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Editorial: What happened to freedom of choice?
By BILL KARR/WON Staff WriterPublished: Jan 27, 2012
Editorial
There have been some huge changes in this country in a very few short years, and we don’t like what we’re seeing.
California has always been a “nanny state,” where “we,” the suburban voting public wants the government to dictate every aspect of our lives. You know, 745 new laws this year, telling you what you can and can’t do, how to live, what to eat, etc. And the current U.S. administration is now on the same course, but from what we’re seeing, only city-dwellers are buying it.
But here in California, it seems we’re still on a “my way or the highway” mentality. When did it begin impacting sportsmen to the point where they want to dictate to each other what we should or should not do? Hunters and fishermen have always been a relatively “private” group of folks, enjoying their own chosen sports in privacy, and liking it that way. But now, as you will notice in two of the letters in this week’s Western Outdoor News “Sound off” column, there are two totally different views.
One is from a reader who enjoys hunting predators. Sure, we don’t see many recipes for “fricasseed fox, or “barbecued bobcat,” but that doesn’t mean they’re not eaten when shot by predator hunters. But that’s not the point. Biologists and scientists in the DFG have determined that those populations need to be controlled for the betterment of other species, such as quail, pheasants, ducks, rabbits, domestic stock and more. There are seasons and limits and it’s legal. And it helps control the balance of nature.
The other is from a sportsman who sees it as a totally unacceptable practice, and he is against it, vehemently! Why? Just because they’re generally not eaten? The furs are used, and they are part of the web of nature that needs to be kept in balance. If you don’t like it, or don’t do it, fine. But why berate someone who does?
Please!! We all have to remember that this is the United States of America, and we can all participate in those activities that we choose, so long as they don't impact the liberties and life of someone else, and they are scientifically sound and legal. The word is Freedom. Please, just because you don't like it, don't condemn it! We are the Land of the Free: in choice, practice, beliefs and yes, even outdoor sports.
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Editorial There have been some huge changes in this country in a very few short years, and we don’t like what we’re seeing. California has always been a “nanny state,” where “we,” the suburban voting public wants the government to dictate every aspect of our lives. You know, 745 new laws this year, telling you what you can and can’t do, how to live, what to eat, etc. And the current U.S. administration is now on the same course, but from what we’re seeing, only city-dwellers are buying it. But here in California, it seems we’re still on a “my way or the highway” mentality. When did it begin impacting sportsmen to the point where they want to dictate to each other what we should or should not do? Hunters and fishermen have always been a relatively “private” group of folks, enjoying their own chosen sports in privacy, and liking it that way. But now, as you will notice in two of the letters in this week’s Western Outdoor News “Sound off” column, there are two totally different views. One is from a reader who enjoys hunting predators. Sure, we don’t see many recipes for “fricasseed fox, or “barbecued bobcat,” but that doesn’t mean they’re not eaten when shot by predator hunters. But that’s not the point. Biologists and scientists in the DFG have determined that those populations need to be controlled for the betterment of other species, such as quail, pheasants, ducks, rabbits, domestic stock and more. There are seasons and limits and it’s legal. And it helps control the balance of nature. The other is from a sportsman who sees it as a totally unacceptable practice, and he is against it, vehemently! Why? Just because they’re generally not eaten? The furs are used, and they are part of the web of nature that needs to be kept in balance. If you don’t like it, or don’t do it, fine. But why berate someone who does? Please!! We all have to remember that this is the United States of America, and we can all participate in those activities that we choose, so long as they don't impact the liberties and life of someone else, and they are scientifically sound and legal. The word is Freedom. Please, just because you don't like it, don't condemn it! We are the Land of the Free: in choice, practice, beliefs and yes, even outdoor sports. |
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