Quote:
| Originally Posted by Porg Yep, if we all went around doing what we wanted all the time with no "Nanny State" saying what was acceptable and what wasnt I think a lot of people would be very happy. Unfortunatley i think the consequences of there being no government action may be pretty catastrophic too. Personal freedom has to have some boundaries, otherwise what is there to stop me doing anything i want and bugger the results as I am happy? |
Hi
Granted, but this debate is not about personal freedoms, as fox hunting, and field sports in general, do no harm to anyone, neither do they restrict anyones freedoms. It is education which changes peoples views and actions, not legislation, as you will find that dogfighting, badger baiting etc are still practiced, but secretly. All that will happen is that the people who participate in those pasttimes will simply find other ways to fulfill their wishes, such as the quad bike thing mentioned. Of course, that will no doubt lead to more legislation, keeps the barristers happy I suppose, and yet does nothing to change peoples views.
There is far more legislation nowadays than ever before, and perhaps unsurprisingly, crime rates are higher than ever before. So when I say Nanny State, it is in the context that the government has no answer other than to further legislate, as the power of education and peer pressure has long since been abandoned.
This is the tip of the wedge, as then it will be grouse shooting, then fly fishing, then angling. Of course when that is all done and people start other sports and pasttimes to answer their inherent sense of adventure, then legislation will continue, to further restrict our 'freedoms', perhaps curtailing our diving.
As far as foxhunting goes, then I am neither for nor against. I do not choose to participate and it is not a sport I would take up. However I have fished in the past and by taking up diving I stopped, as I can now see the fish in their natural environment and did not want to cause them distress, the power of education you see, and so now I don't participate in any field sports. I diod not need to be 'banned' to change my behaviour, simply educated. I do not suddenly expect others to see things how I do, and respect their right to do what they want as long as it doesn't harm others.
As far as cruelty to animals, then perhaps we should start at the mass transportation of sheep, chickens, and pigs across europe just to make more profit, or the conditions of battery farms in and across europe, rather than select the couple of hundred foxes killed each year. More foxes are killed on the roads by cars and lorries. One animal who will suffer from the ban are the thousands of hound who will be put down because the reason for owning/breeding them will cease. On this planet, at this time, then the winner is always man and the losers are always animals. Your ban does not prevent the killing of animals, its just different animals which will be killed. The same number of foxes will be killed, as that is part of culling, its just that they will now be shot and poisoned instead.
So, in conclusion, education and self policing is good, government legislation is very bad.
Just my opinion of course.
Andy