Hunting or anti hunting. Read this....

[Holden MacGroyn]

Sorry dude, but both analogies are lame - That was my point.
To say "Oh well they're just animals" backs you into a corner as I'll just say, "Fine, if they can't be controlled and they've done x,y,z, they'll have to be put down. After all, these animals are out there in the fields. What of it had been a kid etc etc blah blah"

If you want to play it by the letter of social understandings, then let's put social politics into the arena and put the dogs down and fine the Huntsmen.

You can't have one without the other.

Regarding the gun bit, I'll just shoot you with your own tool and run off with your video, stereo, TV/DVD. In fact, fuck running, I'll load it into your car and drive off.
God bless America and the free gifts she bestows upon us.

[Illinoisblue]

I'd be more than happy to see the huntsmen fined and the dogs put down - they ARE only animals.

I'm puzzled as to when exactly it was that animals were elevated on to the same level as humans.

And what's this?

You're going to shoot me with my own gun and then steal all my wordly goods, and then drive them off in my car? You swine!

I trust from your comments that you're not a fan of American ways? Surely, as Bimmercat has described earlier, their methods of hunting are more agreeable to you?

[Holden MacGroyn]

I've said it before and I'll say it again.
I have absolutely nothing against Americans.
I still have family living over there, most of my school friends still live in America and an ex g/f was American.

I just hate Dubya and his clones.

I hate Phoney Blair but that doesn't mean I hate the UK.

I can assure you, the same goes for the majority of forumites. We don't hate the US, just despise it's arrogance.

As for animals elevated to human levels. Dude, my cat is like my son.
I feed him, clean him, cook for him and get rewarded with dead rodents for my troubles.
People consider pets one of the family you know.

[Deuce Bigolo]

No dog should be allowed of the leash in Public-Urban or Rural-PERIOD

Accident or not those in charge of the hunt should
pay a high price-not just a fine which would be water of a ducks back

I'm thinking a "Lifetime of Community Service" working with the most disadvantaged in society

cheers
B....OZ

[eduardo]

Illinois mate you obviously you don't live down here.

On most national TV news for the most part anyway the hunting debate is not balanced. It's basically portrayed as a shocking brutal pastime which in my book it is but there are two sides to every story. But only one side gets told.

Down here they have to put the debate from both sides as there are alot of pro hunt people here.

The media here whether it be visual or written have to give a balanced politically correct view otherwise they are just going to piss one side off and that affects viewing figures and sales.

[Illinoisblue]

The clue's in the name!

I'm about 4,000 miles from England, moved to America six months ago.

Whereabouts are you, in or around Exeter?

[RetroDon]

I wonder if Blair, Blunkett & co have thought about it.... they could have "animal law", and animals could be put in an animal prison if they cross the lines that animal lawyers have drawn up...
Yeah, it could be taken out of the hands of "mother nature" and placed in the hands of an elected "animal elite", who could then decide what it right and what is wrong...

After all, they seem to think Orwell had some pretty good ideas, why not adopt this one!

[eduardo]

Yes I did guess that the clue was in the name and I live in Exeter itself.

[eduardo]

Hunting with dogs is fundamentally wrong in my opinion and I think the majority of people would agree.

As I said in my original post I grew up on a farm and foxes can be and for the most part are a nuisance and I believe that their numbers need to be controlled. However chasing them around the countryside with a pack of dogs and then trying to justify it as both sport and for jobs is taking the mickey.

As for your point about hunting with guns then the truth is I still don't see it as sport because my idea of sport is where everyone has a chance.

Take football, cricket, baseball whatever then it's 11 v11. The numbers are equal and everybody has the same chance. Sure somebody is going to be better than somebody else but then thats the whole point. In a hockey game every player has a stick. What would be unfair is if only 3 on one team had sticks.

And I come to my point. If you go shooting then the animal can only run away. It can't shoot you back. Hence that's an unfair advantage and not sport in my book.

As I said I am not against the humane controlling of animal numbers and that may make me a bit of a hypocrite but I still don't see hunting with guns as sport.

I still think it's wrong however I don't find it as deplorable as hunting with dogs as the animals don't suffer.

Again that might make me a hypocrite but that's just my opinion.