April 27, 2001

8:45 PM

The Guardian reports thatGeorge Bush Senior, along with Stormin' Norman Schwarzkopf, Dan Quayle and a number of other prominent Americans are unhappy that Botswanan authorities have banned the trophy hunting of lions in that country. The number of lions in Africa has declined by 35,000 to only 15,000 in the last 10 years, but many wealthy Americans still see it as their right to pay big money to hunt a big cat. This just makes me sick
posted by sixdifferentways (28 comments total)

Bigot.
posted by holloway at 9:09 PM on April 27, 2001

?
posted by sixdifferentways at 9:37 PM on April 27, 2001

Take 2 aspirin and call me in the morning.
posted by greyscale at 9:52 PM on April 27, 2001

Well, it's good to see that such senior Americans are taking their roles seriously as the successors to European royalty. Though I can't help but think of George Sr. as no more than a modern Elmer Fudd.
posted by holgate at 12:28 AM on April 28, 2001

Who cares? Like this really impacts us in either Europe or the Americas when 3 hunters each go kill one of the trophy lions. Why does it require a doctorate to get excited about some organism that's going to die anyway? Save it getting kicked to death by a Zebra or starving in a drought. Besides, these guys will probably--with their concessions and fees--contribute more $$ toward ensuring the species continues in good numbers than any of you whiners ever will. Or is this just another lame opportunity to compare the guy in highest office with some icon of a-musement.
posted by greyscale at 1:29 AM on April 28, 2001

Why does it require a lack of humanity for humanity to go around killing entire species of other animals? This is the only planet we got. We kill enough endangered animals by "accident" and due to corporate greed. Whittling down the rain forests of this planet to nothing. There's no reason to further add insult to injury by hunting down noble creatures for sport.

Consider that whining? Maybe Schwarzkopf should take on a lion without hightech weaponry - singlehanded. That's sporting.
posted by ZachsMind at 1:44 AM on April 28, 2001

Can't say I'm surprised. Every time I hear anything about this new American administration, it's awful. Bush is using his office in an international affairs capacity for personal gain. If he gets away with it this time, what's to say it won't work for something more serious - for example sending troops into a country he takes a dislike to.
posted by feelinglistless at 2:28 AM on April 28, 2001

The key is to use genetic tinkering to create a smarter lion. And then arm it. That'll make it sporting. Of course if this were to be done, it would have to be in an enclosed environment. No need to let the lions slaughter anyone but those who wish to play the game in the first place.

I do believe these people should be able to have their sport though. I say we let them hunt each other. My money is on Quayle breaking Bush's neck early in the game.
posted by bargle at 2:30 AM on April 28, 2001

Celebrity Deathmatch meets Survivor. I'm seeing it, I'm loving it.
posted by Hjorth at 4:08 AM on April 28, 2001

Is lion meat tasty?
posted by frednorman at 4:28 AM on April 28, 2001

> The key is to use genetic tinkering
> to create a smarter lion. And then
> arm it.

Is that where you put a remote controlled bomb up the lions butt and you press the button and you and the lion die as one?
posted by holloway at 5:02 AM on April 28, 2001

Mr Kurtz. He dead.
posted by Postroad at 5:11 AM on April 28, 2001

How about putting Poppy, Stormin' Norman, et.al. up against Jesse Ventura and letting them hunt each other down. Jesse says there's nothing like hunting man, and the Bush Boys seem to be craving a big thrill....
posted by briank at 5:50 AM on April 28, 2001

"If it bleeds, we can kill it..."
posted by donkeymon at 6:30 AM on April 28, 2001

How long can the glibbest, wealthiest & trigger-happy exemplify the rest of us as the most disgusting animals on the planet?
posted by 1strang at 6:32 AM on April 28, 2001

People, direct your venom where it's due, but realize that this ain't talking about the current President of the U.S., it's talking about his father.
posted by delfuego at 8:21 AM on April 28, 2001

You bleeding bastards! Lay off, I'm sure you'd all like it very much when a lion, a big, red commie lion will break into your house and eat YOUR kids! You wanks! I'm sure you'd all be a lot happier than!

And let's see... 20k 10 years ago, divide by 10, get 2000 lions a year, by the number of days, you get 6 lions a day; so, Bush has been busy killing babies with arsenic by day, traveling to wherever these lions are, taking advantage of the time difference, killing 6 lions, going back to destroying the earth with toxins, going back, killing 6 lions.... Right? Because clearly Bush is responsible for ALL of the world's problems.
posted by tiaka at 8:21 AM on April 28, 2001

yeah, it ain't just the old guys, Little Boy Bush seems to be a fan of them as well.
posted by foist at 8:50 AM on April 28, 2001

No-one should have to malign a Bush. This is not a personal issue, or a patriot's issue; the Bush's (unbeknowns to themselves perhaps) must be as silently lit from within as the rest of us. So who can help to focus the heart away from perceptions of a compassionless, rapacious, global mindset?
posted by 1strang at 10:33 AM on April 28, 2001

Zimbabwe has an interesting take on using hunting and wildlife resources to help rural communities. It works quite well. The Campfire program gives money directly to the communities that oversee the land that is used in photo and hunting safaris. It cuts down on poaching and provides incentives for maintaining the environment.

