The Killing of Animals in its many aspects

[Kitsune]

I believe that people who derive enjoyment from killing animals are mentally ill.

I agree, but I don't think people are above animals by very much to begin with. Animals kill animals and they don't always do it to survive or for food: male cats (housecats, lions, etc) will kill litters of kittens for seemingly little or no reason, even if they are their own offspring. Various species of monkies and apes kill other creatures for reasons we don't understand. As humans, we are no different, even down to the child with the magnifying glass, a pile of ants, and a sunny day. We derive pleasure from destruction, death, and blowing stuff up -- I classify all of these things under "human nature", even if they seem very primitive.

My stance is somewhat strange on hunting, as I can see hunting and killing a prey animal, but only as long as you eat it. Kill to put a trophy on your wall and you are just being wasteful -- there is supposed to be a "balance" of sorts in life and the taking of a life. I also cannot understand the killing of a predator, as there simply has never been any point in doing such a thing unless it is for defensive purposes.

In witnessing the slaughter and preparation of animals for food, I quickly decided that, for me, it only made sense to eat things I could kill myself. Somehow I find a beautiful logic in the idea of "If you can't kill it, don't eat it." The only meat I eat these days is seafood and eggs. (You ever notice how easy it is to kill a chicken egg? Hell, that IS kinda fun!)

If you encountered a 9-year-old boy in your neighborhood, shooting stray animals with a beebee gun, what would your reaction be?

I'd think he's pretty messed in the head, but I also see the same in adults that dress in camo and head out to a field with bottles of stink and buckets of feed to attract deer then take pride that they could aim a rifle properly and squeeze a trigger.

...but The Cellar has had a couple hunting arguments, before. Godwulf, yours caught my attention because of your mention concerning the radio show that reminded me of a similar incident in FL in which a local DJ was fired in Tampa for airing the slaughter of a wild pig on the air during his morning radio show. The public was outraged at the atrocity of the killing of an innocent pig, then probably went right back to eating their sausage and egg McMuffin for breakfast. That I truly didn't understand.