I’m told that BASC was planning to have an event in Derbty Museum and Art Gallery but that the museum has decided that this was a bit of a mistake. The event will go ahead but not in the Notice Nature, Feel Joy Gallery (which would have had to have been renamed the Notice Nature and Shoot It Gallery for the event?).
This seems like a sensible move but I almost feel sorry for BASC (were it not a slightly provocative booking by them in the first place).
I do feel a bit sorry for BASC since, I’m sure, many of the attendees would have been lovely people, keen on nature, and game shooting is a perfectly lawful hobby. That’s how part of me feels. Another part of me notches this up as an indication that public opinion is hardening against game shooting and my feeling is that this is partly because the shooting industry has let itself down over recent years and there is bound to be a backlash. And that backlash is not from animal rights activists but from decent people.
If shooting cleaned up its act then I hope that BASC would be welcome at such a venue in future. It may take some time at the present rate of progress.
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I would agree with most of that apart from the derogatory comment about animal rights activists. Many of us are decent people too, coming from all walks of life. Many of us also support your campaigns and those of Chris Packhams. Please don’t tar us all with the same brush.
Anne – I see what you mean, sorry. But my intention was not what you have assumed. Of course animal rights activists are often decent people, but the class if decent people is much bigger than that of animal rights activists. I didn’t tar anyone with any brush but I agree the wording was clumsy.
So, it doesn’t seem to be moth-balled.
Nevertheless, disappointing news. My take would be that you and your keyboard activists are managing, regretfully, to shut down legitimate events and pressure public bodies to kowtow to extreme views and those that shout loudest.
Tell me Jack you didn’t by any chance use a keyboard to type the phrase ‘keyboard activists’ did you? Please think about that…take your time…..
You do realise that once upon a time slavery, dog-fighting, cock-fighting, bull baiting, bear baiting, badger baiting, fox hunting, stag hunting and hare coursing were all “legitimate”: yours is just one more anachronism that needs to be swept away in a more civilised society. Killing for fun should be illegal (and don’t tell me you do it for the pot – if there was a genuine market they would be farmed and slaughtered like our other domesticated meat sources).
I have to take strong exception to your penultimate paragraph Mark that by implication animal rights activists are not decent people. Like any group a few may not be but I am sure the very great majority are. Time and again campaigning for animal rights has proven in the long run that are correct and that the “establishment “ is wrong..
I am sure many animals think like we do the only difference is, is that they cant communicate like us and this has profound implications for them. So do not belittle animal rights activists.
Alan – I see what you mean, sorry. But my intention was not what you have assumed. Of course animal rights activists are often decent people, but the class if decent people is much bigger than that of animal rights activists.
I take your point Mark sorry if their was a bit of a misunderstanding. I saw pictures of a monkey the other month that had been subjected to medical experiments related to Parkinson’s disease. Poor creature, it wasn’t niece and one could not help but come down very much on the side of the animal rights activists,
As one of the people who protested about this booking, I’d like to think it’s possible to be an animal rights activist AND a decent person.
Mark – I have no doubt that it is possible, and common. Apologies for an unintended slur.
Seems there’s a potential similarity with various other businesses or activities which have been forced(?) to improve the way they function: fashion and sweatshops (and now fast fashion destroying the world); coffee/chocolate and fairtrade & shade-grown coffee; meat/milk and animal welfare. Shooting could go the same way & partly at least, get a good bit more ethical. Mostly hasn’t happened yet though. They’ll have to though.
I know some thoroughly decent animal rights activists and some thoroughly decent game shooters. I also know of some thoroughly unpleasant animal rights ‘terrorists’–the sort that threatened to kill me and throw acid in my face–and some thoroughly unpleasant game shooters who fail to adhere to codes of practice and give game shooting a bad name. In the middle are people who have a great deal in common, namely they want increased biodiversity and a well-managed countryside.
If the shooting industry controlled their extreme activists, the ones who think they have the right to shoot and destroy protected wildlife and sites this problem probably wouldn’t have happened
If you want to see ‘shouting loudest’, Jack, just read your CA emails – and in terms of shutting down legitimate debate you don’t have to look further than how the noisy end of shooting jumps on anyone within shooting(eg David Tomlinson) who dares suggest that perhaps shooting has some work to do to maintain public support.
badly misinformed as usual. The event is going ahead.
Stig -poor attention to detail as usual, I say the event is going ahead. Do you shoot from the hip literally as well as metaphorically?
I don’t shoot. But I do know what ‘mothballed’ means. The event has neither been cancelled or postponed.
Stig – do you think that is why I wrote ‘The event will go ahead…’? Might have been, mightn’t it?
Then your headline is misleading. Perhaps it should read ‘Animal rights activists fail to stop BASC event’. Much more factual, don’t you think?
Stig – you should write your own blog.
Are you not printing my reply to your comment Mark?
A little selective…
Stig – I have. Try to keep your neediness for attention under control.
That’s pretty rich coming from someone with their own blog and a seat at the Wild Justice table!
Is there a difference between ‘animal rightist’ and ‘animal activist’?
I have been subjected to some pretty unpleasant behaviour from those who would seek to ban what is a legal activity. My daughter was called a necrophiliac by one (hadn’t consulted the dictionary, obviously). I have no objection to those holding opposing views to me until they spill over into the unacceptable or physical. I think it best to define some as conservationist and others as extremist; happy with the first, less excited by the second. Remember some conservationists hunt (in the broadest sense). And when protesting, I believe it is always useful to say not just what you object to but also what is acceptable (eg you could be against driven shooting but support rough – one for the pot – shooting). This often strengthens your argument as being carefully considered and lifts you above the shrill or abusive naysayer.
For anyone interested in animal sentience and rights and our relationship with non-human animals, this week’s edition of Andrew Marr’s Start The Week programme on Radio 4 is well worth a listen. Available on iPlayer, ‘Animals and us’ is informative, uplifting and compelling.
This event was aimed at showing how game can be a healthy, sustainable and readily available food source (without the food mileage some of our other meats travel) unfortunately it seems like some of the anti shooters have taken offence to this.
They complain that shooters don’t eat what they shoot (personally I eat what I shoot alongside the vast majority of shooters) but then complain when an event is put on to showcase what a wonderful product Game is.
Sometimes I think this world has gone mad.
Black – Thanks for your comment. That would have been interesting. Lead free game eat?
Was it going to be how game could be a sustainable meat if only shooting changed or was it going to be that game is already sustainable?
How can game be sustainable?
Deer yes but we don’t actually kill enough to maintain good habitats.
Pigeon yes but its not game, same goes for Rabbit.
Wildfowl yes but is it really game, walked up grouse yes.
Driven grouse, no it cannot possibly be sustainable under current land management and predator control ( legal and illegal) regimes.
Pheasant and Partridge definitely not sustainable given the millions released every year.
So tell me Black which bits you think are sustainable!
Only healthy of course if not shot with Toxic lead shot!
“And that backlash is not from animal rights activists but from decent people.”
Perhaps my favourite quote from all the years I’ve been reading your blog Mark – and I do realise exactly what you meant. I recently got into trouble for saying “we are designed to be…” You have to be so careful with language!
Unfortunately ‘Animal Rights Activist has been used by the shooting lobby,the media and even other conservationists to denigrate people who care about animal welfare and try to do something about it. It is a slur to make people think that all A.R Activists are capable of sending parcel bombs to lab technicians and their families etc. I would imagine that most people who read your blog Mark could be loosely classed as caring about wildlife and participate in its protection,therefore actively involved in the rights of animals to live freely from human persecution.
I felt very uncomfortable with the phrase you used.Language is indeed important. !