Exploiting Tragedy

Gene Mueller: PETA uses tragedy to push hunting ban
Gene Mueller Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Imagine turning a tragic incident in which a child apparently shot his father and another man into a campaign to stop those younger than 18 from hunting.

That's what happened in Arizona, where wacky animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sent a letter to Gov. Janet Napolitano, urging her to support legislation that would ban hunting by anyone younger than 18. The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance, a pro-hunting organization headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, is trying to making sure every hunter in the country knows about this.

"PETA is attempting to exploit recent news coverage of a tragedy in which an 8-year old boy allegedly shot and killed his father, Vincent Romero, [with] a .22-caliber rifle," USSA's executive vice president Rick Story said. "The organization claims that the violent act was fomented by a recent family prairie dog hunting trip."

PETA, Story said, told Napolitano that hunting teaches "children to see others as nothing more than living targets. PETA always uses the most distasteful tactics to make headlines. In this case, it is exploiting a tragic situation to advance its anti-hunting agenda."

How a sad event of a boy misusing a gun can have anything to do with the hundreds of thousands of children who accompany their fathers, uncles and grandfathers on hunting trips is beyond me. I started hunting at age 10 under the tutelage of my father and grandfather. Never in all my years of hunting have I heard even the most rabid anti-hunter say an apparent criminal act was the result of a child being introduced to hunting.

Shame on you, PETA. Link

PETA has never been afraid to exploit a tragedy in order to further their agenda. Hunting is a great sport and a necessary one. It provides a way to manage game animals and at the same time utilize a resource. Just like in agriculture, hunters will need to work hard to protect their hunting rights.