On Wednesday, Sens. Diane Feinstein of California and Ben Cardin or Maryland introduced legislation that would explicitly prohibit hunters from shooting and killing wildlife from aircraft. To ensure that anyone following the issue didn't miss the political element, the senators noted in the press release announcing the legislation's introduction that it would specifically end the targeting of "wolves."
The bill, which is endorsed by, among other groups, the Defenders of Wildlife, closes a loophole in the Aerial Hunting Act of 1971. And in an accompanying statement, Feinstein didn't hide her disdain of the practice that Palin now uses to illustrate the contrast between herself and the Hollywood crowd.
"Shooting wildlife from airplanes is not sport -- it is cruel and inhumane. It undermines the hunting principle of a fair chase and often leads to a slow and painful death for the hunted animals. This practice should be banned," the California Democrat said. "So, I've introduced a balanced bill that will enable states to responsibly manage wildlife populations, but ban the cruel practice of aerial hunting for sport. And it will not impinge on legitimate sport hunting."
It is about time that somebody spoke up to defend the wolves of Alaska against the inhumane slaughter that they suffer simply so that Caucasian boy-men will have something to shoot to make them feel like real manly men. (Check your shorts boys. Trust me, there has been no change.)
Now that Palin is no longer running the place perhaps Alaska can move into the 19th century and we can start interacting with the wild creatures that populate our wonderful state with less aggression and more acceptance.
Look I am not completely opposed to hunting, but if you do not need to kill to eat then you are simply killing for the joy of killing, and to my mind there is something psychologically damaged about that.
We are human beings for God's sake! We do not need to destroy the world around us to earn our place on this planet. We need instead to use our amazing intellect to protect the creatures who share our planet from the biggest danger that they face. Which is, ironically, us.
Thank you DiFi for the big FU, SP.
ReplyDeleteAnd Ashley Judd must be totally cracking up.
good start! now make it illegal to run them down with a snowmobile. there is a wooten story I think where he and chuck heath did that. it was disgustig. if it wasnt them, i apologize, but I know its done as well.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I'm an Avid Shooter, and Non Hunter.
The right wings worst nightmare. A gun toting liberal!
Hooray this is fantastic news. Glad to hear it but I wish they'd address gassing the pups too.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, this (Palins' position on hunting) goes hand-in-hand with the religious freaks: We used to have a neighbor who, upon seeing that the deer ate her roses(YESSS!!!), comented to me that she wanted them shot so 'they learned who is Master of the Universe' ...@#$!@#@!#$
ReplyDeleteI eat, therefore I go shopping.
ReplyDeleteI eat, therefore I grow vegetables.
I eat, therefore I go to a restaurant.
I eat, therefore I love the local farmers' market.
That picture is disturbing. How can that woman stand there smiling next to that bloodied dead animal. What is wrong with people?
ReplyDeleteHate the picture, Gryphen. You are right, it is sick and cold hearted to kill a species for no other reason than just to kill. But Palin putting a price tag of $150 for a forepaw of a wolf promoted slaughter. I read about Alaska gaming where the price of a moose kill for international sportsmen was around $10,000, some species much higher. Yet, rural native Alaskans who depend on hunting to feed their families through harsh winters have been restricted by imposed hunting seasons while being told by Palin not to depend on the government for a handout. It's all about money, it seems to me.
ReplyDeleteThat picture turns my stomach and actually brought tears. I understand the need to control some wildlife populations...I get that. What I don't get is the inhumane way these wolves were dealt with. I applaud Ashley Judd and Diane Feinstein. I didn't know about the price tag of $150 for a forepaw? Is that really true?
ReplyDeleteThanks Feinstein and Cardin. I know there are people in Alaska who subsistence hunt to feed their families. I have absolutely no problem with this at all. I also have no problem with fur on jackets in the far north, esp by native people. But, they use it for a utilitarian purpose, it is not a fashion statement. I get nauseous everytime I think about those wolves being slaughtered. I hope all those tiny, but talented starlets are smiling.
ReplyDeleteThis is also the main story at the sea of pee right now (yes, I peek over there sometimes, then vomit and shower in that order). Those lovely peeps sure do love 'em some wolf killin' -
ReplyDeletehooray for Feinstein and Cardin. I suspect they had to wait for Palin to leave office, as she thought nothing of spending millions of State dollars to sue "the Feds" when it came to making sure wildlife was NOT protected.
"if you do not need to kill to eat then you are simply killing for the joy of killing, and to my mind there is something psychologically damaged about that."
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more. it's sick. and it's very telling that this is palin's crowd.
