Mickey Z
Cool Observer
Monday, May 19, 2008
Hunters and Soldiers: Brothers in Arms
not arguing against your point here, hunting of this sort is boneheaded.
but we all know it is not the biggest problem facing the planet today. in terms of biodiversity then the major problem is habitat loss.
on bonehead with a gun can kill a few animals. one bonehead with a military-industrial complex can poison an entire planet.
Posted by michael on from scotland (but in exile again) 05/19 at 06:03 AMMost of the comments on Dissident Voice were surprisingly disappointing too. Though not as disturbing as the DK ones that actually gave recipes for deer stew. I’ll probably never understand that site.
Posted by James on from Hell's Kitchen 05/19 at 06:58 AMHello Expendables.
Michael: The hunting culture is part of our global problems and is very much connected to habitat loss. In fact, that’s how many hunters justify their murder. They say: “If I didn’t shoot these deer, they’d starve.”
Sure, they’d starve because humans have destroyed the eco-system and the deer’s habitat.
Plus, “healing” volunteer soldiers by having them kill defenseless animals simply perpetuates the culture of violence and entitlement that created this mess.
Speaking of “this mess,” check out Michael’s post today. It is a major eye-opener:
http://tinyurl.com/5u3abdPosted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 05/19 at 07:15 AMJames: I love to expose the folks at Daily Kos for what they are: frauds and accomplices to global destruction.
As for Dissident Voice, it’s a great site. The comments section, however, is hit and miss.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 05/19 at 07:19 AMi agree that the soldiers thing is stupid and i never said it wasn’t a problem, it is, i just said it wasn’t the most major. i don’t think you suggested it was either.
for example if people were to stop eating fruit out of season then i think the cumulative effect on the environment would be more beneficial to the environment than a hunting ban.
let me reiterate, i would support a hunting ban, but there are other things that will have a greater effect across the board
Posted by michael on from scotland (but in exile again) 05/19 at 08:18 AMHuh. An image of hom sapiens blasting a forest with a machine gun, eyes flooded, screaming “I AM NOT A VICTIM!” Dear oh dear.
Currently listening to the cricket, eating ginger ice cream and daydreaming. It’s called the life of Reilly, I believe.Posted by Mew on from clophill 05/19 at 08:55 AMWell...I have nothing to add, I agree hunting, killing, poisoning, trapping...all symptoms of a sick society....I suggested to the Bear hunting community of Maine to take a camera instead of a gun, if they needed to hunt...so young johnny could see a live animal instead of a disgraced, bloody carcass.
The imbalances from imbalanced behavior…
Posted by joe of maine on from 05/19 at 11:52 AMPosetransed Idea: How does the PVA get from “sporting event to restore self-confidence” to a turkey shoot? There’s also a big difference between the array of previously-known skills and the results of combat indoctrination in the military. What if the veteran in question were a forward observer - would they call in some artillery to restore his sense of self?
I’m with joe on nature photography, which can also be done low-tech: eyeballs and memories, or maybe a sketch pad.
Michael crushes one over the center field fence with his article. Regarding the relative de/merits of various behaviors (hunting, fishing, factory farming, eating meat, breathing air), the fact is there are at least 50% too many h. sapiens. This will be addressed before too long by natural processes, with gruesome results. In otherwords, an avoidable nightmare in keeping with the general thrust of human history. Cheers, everyone!
Posted by Zen Prole on from Urth 05/19 at 03:04 PMHi all...Great article, Mickey. The poem is wonderful (even though it made me very sad - as was intended.)
Today is the 83rd birthday of Malcolm X. DN closed the program with part of his “by any means necessary” speech.
Posted by RMJ on from Ward Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 05/19 at 04:01 PMHello again, everyone. Today’s comment thread is one of my all-time favorites. So much to contemplate.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 05/19 at 04:08 PMI was holding off on posting this in order not to detract from the great comments. Things have been quiet for a while so I thought I would throw this out there:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq_-Gf9rXhE
Posted by JOS on from Oak Park 05/19 at 07:02 PMWhy would anyone living in America need to hunt? I don’t get it. I can understand it if you live in a tribe in the middle of a jungle. Those people in the jungle(just like the indians)don’t waste any part of an animal. They use it all. I agree with an earlier comment but I’ll take it a step further. Give those macho men their guns and see how long they survive in a real jungle. I give them a week...Maybe.
Peace
Posted by David on from Louisville KY 05/19 at 08:17 PMDead on, David. Dead on.
JOS: For some reason, the link didn’t open.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 05/19 at 08:33 PMwell...I stole it from here:
http://www.metafilter.com/71788/Griefing-comes-to-First-Life
Posted by JOS on from Oak Park 05/19 at 08:51 PMThat link worked, JOS. I have no idea what he said after the phallus attack but it appeared to be witty.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 05/19 at 08:55 PMhe handled it extremely well...in any language.
This is actually typical of the Ny Times, from one of their blogs quoting two psychos from the University of Chicago:
http://tinyurl.com/5penfm
http://tinyurl.com/3vy553Posted by JOS on from Oak Park 05/19 at 09:06 PMFirst the flying heli-dildo, then Chicago school nonsense. If you could bottle this, it would bring the hallucinogen bidness to its knees.
Posted by Zen Prole on from Urth 05/19 at 11:52 PMthanks zenprole
Posted by michael on from scotland (but in exile again) 05/20 at 05:26 AMExcellent article Mickey, and excellent conclusions drawn by all. Redundant for this crowd, but Jensen’s understanding of what it means to take another animal’s life is relevant here: he takes complete responsibility for it, recognizes his relationship to the animal, to its community and the community’s well-being etc etc. Can’t imagine that being the point of bringing the disabled vets to shoot animals in a virtual cage. It’s enraging really. Although I agree with Michael’s point that there are more pressing issues I think the organized religious doctrine of human dominion over everything to be at the root of a lot of those issues. The belief that there is nothing wrong with shooting up a few turkeys, or displacing millions of people, or incinerating them, or lynching them or hacking them to pieces ... for many it’s just hardwired at this point.
Read this today, maybe it has some relevance ... http://tinyurl.com/4cmwxz
Posted by keir on from eh? what? 05/20 at 12:34 PMGreat to “see” you, Keir. More about Milgram.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 05/20 at 06:23 PMNow I understand why we are so off beat in this Country. Mikey Z is concerned with snipers that “grew up on farms, and both owned their first rifles before they were 10.” Urban Elitism can take many forms but this Author represents it at its worst. I am thankful for citizens who have chosen to practice their 2nd Amendment Rights. Yes, the best marksmen grew up on farms in rural America and we taught by their fathers. Many individuals that fit this profile have chosen NOT to sign up to fight for global empire and the New World Order. Yes, many of these individuals “fondly” remember their hunting experiences and also enjoy growing and harvesting food. These groups are a strong voice for change in this country. As the political establishment tramples our Bill of Rights, those who took the time to learn to shoot straight will be ones on the front lines of the resistance. The revolution will be peaceful, but it will take a well armed militia to be a threat. Come on Mikey Z, drop the tofu and stand up for up the Constitution. I bet if you filled your deer tag this year your family would appreciate having an alternative to the toxic industrialized food system. Also, the worst thing you can do for us in the antiwar movement is blame the troops.
Posted by G-Ford on from Idaho 05/22 at 06:18 PMDid he just say there was an anti-war movement in this country?
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 05/22 at 06:28 PM
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