When I wrote a story for the Sacramento Bee about that fishing trip Boyfriend and I took on the Trinity River last month, I wondered what the reaction would be.
I'd had two pieces in the Bee - a commentary last year about why I hunt, and a story earlier this year about spring turkey hunting. Both pieces brought the usual comments from anti-hunters, but I wondered if a fishing story would be any different. Read more...
While I personally feel a life is a life is a life - I take the killing of all animals equally seriously - I've assumed the vast majority of humans have far less problem with killing fish than they do with killing mammals and birds. Even in many primitive hunter-gatherer cultures, birds and mammals are classified as "us" while fish are classified as "other."
Well, the fishing piece came out this morning, and wouldn't you know it the first comment on the piece is from an anti exclaiming with fake wonder that there's still a resource I can "ravage and plunder." I must admit, I was a little surprised.
On the bright side, at least there hasn't been a comment yet from "Coppersmom," a rabid woman who made lots of freakish comments on my last story in the Bee. Then again, maybe she just hasn't found it yet.
© Holly A. Heyser 2009
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5 comments:
NorCal .. you shouldn't be too surprised at the reaction. Anti's cut their teeth first on fishing! Salmon in British Isles. And to whit, since the 'sea-kitten' story and education has been pumping out of PeTA, the only thing most consumptive outdoor heritage activity groups/individuals did was poke fun of it all.
I've warned for over 25 years we should be taking this very serious. As per the usual state of affairs, folks only begin to take it serious that the 'building' is in jeopardy - only! - when the walls are crumbling down.
Just a tad late.
Keep writing. We need all the positive 'voice' we can get.
O'fieldstream
You're fishing with a guide, the marjority of which are very ecology minded, and really look out for the environment. You're fishing with barbless hooks...advantage Salmon.
As far as I'm concerned, you're doing everything right. Loved the story...keep up the great work!
Holly - an idea for your next data-minded post. Maybe you should write a story on the carbon footprint that is left from the production of all the polystyrene, saran wrap, and transportation necessary for people who are opposed to consumptive use of animals to buy their 'environmentally-farmed' fish and chicken in the grocery store. They are just so extreme - it just gets exhausting to try and have a reasonable conversation with them (sigh).
I'm honestly not surprised by this. I've had a couple conversations with anti's who supposedly had evidence that fish feel pain when the hook is in their mouth, etc.
These type of people are going to jump on any bandwagon they can find, and fishing is no exception.
Hopefully they'll find our blogs, realize we are honest and passionate about the animals we consume as food, and change their minds.
We can only hope.
It gets so old the antis and their tired rhetoric. If anyone has some free time and wants to enlighten the folks on my Facebook post for today, have at it. Most of them are women so Holly and ladies, maybe you can find the right words.
I'm off to man a both at Bass Pro.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/photo.php?pid=596196&id=1126381876&ref=nf
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