all gone and too many people are failing to notice because of all the other problems in the world right now.

this is unfortunate, but you do know the take over of a pride is normal lion behavior and these two males were probably going to be displaced within the next few years. A male in his prime only has a few years before younger males will displace him.

 

[Southpaw]

Okay, as you want it. The murders of unarmed black people pisses me off. You don't care about it. And so it goes.

Actually I care quite a bit about innocent people who get murdered for no good reason. I get especially irked about unarmed kids and old people who get gunned down for no good reason. Just because someone isn't running their mouth on FSU about things doesn't mean it doesn't happen, ya know?

 

[Skittl1321]

Is there any chance a zoo or rescue preserve could collect the cubs?

It doesn't really seem to be "leaving it to nature" if humans killed both Cecil and Jericho?

 

[snoopy]

Even if both Cecil and his brother were killed by other lions in a few years, that would have at least improved the odds that Cecil's Cubs would have matured enough to have a chance.

 

[Vash01]

Is there any chance a zoo or rescue preserve could collect the cubs?

It doesn't really seem to be "leaving it to nature" if humans killed both Cecil and Jericho?

My thoughts exactly. A zoo could at least preserve the species (the 12 cubs)

 

[BittyBug]

There are conflicting reports about Jericho.

Later, however, an Oxford University researcher tracking Jericho told CNN that the lion was alive and moving as of 8 p.m. local time Saturday, based on the GPS data in the animal's collar.

The GPS device didn't suggest that Jericho was killed or that anything was out of ordinary, said Brent Stapelkamp, a field researcher who is part of a team tracking Jericho in Zimbabwe.

 

[J-Ro]

Police violence against African Americans is an on going problem that our society needs to deal with in the years to come. It doesn't mean we cannot care about the wild life. We don't have to choose between the two. We can be sympathetic (and active) for both the lion and the unfortunate people that were gunned down.

This. ^

There are many wrongs going on in the world. We must look at all of them. We do not choose. Most people who are against animal cruelty and abuse (and that's what the killing of Cecil was) are against cruelty and abuse of all kinds. It's not an either/or situation.

 

[sk8pics]

I was watching CNN a little while ago, and the guest was discussing the detrimental effect that poaching is having on the gene pool for the lions. The poachers take the biggest and best, so lions who would not have normally had the opportunity to breed are getting that chance. Lions in the area on average are smaller these days, for example.

Anyway, I hope Jericho was not killed and the cubs have a fighting chance of making it to adulthood.