Did You Even Know Cecil the Lion?

Did any of us really know Cecil the Lion?

I've seen this question bandied about quite a bit by the minority of people who think it's more than suitable to kill majestic creatures.

"Seriously, WHO EVEN KNEW ABOUT THIS LION LAST WEEK?"

And to that I say, "That's not relevant," and "You're a fucking moron."

There are many things taking place every single day of our lives which we've come to accept because fighting against every injustice is exhausting. For example, most of us probably own some footwear or clothing made under squalid conditions, often by children, and we're not happy about it. Yet when a warehouse in India fell on top of people a few years ago, people were moved by the images; moved to act. Something was done about it. But no, before that day I was not aware of the poor and unsafe conditions specific to that particular Indian manufacturing plant.

Now I am.

Many of us take small actions to make sure things improve, but we don't dedicate every waking moment of our lives to the cause because we have other responsibilities. Now there are those out there who are stopping whaling boats, elephant poachers and the like, and I love those people for doing it. I'm glad someone told me I need to breakdown the plastic rings which hold soda cans together because Dolphins get caught in them. Thank you! And if those people weren't out there doing that for me, maybe I'd be motivated to fill the void, or one of you. I'm a believer that people should follow their passion(s), and that's not mine. Yet I'm thankful every day those people exist to make me a better person, and the world a better place. Yet that doesn't mean I need to know all of these things, all the time.

But when someone rubs your face in something in such a brazen way, without concern for humanity, while donning a perfect smile, you have every right to say, "THAT'S FUCKED UP! FUCK THAT GUY!" When an emotion is beyond your control then you know you're in the right place.

And most everyone felt the same way about Cecil the Lion, even if we didn't know of him previously.

There are norms. When you cross them, expect the wrath.

I know a number of people who go big game hunting, and I've said things to them directly. I even fought with an ex-girlfriend about the issue, and stopped talking to one of her friends because of it. Yes, I am judging you. That's really all I can do. Now everyone is judging Dr. Walter Palmer for, quite frankly, being a lowlife.

It takes MAJOR events for change to come about, and this is one of those "critical mass" moments.

Look, hunting is legal, I get it, and it should continue to be, but when you're killing something so you can hang it on your wall then you are a person of low class. What else can I tell you? That wasn't for food, or for some societal benefit, none of that. It was purely because you believe killing some beautiful animal in its home makes you some kind of a man.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

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I have said on my radio show how I don't differentiate between animals because I eat animals. Now I'd prefer that I didn't, but quite frankly, I don't have the will power not to.

For the most part, I try and eat poultry. And yes, I do believe chickens (and many birds) are not the smartest species on earth. I think there's a spectrum, with humans sitting at the top and chickens somewhere close to the bottom. That's what I believe. Many would agree.

Therefore, if you want to go out with your gun and shoot some quail, or maybe even a chicken, that wouldn't keep me up at night. But if you went out into the wild and shot a Bald Fucking Eagle to hang on your mantle, that would piss me off to no end. Because we don't eat Bald Eagles, and they're gorgeous. Plus, they're often at risk of disappearing altogether.

When you make decisions in life you need to consider the larger world in which you operate. That goes for everybody, be it banker, doctor, lawyer, hunter, farmer, teacher, you name it. There are accepted societal norms, and you need to adhere to these things. Can you legally go out into the world and kill some lion? Yeah, you sure can. It's terrible, but you can do it. You're terrible, but you can do it. But when you decide to publish that cowardice to the world with a shit eating grin, expect to hear about it. Expect the wrath. Expect what happened to this idiot doctor.

He deserves worse than he's getting, and I hope the rest of you moron hunters are taking notice.