So where are we at with this debate on the suitability of killing animals with air rifles in particular and taking pleasure in killing animals as a sport in general?
1.The challenge of the use of air rifles as being underpowered weapons unsuitable for the purpose. No credible evidence to contradict my personal experience over many years. My point.
2.Elaine challenged my credentials and quoted a lot of very misleading rubbish intended for public consumption. Information which did not in any way convey the real world killing of animals with an unsuitable weapon.
3.Result, annihilation. Point to oblomov
4.I said have the courage of your convictions, admit the true ‘sport killer’s ethos is,
"I shoot and kill animals because I enjoy it. It's inevitable they will suffer, and some will suffer greatly, especially when they crawl away to die a slow death in a hole somewhere. Because I use a weapon that's not up to the job this happens on a fairly frequent basis, but that's OK. because I don't actually give a sh*t about any pain or suffering I cause them. In reality that's the nature of my sport, I cause them suffering and I don't care. No takers. Point to oblomov.
5.Sportkill shooters will not admit the truth about what killing for sport actually involves, and continue in denial. Score another point to me
6.Elaine persisted by arguing that if the law says it’s O.K says it’s OK, (Remember that it’s the BASC crowd who makes these convenient rules). This is what’s known as the (discredited) Nuremberg Defence. At the Nuremberg war trials Nazis disclaimed personal responsibility for their atrocities because “they were only doing what their Government said was OK. This attempt to abdicate personal responsibility was not accepted by the court as a valid argument. Score another point to me.
7.The oxymoronically named British Association for Shooting and Conversation was bandied about. In reality it should be named The British Association for Shooting and Killing under the pretence that killing is in some way conservation. Point to me.
8.The BASC members are the people who employ gamekeepers. Any gamekeeper will tell you that the most predatory animal which destroys wildlife indiscriminately everywhere to a degree greater than all other animal/bird predators combined is your common moggy, feral or domestic. What do these gamekeepers do if your moggy strays into their domain? Oh dear, the shooters don’t even want to go there, deafening silence.
9.After specious and tendentious argument about the need to control ‘vermin’ a challenge was made as to whether or not theotherhalf and Elaine actually needed to control these animals by way of taking pleasure in killing them for sport. No response. Score another point to me even if I didn’t ask the question.
10.Proper efficient methods of ‘vermin’ control were suggested if certain animals posed a real threat. No response. Point to me.
11.LY55SCO attempted to come to the rescue but was unable to grasp the gist of the argument or present a coherent reply. Point to me.
So there we have it then. The Kill, Maim, and Cause Animals to Suffer for Pleasure brigade totally failed to present any credible argument to support their ‘sport’.
One thing’s for certain, as the ‘sport killers’ will tell you, there are vermin out there. You just need to learn how to recognize them.
End of.
