We often talk about human dignity, and, regardless of one's political affiliation, that seems important to most human beings. I was struck this weekend by a picture I saw in an ad by a large (unnamed by me) national company that outfits people primarily for hunting and fishing (fuck 'em.).
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It is a picture of two people, crouched and HIDING behind a large tree, pointing a high-powered, overkill weapon (considering that a thrown rock would be capable of doing the job) at a single bird, for the express and exclusive purpose of killing it. They are wearing expensive camouflage gear, and the weapon and ammunition must certainly represent significant expense. Huge industries have built up for providing equipment like that. Millions of webpages are out there elaborating strategies on how one may most 'successfully' prosecute assassinations of this kind.
Of course, they are hiding because, if their 'sporting hunt' is not successful, their lives are in jeopardy of retaliatory counter-attack from a bird known to be carrying catastrophic weaponry of its own ...
Oh, wait. Further research reveals that the bird carries a beak and claws, lethal only at a range of ... oh, wait. Not lethal to humans at all, unless a human kills one, removes the beak or claws, dips them in a highly toxic poison and uses them to commit suicide ...
In fact, the noble bird poses no significant threat at all, and is likely to do nothing more than flee if it becomes aware of the humans cowardly presence.
For the species that regards itself as the pinnacle of evolution in the Animalia kingdom (to which our turkey brother also belongs), where is the dignity in this? Where is the sporting challenge in sneaking up on unsuspecting wildlife, then executing it with weaponry against which it has no possible defense? No natural protection? That is supposed to be an achievement? Sport?
We have big strides to make in this world, and they won't be easy. We have an unfathomable amount of evolution left to do as a species.
(Diary edit: I have edited the diary to remove a comment that I found, and posted. I made an error in its selection. That reflects on me and no one else.)
And on that cheery note, on to tonight’s comments! Formatted by brillig!
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From Wee Mama:
A classic DK pun thread started by Katakana- read it all! From 8ackgr0und N015e's Looks like Obama may have outmaneuvered Putin, forcing him to overreach.
From bluezen:
i'd like to submit this comment of msdrown's, from Dante Atkins' GOP solution to possible King v. Burwell disaster? Take subsidies away more slowly.
From brillig:
From Susan Grigsby's excellent The U.S. Border Patrol—law enforcement or just guys with guns? comes this fine comment by yragentman.
From BeninSC:
This comment has been removed because a good Kossack explained to me the problem with it, and with my selecting it. The error was mine, and reflects on no one else. I promise to be much more diligent with my screening, henceforth. And I apologize to the TC community for making a poor choice.
A Comment flag:
Flagged by TrueBlueMajority, this comment by UntimelyRippd takes a different twist!
Top Mojo for yesterday, March 14th, first comments and tip jars excluded. Thank you mik for the mojo magic! For those of you interested in How Top Mojo Works, please see his diary FAQing Top Mojo.
1) That didn't happen out of the blue. by 8ackgr0und N015e — 179
2) Jebya hasn't released squat yet by Jeff Y — 106
3) Oil vey. (nt) by Katakana — 93
4) The Rs keep growing these wing-nuts by Denise Oliver Velez — 90
5) He also offered this by sceptical observer — 89
6) Joe Biden is the highest profile politician... by markthshark — 75
7) You've touched on something of great importance by Leslie Salzillo — 71
8) Excellent diary. by billmosby — 71
9) Sheer pervasiveness of domestic spying... by bobswern — 70
10) What the hell must Cotton's parents be like? I by Wendys Wink — 70
11) It's more about 'Freedom Lies' and 'Buys' with by Leslie Salzillo — 70
12) They grow them in the dark, isolated like by a2nite — 68
13) "...And then they came for me..." n/t by bobswern — 68
14) Corruption of the blood by FogCityJohn — 63
15) I say we just tatoo a red 'T' on their foreheads by ontheleftcoast — 63
16) To be brutally honest? by LeftHandedMan — 62
17) Thanks for being reality-based and intellectually by TomP — 61
18) Muravchik is not only a warmonger, he has the cast by Lepanto — 61
19) Maybe this is the day I recognize I am just by Christy1947 — 60
20) The unanticipated collapse of oil prices by VClib — 60
21) It is- and what bothers me about this by BoiseBlue — 58
22) And this is why by ExpatGirl — 58
23) I'm not a petition signer by MargaretPOA — 57
24) Your question was in jest :) by karmsy — 56
25) Let's start with the Dem hopefuls by Armando — 55
26) The absolute best by AnnetteK — 55
27) Additional Questions by SilverWillow — 54
28) The Cheney family is quaking in their boots by cheminMD — 54
29) Don't give up. by Damnit Janet — 54
30) The kids sign confidentiality agreements? by ER Doc — 54
Top Pictures for yesterday, March 14th. Click any picture of a cat to be taken to the full comment. Thank you jotter for the image magic!