Thank youn Gryphen for responding to this. I am totally against hunting in any form; howver I do understand the need for culling when animals are starving; however, I feel that, in many instances, this is an excuse for the good ole boy and girls to get out their guns! I truly feel hope for the first time in years !
ReplyDeleteSoCalWolfGal
Does she acually have her hand in the mouth. This is sick.I had no idea these animals were this big. It reminds me so much of my late akita, miss kita that I still cry over after 4 years. What a hugh loss.
ReplyDeleteIt's all about money - and the conquering power of Man.
ReplyDeleteHunters pay big dollars to kill animals, so why bother implementing a sound strategy that works for animals, people and the environment.
The almighty dollar always comes first. Go figure.
Thank You Feinstein and Cardin. I have some problems with Feinstein on other things but I am with her 100% on this.
ReplyDeleteKilling for sport is abhorrent. It really disgusts me.
ReplyDeleteLOL! Even this saying she got wrong: She said "we EAT, therfore we hunt"... The correct saying would be "we HUNT, therefore we eat"...
ReplyDeleteDoes anybody know who the woman in the picture is? She looks familiar but.....
ReplyDeleteTalking about animals starving...
ReplyDeleteDid you guys see the little blurb on the adn site about hundreds of Musk oxen having starved to death? Turns out that it is so warm sometimes up in AK, that it rains on top of the snow, the snow melts, and then freezes just above the surface, thus the musk oxen cannot paw through the ice at the bottom of the snow to get to the vegetation, and then they literally starve to death.
Another side-effect of the 'non-existent' Global Warming...
There is a terrific YouTube video (sorry, I haven't figured out how to link) by PhotoAnimationGuy titled: "Sarah Palin - Save the Wolves". (The chorus line is ain't got no love for a canine killer.)
ReplyDeleteHat tip to website "NailinPalinNow". She has a huge, long, fun, well-referenced rant on the many sins of Queen Whiny Quittyfish.
Or, as someone wittily put it....hunting from an airplane is to hunting what prostitution is to dating.
ReplyDeleteYes, this is very important! And I will contact my legislators and tell them I support this.
ReplyDeleteThis picture make me so sad....! Its a waste of a beautiful animal and man's inhumanity and cruelty.
ReplyDeleteI bet this woman is Pro life though! Sicko!
Can't cut and paste, but to the person about the musk ox, well yes, non-existant global warming, and where are all the starving people to eat the musk oxen? And Also too, Where are all the wolves that are over hunting, why aren't they all over these starving musk oxen? Maybe b/c its not true???
What pisses me off, is Palin never told the whole story. Yet she claimed her asspirations were going to be good for Alaska. Now we got total confusion on the wolf issue and a bunch of rabid pro kill freaks jumpin on the band wagon of sanctioned wolf kills.
ReplyDeleteAs a educated biologist and raised in rural Alaska, I can tell you that a forest fire will bump up the population of moose. About a decade post the fire, the population goes up. So does the wolf population. It is nature at it's finest.
For decades controled burns on the Kenai Penninsula occured soley to increase the moose population. And so does the wolf population. You'll find that eradication of wolves via aircraft, that this area is most important and a high priority with state officials.
In interior Alaska, where forest fires are natural, so to speak, moose meat is a staple and not some trendy moose chilli dish, as referred to by Scarah Bailin.
Folks in rural Alaska need the meat. Moose meat. Just like folks along the Yukon river need the fish to eat.
Look I don't know where I'm going here, but my family members do get paid to turn in wolf paws. Their traps are full, once they are set. The hides are used and/or traded. But what my family members will tell you is the wolves have eaten the moose to near gone numbers and are now eating themselves. But there is something really wrong when fancy planes come thru town, loaded with fancy guns, wanting info on where the wolves are. They are starved, is where they are.
Now back to the Kenai Penninsula, where moose meat is less of a dire need and more of a sport hunt to show which hunter has the bigger balls. Where the heart of gassing the dens is a dyin trade to pass on to the younger generation. tsk tsk
While Palin polarizes the country with so much ill information, my brother and his friends won't be revealing the location of the wolves, to those fancy plane people with fancy guns, because they trap and the state upped the pay out for a wolf paw.
It costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to save a sea otter or a seal or a baby moose. It is cheaper to shoot a wolf from a airplane than to provide birth control or tie the tubes of a female wolf. But shooting them from airplanes IS total braggin stories for rich, plane owners on contract with the state.
Meanwhile, 150 bucks will but half a years worth of beans for some moose meat chilli, for my brothers family in rural Alaska.
There is so much wrong with this picture.