It works well. If you haven't been there, I don't know that it's possible to really understand the poverty that most rural people in Zimbabwe live in. It's shocking. The land is amazing though. Using the natural resources they have (beauty and wildlife) to generate income is about the only way there is for inhabitants of arid or semi-arid areas to eek out some kind of living and pay to educate their children.

As it is, if you go to a rural vilage, you will notice that there are no working-age men to be seen. They're all in the RSA working in mines. Programs that bring financial incentives "home" will keep the men there, away from the HIV infected prostitutes, with their families.

I don't hunt, but I understand why people do, and I understand the financial incentives behind it for countries like Botswana, RSA and Zimbabwe. It's something to think about.
posted by bobd at 10:44 AM on April 28, 2001

Because clearly Bush is responsible for ALL of the world's problems.

No, clearly that would be JUNIOR, not senior.

(Okay, okay, so he's not...but it isn't for lack of trying!)
posted by rushmc at 12:16 PM on April 28, 2001

No-one should have to malign a Bush. This is not a personal issue, or a patriot's issue; the Bush's (unbeknowns to themselves perhaps) must be as silently lit from within as the rest of us. So who can help to focus the heart away from perceptions of a compassionless, rapacious, global mindset?

I hereby nominate this for most terrifying post of the week...
posted by rushmc at 12:17 PM on April 28, 2001

Actually, I have tasted lion meat. Farm-raised for restaurants ( it was at a restaurant in the priciest section of Indianapolis ). It was kinda disappointing. A little gamey and not much flavor to distinguish it from any other meat.

My nephews had crocodile at the same place. At least it was a little more exotic in appearance and taste.

Now kangaroo, on the other hand, was pretty tasty.
posted by dragonmage at 1:06 PM on April 28, 2001

Of course, while people get all upset about this, Americans flock out in their thousands during hunting season to kill a wide variety of animals native to the US. Killing a lion is no worse than killing a rabbit.
posted by wackybrit at 3:07 PM on April 28, 2001

I don't feel sorry for Zimbabwe. Maybe if they--and the rest of African coutries--would lower their high tax rates they could actually draw some investment and encourage entrepenourship.
posted by Witold at 3:07 PM on April 28, 2001

Of course, while people get all upset about this, Americans flock out in their thousands during hunting season to kill a wide variety of animals native to the US. Killing a lion is no worse than killing a rabbit.

"Thousands" of Americans was a minority in 1776, today it's even more so with America's population approaching 300m. Also, the American National Fish and Wildlife Service strictly control the number of hunting licenses issued in a particular hunting season. When the American Bald Eagle was in decline and in the late 70's and on the brink of extinction, I wonder how many rich, gun owning, conservatives wanted to hunt the emblem of American "freedom"? How many lobbied congress to lift the Bald Eagle ban? I ask rhetorical questions, because I doubt there were miserably few if any who did.

This time, another emblem, this one of Africa, it's vast, exotic, primitive nature is fair game. Why? Because I think the cash strapped governments, clamoring to rise out of their own economic funks would do anything to ease their hardships. Easy prey for rich American hunters, who will pay top dollar to bag an emblem which they perhaps, see as an symbol only of their wealth and machismo.

Another thing is, this isn't about the African countries any more than the salvaging of endangered species in America is about America. It is about biodiversity and an attempt at saving Earth the way we found it.

And lastly killing a lion is much, much different than killing a rabbit.

A: Most rabbits can be domesticated.
B: Rabbits breed well in captivity.

Lions on the other hand need vast territories with little lion vs lion competition. Couple that with human encroachment, there will be little viable land for crucial genetic diversity in the future. The same of course is true for thousands of species all over the world.
posted by crasspastor at 4:04 PM on April 28, 2001

greyscale:> Like this really impacts us in either Europe or the Americas when 3 hunters each go kill one of the trophy lions.

Opposing the ban is Safari Club International, which calls itself a "charitable organisation of hunter conservationists" with 33,000 members across the globe . . .

3 or 33,000?
posted by dukejohnson at 1:51 AM on April 29, 2001

Greyscale, I guess you really deserve your president.

In Europe we just can't stop laughing, until we realize that these are the guys whose hands are on the really big button that DOES do something...
posted by IZ at 6:48 AM on April 29, 2001