Words Like Locusts Flew From Her Fingers

Killing Bears For Fun

In Md., Two Sides Take Aim Before Bear Hunt Begins (washingtonpost.com): “As Maryland prepares for its first bear hunt in 51 years, hunters are lining up for the challenge…”

Challenge? Challenge?!? What challenge is there in killing a defenseless animal? Equip the bears with the intelligence and opposable thumbs necessary for operating an automatic weapon. Then you’ll see a challenge.

The great majority of hunters in this country are the sort of people who really piss me off. They don’t hunt because they have no other choice. They don’t hunt because it’s necessary for feeding their families. There’s almost nobody in this country who is so poor or desperate that they have to hunt. No, the great majority of people hunt because–sick bastards that they are–they actually enjoy killing. Oh, sure, lots of them will tell you they only do it because they enjoy being out in the woods. Or because they like the “cameraderie” with other hunters. (Which generally means they like getting drunk with their buddies.) But when you point out to them that a person can enjoy being in the woods or have fun with friends without killing animals, they have no response. That’s because, of course, those are completely bullshit reasons for hunting. The only reason these people hunt–the reason they can’t admit even to themselves–is because they enjoy killing. And I’m here to tell you, folks, a person who enjoys killing is a bad person.